I just purchased a new Remington 700 stainless short action in a Remington 300 SAUM. My plan from the beginning was to have the gun customized and was hoping to turn it into a 300 Winchester Short Magnum. It seems as though the Remington 300 short mag isn't very popular and may even disappear in the near future with the 300 WSM here to stay. I don’t have any problems with either caliber but though it made sense to stick with a caliber that was maybe more long term and gave me the most options for buying reloading components, like bulk brass. My question is what potential problem/s can I look for in turning this 700 action into the Winchester caliber. My concerns are with the Magazine dimensions and the overall length of the 300 WSM not fitting well in order to get the bullets close to the lands and grooves for test shooting.

Any advice?? Thanks!!

Phil

If your customizing plans call for a new barrel, which they should, find a gunsmith with a reamer with a short enough freebore that your reloads will reach the lands.

The WSM will feed without any changes to your mag box or follower. What you should really do is have the mag box lengthened. I have a friend here that has a short 700 with a 3.25" mag box,...it made a nice 284 Winchester.Check this out with your smith. This guy had the receiver milled out on the bottom then took a long action mag box and follower and shortened them to fit. A bit of tig welding and blueing and he was good to go.His is made in an ADL style so he had to epoxy a nut into the stock to accept the front trigger-guard screw. Not a big deal at all.On a BDL this wouldn't be necesary.

Thanks for the suggestion guys. I do have a gun smith picked out and I do plan to re-barrel the gun and have been leaning towards a Hart #3 or #4 contour. I plan to use a lightweight High Tech stock and am concerned that a #4 will be a bit front heavy.

I have heard that the Winchester rounds will fit just fine in the Remington mag box and other say I may have trouble with a longer slimmer bullet.

Thanks for the comments so far!!!

Phil

The 300 WSM can be used in the Rem SA but, you may not be able to seat all bullets so that they are touching the lands. I installed a longer mag box on a customers rifle and I believe he could seat the Nosler 150 gr. ballistic tips out to the lands but other ogives didn't work out so well.

Denali:

You are likely correct that the .300 SAUM will become rather scarce in the not to distant future -- all the more reason NOT to alter the gun. The 700 short action is too short for the slightly longer WSM without the alterations suggested in the above posts.

Gun magazine articles are already beginning to appear touting the SAUM as a short mag that actually fits into a short action, and I can see a possible future resurgence (after it is obsolete) for this reason.

So which would your rather have in 15 years? An original and relatively rare SAUM that fits in a TRUE short action, or just another dime-a-dozen WSM in a jerry-rigged action that wasn't made to fit? Remember the .358 Winchester in the Model 88, or the .350 Rem Mag in the model 660, or the .348 in the model 71, or any of a number of other now-obsolete but much sought-after rifles? Well, your 700 in SAUM may well fit into this category. Is it really worth it to spend the money to devalue the rifle in order to gain 50 fps from the WSM?

Eddie & StoneCreek,

I value the opinion of both of you and have decided to stick with the 300 SAUM. You both made some great points and I will take the advice. I learned just yesterday that the WSM is not a true short action and hence the reason the troubles in the 700 S/A. I was never concerned about the increase in velocity as I will take an accurate gun over FPS any day of the week. Eddie, Lets order that Hart.

Phil

Denali, The best way to convert a 700 300 Saum into a super lightweight 300 WSM, is to trade the Remington in on a Kimber Montana. With the Kimber you'll have a true lightweight with an action made for the WSM in an excellent stock with an very good trigger, and a much better safety. Every Kimber I've had has been from very to extremely accurate for a Lightweight gun.
You could probably do this for less money than it will cost you to convert your 700, and you'll also have a rifle that will retain it's value better than a Remington custom.........DJ

Thanks for all the input guys!! I've decided to stick with the 300 Remington SAUM and add a #3 contour Hart in a Hight Tech stock.

Phil

Just in case you maybe interested Remington
is chambering the 300 wsm in a new line of rifles now if I can remember the model.
XCR i believe its called.Not a bad looking rifle either.