Which Rem action?

[4xforfun]

A friend of mine is going to build either a 300 WSM or a 300 ULTRA. He wants to use a rem 700 action (which he still needs to buy) Is there a special action he needs to look for? Or can any Rem LA be made to work? I here about some work that needs to be done on the feed rails or mag, or some thing. How big of a deal are the modifications...can any competent smith do them?

I am trying to steer him to a clone, but he doesn't want to spend the "extra" money. Obviously my considerable powers of persuasion are limited!!

Thanks,
Tod

 

[Catfish]

Why not a Savage action??? I prefer them because you can screw in different barrels and set the head space yourself using the barrel nut. Another great feature is that it is very simple to change the bolt face. I like the Sharp Shooter Supply match triggers, and the Savage action is cheaper to set up as you need less machine work on the barrels.

 

[Cort]

The 300 WSM and the 300 SAUM both will fit in a Remington short action while the 300 RUM takes a Remington long action. All 3 require a magnum bolt face. Depending on the application, a shouldered barrel or a barrel with a nut can be used with a Remington action. Shorter expectations require lesser modification to the action. Squaring the face of the action and cleaning up the lugs are a minimum level of work for a high level of accuracy. I recommend a custom action over a trued Remington 700 because the machine cost of truing the action added to the cost of the action is very close to the cost of the custom action. The custom action is usually smoother than a trued action.

Today, I do nothing to a stock 700 action but shoot it. If the stock action needs a new barrel, I use a barrel with a nut and re-barrel it myself. I use a well known smith to complete a custom action build. The tools to install a barrel with a nut are close in cost to chambering and installing a barrel so a single barrel job is probably best done by a smith. Multiple barrels make the tools cheaper and justify use of a nut.

In all cases, a competent rifle smith is worth the wait and the expense over a general gunsmith if you want a high performance rifle.

Cort

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Tell him to get any long action and a Cabela's kwik klip. Just did one and it feeds great.

 

[4xforfun]

Cort and Catfish.....you guys missed the point of my question. I know all about the LA vs SA , Rem vs custom Vs savage, .472 bolt face Vs .532 bolt face, Sort mag Vs Ultra mag, the virtues of a barrel nut...yada, yada, yada..... Been there done that. I just have never had a 300 rum/338 edge/WSM made from donor Remington parts....well I did one, but it is a single shot.

Zfastmalibu...you are getting there.... I have heard that something needs to be done to get those FAT shells from the Mag to the chamber...some work to the feed rails or the load ramp..or SOMETHING...unless you get an action that was origonaly made for the RUM/WSM case. You are saying that all he needs to do is get a "kwik Klip". What is it, and does it replace the BDL bottom metal/box mag?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Yes, its the bottom metal and flush mag. Its a center feed. Bend the lips until it feeds. Much smoother than factory box feeding. The 700 ultamag action has slightly wider rails and a different box mag. If you have access to a mill you can open up a regular LA easy. But the kwik klip works much better. They are just perfect for a 300 wsm with a long seated berger in a LA. Some friends here turned me on to it, I thought it was too cheap until I bought one.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Kwik-Klip-Remington174-Model-700-Clip-Conversion-Kit/741478.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dkwik%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=kwik&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products