First custom rifle, 7WSM, need advice please

[MrDualz]

I'm in the process of building my first custom rifle, I have a Remington 700 7mm Ultra Mag action that I'm going to blueprint, and add a new barrel and stock, and chamber it in a 7mm WSM. I want to use the long so that I can seat the longer VLD bullets where they need to be and still be able to have them fit in the magazine.

Is it possible or will it work to turn my ultra mag action into a 7WSM?

Also I'm kinda lost on the "throating" the 7WSM for the VLD bullets, what does this mean, is it recommened, do I need to have it throated different since I'm using a long action, and will it only shoot VLD's if it's throated for them?

Any and all help, input, and info is welcome, and thank you in advance.

 

[dennisinaz]

You will need a reamer that is set up so that you can seat those bullets out. A typical 7WSM reamer is going to limit you to somewhere around 2.9" with a 180 Berger. You have a magazine that will hold a round as long as 3.8". To take advantage of this, you will need to be able to seat the VLDs out to a COL closer to 3.1"-3.2". This is where the "throat" is longer for the long VLDs to be able to be seated out.

Biggest problem with the 7WSM is the crappy brass you are limited to. It is a lot of work to size down 300 WSM brass and then fire form it.

Have fun.

 

[Trevor300wsm]

You will need a reamer that is set up so that you can seat those bullets out. A typical 7WSM reamer is going to limit you to somewhere around 2.9" with a 180 Berger. You have a magazine that will hold a round as long as 3.8". To take advantage of this, you will need to be able to seat the VLDs out to a COL closer to 3.1"-3.2". This is where the "throat" is longer for the long VLDs to be able to be seated out.

Biggest problem with the 7WSM is the crappy brass you are limited to. It is a lot of work to size down 300 WSM brass and then fire form it.

Have fun.

Am I just reading this wrong? Why are you having to size down 300WSM brass?? Just buy the Win 7WSM brass.

 

[bozo699]

Trevor,
That is what Dennis is trying to say, 7wsm is Winchester brass (Junk) where as .300wsm comes in Norma and if you happen to get lucky Nosler. Until Lapua or RWS starts making brass for this cartridge I doubt it ever becomes extremely popular.
Wayne.

 

[XTR]

What are you planning to shoot with the rifle?

For the BR guys Winchester may be junk, and maybe the 7mm offering from Winchester isn't as good as the 308 Win, it is not as consistent as Lapua for sure, but a lot of the F-TR folks (self included) find it to be a good case. It reloads well, and it has thinner walls than lapua so you actually pic up some case capacity, which is goof if you are trying to squeeze the last bit of MV out of a 308. Yea, you have to uniform the pockets and the holes but after you do that and toss out the 5% that are way off on weight I've had good luck. Granted I'm never going to win any BR matches but I don't shoot them. I can consistently shoot under .5 from a Harris bipod at 100 yds.

F-open guys have been shooting the 7RSAUM with Remington brass until recently, and lately everyone seems to be building one of those, though I have heard that Norma is making brass for them now.

If I was limited to Remington brass I'd hesitate, but Winchester I'm fine with.

 

[Savage99]

Welcome to the forum Mr. Dualz,

I would start with a better designed action. The Rems have a brazed on bolt handle and bolt locking lug section. Their extractors are tiny springs etc. The safties don't control the firing pin and more.

Look at the M70's, Kimbers, Mausers.

 

[XTR]

Welcome to the forum Mr. Dualz,

I would start with a better designed action. The Rems have a brazed on bolt handle and bolt locking lug section. Their extractors are tiny springs etc. The safties don't control the firing pin and more.

Look at the M70's, Kimbers, Mausers.

He says he already has the action so I doubt he will go looking for something else, if you want to be able to find a smith to work on your stuff then Remington, or one of the custom variants is the way to go. Mauser, really? That's so 1890s. Don't believe me, call around to 3 or 4 smiths ask how much to set back and rechamber an R700 barrel, about $150, they'll quote it on the phone, to true an action and ream/mount your new tube, about $350, but ask about a Kimber or a M70 and see how long it takes to get an answer if at all, and you can toss Howa in that mix too.

Sure the R700 type doesn't have a 3 position safety and the new one blocks the trigger not the sear, and none of them block the pin, but I don't see that as a real problem, and neither does USMC or the US Army as both use R700 actions in the M40A* and the M24 sniper rifles.

Yes, the bolt, in particular the handle is the weak link in a Remy, but that can be changed out, in fact if you look at the parts market there are more parts offered for Remys and look alikes than everything else combined.

 

[1KBR]

.300wsm comes in Norma and if you happen to get lucky Nosler. Until Lapua or RWS starts making brass for this cartridge I doubt it ever becomes extremely popular.
Wayne.

I havent tried Nosler brass yet, how does it compare to the Win and Norma brass in 300WSM as far as capacity and consistancy??

