Fixing a Rifle Issue Quick - Imput needed

idahohunter8

Beginner
May 7, 2015
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So my best buddy had a rifle built by his Grandfather for him as a wedding present. It was to be a English walnut stocked rifle on a Montana 1999 action, chambered for .270 Winchester.

The rifle came out looking beautiful but in starting load development today we discovered a major issue. The action the gun was built on is a Magnum action. How this made it through the cracks - I have no idea, but essentially we have a magnum action rifle with a threaded and chambered 270 Winchester barrel.

There is no time to have a smith order a new barrel, thread, and chamber for a magnum round he wants - 338 Winchester.

So My suggestion was to have the local smith just open up his chambering to a 270 weatherby. Does anyone see any issues with this idea? Does anyone have any feedback on the .270 weatherby?
 
I'd do that all day long. Fast, do it all sort of cartridge. Easy to find brass and lots of great bullets.

If you can get it rechambered quick and easy I can't see him losing out a bit.
 
If the rifle was made by Montana contact them about fixing it. If he really wants a 338win I would look for a barrel that is already available from places like Third Generation, Bugholes, Butch Reloading, Bruno's, etc. If you can't find one put a wanted ad on the gun sites for the contour he wants. If no go then I would go to a 270 Weatherby. That is a simple rechamber.
 
No, this was built in house by his grandfather - can't send it back to montana...And this is a man that has built at least 50 rifles in the last 10 plus years - just can't fathom how it happened.

Also, let me clarify - the rifle was to be a standard 270, the 338 win mag was only mentioned cause that was the only magnum he had any interest in until we started reading up on the 270 weatherby.

He likes the idea of a 150 Partition at 3200 FPS - that could be a mule deer/elk hammer.
 
That's a no brainer quick fix rechamber to Wby 270 mag.
Where ever the action was ordered from shipped the wrong one.
 
Is the follower and feed rails set up for a magnum as well?

If they are then there isn't much that needs to be done other than to clean out that chamber, load a bunch of 7828 or 22 on top of a 150 PT and start zeroing.
 
idahohunter8":37s28gp8 said:
Yes it is the Montana Magnum action at a 3.6" mag depth.

That'll be perfect for the 270 WBY. Couldn't ask for a better set up.
 
I'm running the 140 AB in my M70 270 Weatherby. They shoot pretty good and I'm getting 3285 with them. If the rifle wasn't so pretty I would use it a lot more!
 
+++1
The 270Bee is a dandy. I have a Win 70 in the safe and it loves IMR7828. 3500 with 130's and 3250 with 150's(26" tube). If it is a faster twist you might be able to play with the newer slick 165's.
Scott
 
And the bolt face accommodated the standard 270 win, but on a magnum action????

barrel length?????
 
Call me crazy, but I would leave it alone. It was a custom made gift from his Grandfather after all.

.270 is enough gun for most anything you'll want to hunt as well.
 
FOTIS":3upfaqi4 said:
And the bolt face accommodated the standard 270 win, but on a magnum action????

barrel length?????


Montana, shipped a true magnum action in the standard action box - that's how the mixup started. 3.6" magnum action, magnum follower, magnum bolt.

We have already taken it into the smith to have it rechambered for 270 weatherby. His grandpa never got the 270 Winchester stamped on the barrel so we will get 270 Weatherby Mag engraved on the barrel and it will be like that was the plan from the start. It has a 25 1/2" barrel so it should be just fine.

Already looking forward to developing some fast shooting, hard hitting 150 grain Partition loads.
 
I think you made the right choice. I like my 338WM just fine but the 270 Weatherby gets shot a lot more often.
 
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