I want to build a 270wsm

[muleman]

I have a Montana 1999 stainless action and would like to build a custom 270wsm. I'll have the work done but I don't know where to start. I want this gun to be my long range deer and antelope rifle. What barrel length would be ideal with what twist? What stocks have you all been pleased with? I like wood stocks but am open to synthetic(possibly with an aluminum bedding block). Any gunsmith recomendations? Help me spend my money and you all can enjoy the vicarious build!
Thanks,
Scott

 

[Guy Miner]

Rick Freudenberg in Everett Washington builds a terrific rifle for hunting or match use.

http://www.freudscustomrifles.com/

He's an accomplished hunter as well as a long-range match shooter himself. He also understands Winchester 70 actions. As I recall the Montana action is much like a Win Model 70 action.

I'm a big fan of Krieger cut-rifled barrels, but most of the custom tube makers out there now turn out good products. I've also had good results from Hart and have seen some Pac Nor & Lilja barrels shoot superbly.

Personally, I'd go somewhere from 24 - 26" on the barrel, and I'd specifiy a light-varmint type contour, perhaps with flutes to keep the weight down for hunting. It's real easy to end up with a 16 pound rifle that weighs far too much and balances poorly when you start talking to a smith about a custom rifle for long-range shooting. They hear long range and often want to build you a 1000 yard benchrest rifle. That's not what you want if you intend to hike with it...

Winchester made a coyote rifle in .300 WSM. I had one of those for a while and it had a nice balance to it. The barrel was a little heavier than a sporter barrel, but not overly heavy. The 24" 1:10 twist worked very well with the .300 WSM.

I'm also enamored of McMillan fiberglass stocks. They are seriously strong and stable and you can get pretty much any option you want. My personal favorite is the A1-3.

Rick did some of the work on my Rem 700 precision rifle, with the A1-3 McMillan:

It's a seriously good shooter, complete with Krieger barrel etc...

For laminates - look up Joel Russo - the man makes an excellent laminated stock!

Regards, Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

My .300 WSM Model 70 Coyote - it was a good rifle - capable of 1.5" groups at 300 yards with hunting handloads:

It was glass bedded into the laminate stock, the trigger was replaced with a Jewell, I forget which scope base I used. The whole thing worked really well and I was going to replace the Winchester barrel with a Krieger when I was seduced by a great looking Ruger Number One and the WSM was sold... Ah well...

I really like those WSM cartridges.

 

[R Flowers]

There are so many choices these days, a fellow does not know where to start.

A good barrel from Lilja, Hart, or Shilen would be great. I would go with a 24 inch length and a 1 in 10 twist.

A stock from H-S Precision or McMillan would be the way to go. I have several of each and they are quality products. While the McMillan's seem to have a bigger following, I think I like my H-S stocks a little better.

As to who to have build it, I guess you need to check around and see who does quality gunsmithing in your area. We had a GREAT gunsmith here locally, then he moved, not much to choose from any more.

That 270 WSM is a great cartridge. I won mine, a Winchester Model 70 stainless camo version. It handles great, shoots very well, and has put lots of game on the ground for me (coyotes, hogs, deer, antelope, black bears). I really like the level of performance with very low recoil.

 

[SJB358]

I am not really much help on building your rifle, but I have a M70 270WSM with a laminated stock, with the 1-10 twist , 24" barrel. It is a lights out shooter. Very accurate with everything I have tried between 130-150 grains, really easy to get great speed out of, and overall, it is a great shooting and very good hunting rifle. It would be hard to think of a better cartridge for your intended purpose. Good luck, can't wait to hear how your build goes. Scotty

 

[nitis]

I am a sucker for the cool factor and look

Send it to teh guys in utah at christensen arms! Put a 26" carbon wrapped pipe on it and one of their carbon fibre stocks it will be like packing a feather!