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I'm interested in opinions on a bolt rifle in 300 WSM. Around $2500.00 without optics.
Purpose is a general hunting rifle for big game in Alaska
. Stainless or Blued steel, synthetic stock. I like the 300 WSM But I'm open to options.
Thanks for the help.

Yeah, I'd sell you mine for $2,500.00....Without optics even..

Oh great thanks for your help.

OK- Here's what I would do.

Get a Tikka T3 Superlite in 300WSM put a good Z5i 3-18mm Swarovski Scope on it and go hunting.

You can get fancy off of that if you want to by adding Mesa Precision Alpine Stock for Sendero Lite Contour channel.
Get a Proof-Research Sendero Lite Prefit barrel in 300WSM.
Get a 20 MOA rail.
Get a Trigger Tech Diamond trigger.
Get a Red Snake Tactical bottom metal for magazine AISC.
Get a Terminator T1 muzzle break.


Send parts to Mark Penrod or Jon Beanland to assemble and bed with care.
It wouldn't suck.

Thank you for your post.

A helpful post.

I'm fond of the Browning X-bolt - not sure what they are worth over there.

Hi Erich

you live in a great state. I was happy to be able to spend some time there. kaboku already gave you some great ideas, but I need to ask -
what do you want to use the rifle for?

To me - a quintessential alaskan hunting rifle would be a stainless steel, controlled round feed option such as the Kimber Montana

https://www.kimberamerica.com/montana

It is available in .300 WSM. Add some Talley Lightweight Rings and a 2-10x42 Leupold VX5HD (for a set and forget option) and go hunting.

Tikka is a great suggestion. Be sure to order an aftermarket recoil pad like Limbsaver. Those rifles are light and have noticeable recoil. They are generally very accurate and reliable. Factory rings are suspect too, especially with the heavier recoil calibers.

Browning Xbolt is good also but has a reputation for problems with ejection. I would not want to be fiddling with an ejection problem if a grizzly was paying a house call.

Kimber - Don't go there. Computer search "problems with Kimber." Be sure to sit down with a sandwich and drink because you will be there a while.

Why don't you post this in the Alaska section? Find out what is working for the people that live there. With your climate conditions, the locals will have the best suggestions.

Ruger Alaskan in .300 win mag. Toss the Hogue stock for a good synthetic. Rugers are possibly the most popular rifles in AK among guides because they just keep chugging along.

With your budget, I’d consider nitriding the SS for extra protection.

PM 458Win and ask his opinion.

"Browning Xbolt is good also but has a reputation for problems with ejection. I would not want to be fiddling with an ejection problem if a grizzly was paying a house call."

Oh really? I'd like to here more details about this. RJ

I know where there is a stainless Howa 1500 in 300 WSM priced under $500.

Spend the remaining $2000 on a McM stock, or whatever make/model of after-market stock that you prefer.

From what I have learned in my 60 years of hunting and shooting, (you said open to suggestions), I'd scrap the idea of a .300 WSM and opt for a .30-06. One can get a .30-06 in a synthetic blued rifle for about $400 delivered.....yes a Winchester M-70 at that. If you want, you can convert it to .35 Whelen or a .338-06 or just shoot it as is!. In any case you'll be a lot ahead (financially) of the $2,500 you suggested and there won't be any bear in Alaska that will be able to tell the difference.

The .30-06 properly handloaded (or factory loaded for that matter) is practically equal to the .300 WSM......Hey, it's your money!

Go to the Sportsman's Warehouse in Anchorage, buy a Weatherby Vanguard SS in 300 WM ( I don't think it's offered in the short version), and get a quality scope. Go kill stuff. Save some money. Be happy.

That makes dollars and sense.

See what Phil has to say about the old ‘06.

Check out penetration studies on heavy Partitions out of the ‘06.

DF

.300 WSM? Why? If you just gotta have a mag go with the .300 Win Mag. for hunting. The WSM's shorter powder column thusly it's smaller velocity spreads makes it superior at and beyond the 1000yd mark. Do you need that for hunting? Personally, given modern components, the old '06 will deliver the mail. Spend the money saved on tough reliable optics. My eight years up there (not in town either) is not a lot of experience to go by, but I never felt undergunned with a plain ol' Mauser 8mm-06 with it's stunning RustOleum finish...and I could pretty much afford the latest and greatest.
Phil Shoemaker knows.

I can get you into a Blaser R8 synthetic in 300 WSM for about that price.

just tuff to beat a 30-06 otherwise buy a 300 Win.mag. these 2 cartridges are easy to find ammo for. i would purchased a Savage factory rifle S.S. weather warrior now called a storm something ?,in what ever caliber you decide ? i would put a Nightforce scope and scope mounts on this rifle. for the money both a Savage rifle and Nightforce optics are a great combo for you. good luck with your choice.Pete53

With a WSM you are going to saddle yourself with a unique chambering where ammunition is going to be harder to find as years go by to say nothing of the resale value of your rifle especially at that $ level.. for AK you would be way better off with a .338 WM or a .300 WM, or if you are recoil sensitive a .30-06 or .35 Whelen. Something that has stood the test of time. Remember the WSSM’s? That will be the WSM’s in a few years. I vote no.

You can go with the Kimber Montana for less than your budget....if it doesn't shoot to your desire then you can pick up a barrel, have it rebarreled and still be under your budget.

You can pick up a used montana in any of the WSM flavors at a low price and rebarrel if you wish.