300 PRC on Savage 116?

[Rick_W]

I have an older pre-Accutrigger 116 Weather Warrior factory chambered for 7mm RUM. I believe this action has control round feed.

Am I crazy to want to build a .300 PRC on this action and put it in a MDT ACC stock using the 3.85" magazine?

I'm not a competitive shooter but I do have access to a 1,000 yd range at home and do enjoy shooting, though I've not tried anything beyond 400 yds.

Want to do something with this action but can't decide what.

 

[mike mccormick]

Doesn't sound crazy at all.

 

[284winner]

Go for it. I built a rifle from an older early 90s Weather Warrior action (116) stainless. It started life as a .338 Win Mag. Turned out to be a great gun sitting in a McMillan A5 stock with Broughton barrel. Was one of my first 6.5-284s. On it's 3rd barrel but still going strong. The 300 PRC is on my bucket list as well. I have a Weatherby action for that build and will use the MDT LSS chassis for it. I've got an 8 twist Bartlein MTU contour barrel for that build.

 

[Rick_W]

Go for it. I built a rifle from an older early 90s Weather Warrior action (116) stainless. It started life as a .338 Win Mag. Turned out to be a great gun sitting in a McMillan A5 stock with Broughton barrel. Was one of my first 6.5-284s. On it's 3rd barrel but still going strong. The 300 PRC is on my bucket list as well. I have a Weatherby action for that build and will use the MDT LSS chassis for it. I've got an 8 twist Bartlein MTU contour barrel for that build.

I'll be honest, the 6.5 PRC was what I first started looking at but am concerned with feeding issues.

MDT makes the 300 PRC magazine.

Not sure what barrel life would be on the 6.5 either...

 

[284winner]

I'll be honest, the 6.5 PRC was what I first started looking at but am concerned with feeding issues.

MDT makes the 300 PRC magazine.

Not sure what barrel life would be on the 6.5 either...

I almost chambered for the 6.5 PRC on my last barrel but decided the performance is about identical to the 6.5-284 and I have lots of brass and reloading components for it so stayed with it. Mine feeds from accurate mags and PTG bottom metal perfectly. I think the 6.5 PRC would also.

 

[CLance]

I have a 300 PRC built on a old flat back Savage 7 mag. Works great

 

[ShaunBrady]

Am I crazy

Crazy is a relative thing. The 300 PRC is a few steps back towards sanity from a 7 RUM.

I've built several long range Savage chassis guns for myself and others. They're a lot of fun to shoot.

I use shouldered barrels to get access to more barrel profiles. Heavy barrel profiles, a good brake, and chassis ergonomics make for a pleasant to shoot magnum rifle.

 

[Rick_W]

Crazy is a relative thing. The 300 PRC is a few steps back towards sanity from a 7 RUM.

I've built several long range Savage chassis guns for myself and others. They're a lot of fun to shoot.

I use shouldered barrels to get access to more barrel profiles. Heavy barrel profiles, a good brake, and chassis ergonomics make for a pleasant to shoot magnum rifle.

I didn't find the 7 RUM uncomfortable to shoot but I never shot more than five or so shots in a sitting, sighting in and practicing - I bought it for a hunting rifle and then had to move before getting to use it.

What kind of weight are your rigs?

I'm not fond of brakes, but am considering one if I go with this build.

 

[ShaunBrady]

This one is a 33xc and is 22-23#. I replaced the hollow aluminum buffer tube with a solid piece of stainless steel.

I built 2 similar guns for friends in 300wm a few years ago. They're easy to self spot with and I don't think the 300 PRC would be much different.

 

[ShaunBrady]

The crazy comment wasn't so much about recoil.

Many of these long range threads decay down to name the largest case somebody can imagine or the smallest feasible cartridge for the stated range.

The 300wm barrels generally go 1200 - 1400 rounds shooting 10-15 shot strings. I built a 7/338 Lapua that had less case capacity than the 7 RUM and it could burst any jacketed bullet you wanted to by 400 rounds. I have some PRC cases on my bench and the capacity isn't really that much different than the 300wm cases I use, so I'd expect the barrel life to be similar.

You can easily shoot 1000 yards with a 175smk from a 20" 308, but it won't be nearly as entertaining as that 300 PRC would be. The PRC will also shoot deeper into poorer conditions.

Our range starts at 1200 yards and the last target is at 2300 yards. The targets are left out, so no setup, and the shooting spot is near where we park. Those factors definitely affect my perspective and the guns I build for it. Your interests may be considerably different.

 

[Rick_W]

Appreciate your insight. I'm currently overseas and will be for a couple years, so this is my opportunity to piecemeal my parts and have stuff waiting for when I get home.

I only have 100 yards at my house unless I cut some trees down to increase my firing lane (and I have thought about it) but then only to maybe 150-170 yds. I have access to a 1,000 yard range about 35 miles from the house, but that is the longest that I'm aware of.

 

[Rick_W]

It's not a money thing, but...

MDT ACC chassis with pistol grip and a pre-fit barrel is putting me close to a new Bergara HMR PRO or Ridgeback and over the cost of the Bergara B-14 HMR or even the Savage 110 Precision BA.

My 116 action does give me controlled round feed, but it's otherwise stock.

Am I overthinking this?

 

[ShaunBrady]

Might be over thinking it. The important thing is moving forward towards your goals. This won't be your last rifle.

Despite YouTube and influencers elsewhere, a factory barrel is unlikely to compete with a prefit.

If you do decide to leave the Savage alone, I suggest going with the magnum RPR. I have 2 of them in addition to several Savage chassis guns. They were $1500 to my FFL a year ago. With the RPR, you start closer to the finish line.

On the Savage controlled feed, it's not. It's a bolt face band aid for feeding problems with the Ultra Mag case diameter in the staggered feed guns. I have an old Model 12 that was a 300wsm that I've rebarreled to 7/300wsm. Great gun, really enjoy it, but the extractor in it is exactly the same as the other Savage models. It does not take over control of the round as it leaves the magazine. It clips into the extractor groove after pushing the round into the chamber. The fixed ejector is nice for not dinging the necks during extraction, but if you're too gentle running the bolt, it'll leave the round sitting on top of the magazine and you'll have to fish it out. I haven't had feeding problems from AICS pattern magazines with either style of Savage bolt. Or extraction, or ejection, despite what you see on the Internet.

 

[Rick_W]

Thank you again. After thinking this through I've decided to leave the Savage in the back of the safe and order a new rifle.