Rifles Inc 300 Win Mag Lightweight 70

7-28 I got the rifle today I ordered from Rifles Inc. last fall. I have always liked my M70 Winchesters and have hunted big game almost exclusively with custom M70's in 264WM or 270 win the last several years. The local smith who built them does excellent work, but prefers to build a heavier rifle that is super accurate. My 270 is the lighter one he built at 8.5lbs scoped. I had considered getting a more powerful rifle than my 270 for elk hunting in the past but had never done it, the 270 worked well last trip with a properly placed 140gr AccuBond. When I booked the moose hunt in Alaska for 2018 I decided to go ahead and get a more powerful rifle. I haven't drawn a western tag since 2013 so my hunting budget has been used to upgrade my optics and now rifle.

I knew I wanted to stay with the familiar M70 action and that I wanted to spend the money to get exactly what I wanted. After some research I found that Rifles Inc built a stock that seemed to be exactly what I was wanting. I also really liked their short muzzle brake design. I figured with a lightweight 300 I wanted a brake. I strayed from their standard lightweight 70 design in a few areas:

23.5" #3 contour fluted barrel instead of standard lightweight barrel
Wyatt extended magazine box so I can seat bullets longer if needed
Jewell trigger 2lbs
extra sling swivel for bipod mount

My postage scale shows the rifle at 7lbs 4.6oz with the Swaro scope mounted in Talley rings.

I went with the brown camo stock and burnt bronze cerakote over the stainless metal. I also purchased a Swaro Z5 3.5-18x scope that they mounted and zeroed. They sent me the load data they used and it was pushing a 180gr AccuBond at 2956fps. I have components on hand to duplicate the load except for the Federal 215 Match primers that are currently backordered. I will try it with the standard Winchester magnum primers I have and see how close it is, maybe get some Federals if they come available later.

I hope to get the rifle shot in the next week or so if weather permits and see how it does. I plan to get lots of rounds through it before I take it hunting. I am fortunate to live in the country and have a 100yd range in my yard, and steel targets I can shoot to 600yds in a pasture a mile away.

I don't have pics of it taken and uploaded yet, but on Rifles Inc website under photos it's the second one in line.

8-7 I got the new rifle shot the last couple days. I first shot it off the bench and had a group just under 1" yesterday. It kicks pretty darn good off the bench and the loads I shot were the ones I created getting my seating die perfect so the OAL wasn't perfect on them. Today I loaded up some more and went to the gong I have in a nearby pasture. Shooting from sandbags over the hood of my truck at the fresh painted 10" gong I shot one round at 350, 400, 450, 500 yds. All were hits but all were below the center of the gong. I adjusted the scope 2 clicks higher and re-shot the 450 and 500yd targets with great center hits. I re-set the turret so the 500yd setting was zeroed for the 2 click higher adjustment. Very pleased with the rifle so far, not it's time to start shooting from field positions. The felt recoil was much lighter shooting over the hood instead of off the bench, it was fun to shoot this way.

Should have added I put an old Carhardt coat under the barrel when shooting off the hood. I'm not sure the muzzle brake would do the paint job any favors. The old coat caught the blast, hood was fine.

8-8 I'm really happy with the rifle. If I was going to do it again I'd do it the same. I also now have a light 270 I discussed in my Kimberly post, and a heavier but deadly 264WM that has been a hell of an interior decorator putting antlers on my wall. If I was buying another Rifles Inc rifle to be my one gun for everything I'd probably do it in a 7mm Rem Mag. The 300WM has enough recoil and muzzle blast that I don't know if I'd want to use it for everything all the time and practice with it prone as much as I feel I need to. I'm pretty excessive on my practice shooting and burn a lot of powder to make sure I'm ready to make shots when I need to, I start to lack confidence if I haven't been practicing excessively. I'm a little overboard on my shooting practice I think. For me the 300WM was perfect as I already have the 270 and 264WM to handle anything smaller than elk. Just figured I'd throw that out if anyone is considering purchasing one, If I was going to use one Rifles Inc gun for everything I'd go 7mm or even 264WM to get a little less recoil if you practice excessively like me. They build one heck of a rifle though, I don't regret having them build it at all.

Sounds like a beautiful rifle buddy. Can't wait to see some pictures of it. Congrats on getting such a shooter built to your specs.

Checked out the picture on Rifles Inc. Looks awesome.

Thanks I'll try to figure out how to get pics up soon.

I never did get pics to work. I just figured I'd do an update on the rifle for anyone else considering going with Rifles Inc.

I used the 300WM to take my muley buck in Wyoming last fall. Late in the hunt I got a chance at a nice 28" 4x4 buck that was headed away from me. I got prone over my pack at 358yds and when he went from straight away to slightly quartering I took the shot. He dropped and the 180gr AccuBond did as expected, exiting the far side.

I shot the 300WM last winter with my handload, 81gr of H1000 and a 180gr AccuBond, before taking it on a nasty January doe hunt. I hadn't had the rifle out of the safe in a while or shot it in that cold of weather. The first cold barrel shot landed perfect, 2" high of the bull on the centerline. I cleaned it after that hunt and did a deep clean of the barrel, soaking it overnight and cleaning it for several days until not a trace of blue would come out. It went back in the safe.

This July I got it out on a hot day of over 100 degrees. I wanted to try the load again at a temp extreme. The first shot from a cold and this time perfectly clean barrel landed just like the January one, 2" high and right on the centerline.

Today I got it out again to check it before I go gong shooting later this week from field positions at longer ranges. Today was a damp 78 degrees. The bullet landed just like the last couple, I think the group would have been a ragged hole if I had all 3 on the same target. I really like that this rifle is throwing the first shot from a cold barrel perfect no matter if it's clean or dirty. That's what really matters to me in a hunting rifle much more than group size. Groups are good too, consistently sub MOA. I can usually get 2 inside a half inch and then the 3rd opens it just a bit.

That is a rifle to "cherish" Pard! I've killed a lot of critters with the 300WM in years past. I started out with the 180BT and then went to the then hot shot, the 180XBT. Me and a couple of friends all used the same load on South African Plains game and in Namibia. We killed zebra, Hartebeast, Impala, Blesbuck, Springbuk, the really big Gemsbuk, warthog, Blue Wildbeast and Kudu. Over here I've killed mule deer and antelope, and down home, in Texas used the Federal Blue Box 150 SierraPH factory loads on Hill Country deer, they acted like Partitions! I've since moved on to many other calibers, but I always have a sweet spot for the 300 Win Mag. I'm glad you got what you wanted!

Congratulations on your rifle. Sounds like a great rig.

JD338