Cascade Ammo (AKA Roseburg Gun Shop in Roseburg, Oregon) currently has a .375 WSM on their used rack, at $365. It is built on a Mauser action.



If you have questions about how it feeds or what may have been done to make it feed, why don't you call Del Applegarth (co-owner) at that location and ask him about it? I'm sure, if you asked, Del would be willing to try a few rounds of WSM brass through it and give you his comments.



It also would likely be a heck of a lot cheaper than building your own, if you were interested in that large a bore diameter.



Alberta Canuck

Wstrnhuntr,

A German gunmaker, Theo Jung makes the Winchester and Remington short magnums on Mauser actions. This is a link to a German language article about his guns but they are of Rolls-Royce quality and pricing http://www.jww.de/artikelbeitrag/artikelbeitrag_58422.html

I am sure there would be a number of skilled US gunsmiths who could make the same conversion but they would be as expensive here, too, I guess...

Just my 2c and Good Hunting!

WSTRN, for the amount of money you'll have to invest to make sure it's "right" I'm not sure I'd do it. Two local smith's in the Bozeman area (Ralph Payne and Dave Gentry) have been chambering Mauser's for "pre-WSM" Gradle-type rounds for years... Ralph's been chambering his own on a blown-out 348 case (turned-down rim) with a Weatherby radius shoulder since the 1960's. So, it's doable but you'd better make sure you have a smith that's done it and truly understands CRF.



Personally, I'd get the lastest version of the M70. I just picked up a stainless one in 300 WSM. Several significant improvements have been added. The bolt shroud now has a flat surface under the safety (minor change) but more importantly a Mauser-style gas flange has been added on the shroud opposite the safety... it's about time! Also, it seems someone at USRAC wised up and finagled a touch more room for the three fat WSM rounds in the magazine... I suspect they "thinned" the machined aluminum follower a bit to create the extra room.



Regardless, this new stainless WSM is the finest made stainless M70 I've had since I started buying them in 1992 and it feeds the fat WSM's perfectly (that's a relative statement cause the WSM's are SHORT and FAT). I got the M70 after I recently took delivery on a stainless Kimber 8400 "Montana"... didn't feed worth a darn so sent it back and bought this rifle for nearly half the price... it'll get an "African Walnut" stock (fiberglass), Talley lightweight rings and a 2.5x8 Leupold on top... should come in 8lbs 2 oz's with sling and three rounds ready to go... perfect.



Hope any of that helps...



BA

Thanks for the replies guys. Apparently it can be done satisfactorily. The german made one in the link looks vary nice, spendy too.

Brad,

I damn near bought one of the new M-70's but decided to rework my Springfield instead. I mostly like blued on wood and was rather turned off by their machine work and finish.

This isnt a "need" thing or something Im going to jump into, just a consideration. Actually Ill prolly work on getting myself another 223 before I do anything with a WSM as Im pretty well covered in that area. They do hold a certian appeal to me though. How do you like yours?

Apparently you changed your mind about going the one gun (06) route. Believe me, I understand.

Regarding the "one gun" I'd been planning another 300 WSM figuring a guy needs two big game rifles... either for regular duty and one as a backup/loaner. My reasoning on the 06/300 WSM combo is they're both 30 cal (use same bullets) and both work their magic best with H4350... one bullet, one powder, two rifles with the same controls... simple!