 

[bozo699]

.300wsm comes in Norma and if you happen to get lucky Nosler. Until Lapua or RWS starts making brass for this cartridge I doubt it ever becomes extremely popular.
Wayne.

I havent tried Nosler brass yet, how does it compare to the Win and Norma brass in 300WSM as far as capacity and consistancy??

1Kbr,
I haven't bought any of the .300wsm brass yet however I have bought .308 win brass in the nosler brand that was as good as any brass I have used, on the other hand I bought some 300wm Nosler brass thet was by far the worst brass I have ever bought.
Wayne.

 

[MrDualz]

Well guys I've been doin an extensive amount of reading, researching, and talking to people and gunsmiths. I've bout come to the conclusion that I'm gunna go with a 7mm Rem Mag instead of the 7 WSM. Also it may be the only custom rifle I'll ever have or at least for quite a while, so I've decided that I'm going to sell my 7 ultra mag and order a Borden Timberline action. Also I plan on putting it all in a hs precision stock similar to the sendero stocks. Would this be a better route to go? Do you have any other advice? Thanks.

 

[FURMAN]

I know everyone has an opinion and some will disagree with mine but here it is. I have a Stiller Predator and a Remington 700. The 700 is a 7mm SAUM in a short action. The Stiller is a 7mm WSM long action. The WSM feeds great but my 700 is far more smooth than the Stiller. The long action met my goal of 2950 with a 180 Berger in a 25in barrel without pushing too hard. I will stay with a 7mm WSM when this barrel burns out but I do not think I would go with a custom action for a hunting rifle again. If I were you I would stay with your original plan.

 

[FFL Medic]

I was in your shoes a couple of years back. I had a Sendero in 300 RUM with a barrel that was toast. I decided along with a friend of mine to go in half and half on a 7 WSM reamer. We both had 700 LA's and bought dies, brass and bullets. We made up dummy cartridges and sent them to Dave Kiff at PTG. He made us a tight no-turn neck 7 WSM with a longer throat designed for our long actions and long bullets. Long story short, don't worry about the "brass". Your project is justified and appropriate. I can't shoot better than crummy WIN brass anyways. Here's a target from the 7 WSM. Distance is 875 yards, bullet is a 180 VLD with a MV of 3000. The cartridge I'm holding in the picture is a .223 55 FMJ. The furthest "hole" is just under 2.5". So much for the poor quality brass. I doubt I could tell the difference either way. Maybe I'm just being naive, but when she'll shoot like that... I could care less. I think I'd be stupid to argue with groups that measure between 1/4 and 1/3 SMOA at nearly 1/2 mile. (From a Harris bipod and a sand sock proned out in the bed of my pickup.) I'm really not trying to sound like a jerk, just my experience with the OP's post.

 

[bozo699]

Welcome to the forum Mr. Dualz,

I would start with a better designed action. The Rems have a brazed on bolt handle and bolt locking lug section. Their extractors are tiny springs etc. The safties don't control the firing pin and more.

Look at the M70's, Kimbers, Mausers.

He says he already has the action so I doubt he will go looking for something else, if you want to be able to find a smith to work on your stuff then Remington, or one of the custom variants is the way to go. Mauser, really? That's so 1890s. Don't believe me, call around to 3 or 4 smiths ask how much to set back and rechamber an R700 barrel, about $150, they'll quote it on the phone, to true an action and ream/mount your new tube, about $350, but ask about a Kimber or a M70 and see how long it takes to get an answer if at all, and you can toss Howa in that mix too.

Sure the R700 type doesn't have a 3 position safety and the new one blocks the trigger not the sear, and none of them block the pin, but I don't see that as a real problem, and neither does USMC or the US Army as both use R700 actions in the M40A* and the M24 sniper rifles.

Yes, the bolt, in particular the handle is the weak link in a Remy, but that can be changed out, in fact if you look at the parts market there are more parts offered for Remys and look alikes than everything else combined.

Your of course joking right?...............so 1890's?? look and see what people are using in Africa on big game and dangerous game, SURE AIN'T MANY REMMY'S there using those junk out of date Mauser's and Mauser clones. I have three smiths building rifles for me year round and all three have built me several very accurate M70's and Mauser rifles. Real gunsmiths, not back yard hacks have no problems working on quality built rifles like the outdated Mausers and model 70's. Remingtons are cheap because there cheaply made, I am not saying there not good as I own a lot of them but compared to the craftsmanship of a controlled feed #70 or a Mauser there very cheaply made, there the small block chevy of the gun world, chevy small blocks aren't even close to being the best constructed motors, but parts are interchangeable and after market parts are abundant which make them popular but far from being the best. Paul Mauser was genius and his action's will still be very popular as long as people still hunt and shoot! To work on them however you can't be a parts changer, you MUST! be a craftsman.
Wayne.