ok...attempting to boil down all I've read in the other threads here.

I have a LH Remington M700 in .300 Win Mag with the DETACHABLE MAGAZINE that shifts it's point of impact -- I'm guessing due to temp/humidity/etc. It shoots great groups...1.25" or so, just no telling where the group might be. Sometimes it's here, other times it's over there about 4 inches.

I want to scrap the wood stock and put a syn. stock on, but no one I can find makes one for the LH with the detachable magazine. Brown prescision told me I can use a standard bdl stock and file it out for the clips on the magazine and then sand/fill/finish the stock. I'm prepared to do that.

what else do I need to know before I get knee deep in this project? Any good sources of info I should read before I get going? Anyone want to hit me with a preferred brand of stock...I'd prefer not to do this the first time with something terribly expensive.

jeff

Jeff writes: "I'd prefer not to do this the first time with something terribly expensive."

Jeff,

This is pretty straight forward and not too difficult if you are familiar with stockwork and working with epoxy type fillers. If you're not, then get with someone who is familiar in this area to assist you. Once the barreled action and bottom metal is fit in the stock, you need only remove enough material to allow the magazine clips to engage and the cover to clear the stock. Try and make this cut resemble that of the factory stock.

Once you make this cut, you will need to cover and seal the exposed substructure with a durable material that you can sand and paint. For this small of an area, Auto Body fillers work fast, and certain epoxy's like Acraglas will work as well, but take much longer. The manufacturers of the stock should be able to furnish you with the details in how to work with their particular stocks as well.

As far as any recommended stocks go, look at the Brown precision and MPI line of stocks. Actually any synthetic stock that is offered for the Left Hand Remington 700's will work. I think Ramline even offers their syntech stock for the left hand action, and you don't need to worry about doing any finish work with these beyond filing, because the material and color is solid throughout.
Good luck.

Malm

Jeff, if you have some group movement of 4", I doubt very seriously that a synthetic stock will do a thing for you. Sounds like you have other problems.

While it is not common I have seen a factory wood stocked 700 in 25-06 that moved almost 6" when exposed to damp conditions.

Are you sure about your scope and mounts? Action screws staying tight? Floated barrel yet?

Boondocks in Eagle River has some factory synthetics on the used gun rack that might work. Dave out at Nitro Gun Works in Wasilla in Chimo Guns building could help you out too. He could at least give you some pointers if you want to do it yourself. He has several takeoff stocks from all the lightweight rifles he builds too. A buddy of mine used to bed all Dana Campbells rifles for him at Mountain Rifles Inc. and he might be able to help you too. We're right out here in the Palmer area.

far as I know everything stays tight. What happened was this: the .300 was my backup gun for africa last summer. Checked the zero on arrival, all was fine. Left it sit in the rack for two days. Moved camp up to the free state at about 8800 feet. Didn't check the zero (stupid, I know) because it was good (right?) and the rifle hadn't been dropped or otherwise handled. went out and did a really poor job on a blue wildebeest. checked the zero and it was shooting right a long ways -- 3 or 4 inches at 100.

Anyway, finished out the trip, and the gun has just been sitting in the rack since then, Kind of afraid to carry it on an "important" hunt, given the wetness up here in AK...shoots fine otherwise, consistent inch or so groups at 100 before I left for africa.

just got a hair and decided to synthetic stock it to make it more of a utility gun plus head off any more potential humidity/stock warpage problems.

Thanks for the tips, everyone, and keep them coming. Think this is going to be my winter project.