I'm sure this topic has been talked to death, but I'm new here and want to have a custom 300wby built on a M70 action. I have two 270wby's (one is a M700 and the other is a M70). I'm currently having Ray Romain build a 257wby on a M70 as well. The M70 feeds much better than the M70 (at least with my experience) and I'd like to get a new rifle. My question is what caliber action to look for to make the rifle out of. Will a 300win work or is the magazine too short? Thanks for the help.

Dan

300 H&H would be the easiest, mag is the right lenght, bolt face is right. It could just be rechambered.

Hog Killer

What I meant to say is the M70 feeds much better than the M700 in that sometimes the cartridges want to pop out of the M700 magazine and in the M70 they're locked in solid. Any remedy for that situation? By the way, I'm an Alaskan and want positive feeding in the new rifle as I'll be using it in brown bear country.

Thanks again,

Dan

I converted a 338 Model 70 to 340 WBY and used a magazine box that was listed for the 300 WBY. Every once in a while, when working the bolt fast, the next shell would leap out of the mag. I changed to a "1450" mag box designed for 416/7STW and that cured the problem.

Good luck!

If you change from a magnum (e.g. .300 WM) length box to a full length box (e.g. .300 H&H), you'll most likely have to change other minor parts as well. If memory serves, these could include the ejector and the bolt stop. Not a big deal, but without this change, you may have problems with feeding. At least I did.
- mike

For a bad news, bear event, I would want something alot bigger than 300Wby. 375H&H is a start, 416Rem/Rigby alot better, if you can handle the recoil, 458Lott.

Hog Killer

If you start with a 300 WM M70 you can remove the spacer from the back of the magazine box by drilling out the spot welds. I would then order a 375 H&H follower, bolt stop, and ejector. Easy conversion.

Are we talking Classic action or Pre-64?

IF Pre-64 I was told the .300 & .375 H&H actions had a double heat treatment on the front ring area that the shorter caliber rifles did not. This would be a goog thing to have for the Weatherby cartridge.

If Classic action, some were made from teh factory in 7STW and .300 Weatherby, blue and stainless. These would be the "Classic Sporter" models, Not the David Miller stocked "Sporter II" version. If one of those cannot be located a Safari Model in .375 or .416 should be able to be used. I found a .300 Wby M70 Classic at a gun show and it is now at Mark Penrod's getting the full custom package done to it.

Hello the campfie:
Why not look for a 300 weatherby mag. mod. 70 to begin with? I have a very nice one I picked up for peanuts to build a custom rifle from but it shoots so well and the stock is very nice for a off the shelf rifle that I changed my mind. It has great french skip line checkering and is as tight as a new one. I think that it was made in 1989. It is push feed, but I have not had a problem with that. If I let the barrel cool between shots, I can hold a .75 to 1.25 inch three shot group with factory (Weatherby) 180 grain ammunition, othere wise it opens up to 1.5 inch.
I did not think that I wanted a magnum until I saw it and it begged to go home with me.
Judge Sharpe, a poor widows son.

I bought a new model M-70 in .300 Wby a few years back. It shot fairly well, showed some promise. I wanted a .300 Wby CRF rifle, synthetic, all weather as a go-anywhere, anytime rifle. (With the obvious exceptions) I sent the rifle to Hill Country Rifle in Texas for a synthetic stock, teflon finish, accurizing, 4.5X14 Leupold VXIII. Shoots three types of Wby factory ammo under an inch. I'd try and find a new action in 7STW or 300 Wby and go from there.

Thanks to all for the input. I found out exactly what I needed here on the forum. What a great place. In response to the post about a bigger brown bear rifle: I won't be using the 300wby for bears, just for deer on islands WITH the big bears on it. I have other rifles for bear hunting. For islands without brownies, I use a 270wby and will try out my 257wby when Ray finishes it.

One more thing. Has anyone used an HS stock with a recoil reducer in it? I'm having the muzzle brakes cut of all my rifles in order to save my hearing and was wondering how well the reducers worked.

Thanks again,

Dan