If you want a left handed, wood stocked, bolt rifle in 300WM how about a Ruger M77 left hand 300WM?

Agreed, fits all your wants...assuming it shoulders nice to you.

If you really want the CDL then the rem mag.

Good luck

I'd vote for the #1 over a Remmy any day.

BigBulls and Skeeter,

I had considered the left hand Ruger Hawkeye in .300 Win. Mag.
I love the way the rifle fits. I actually have one in .270 Win. that my wife has "adopted" as her own.
My issue with the Hawkeye and the .300 Win. Mag. is that Ruger puts a 24" barrel on their magnum calibers and I kinda' feel like the real potential of the .300 won't be seen until you add another couple inches of barrel.
That's one reason I was considering the Ruger no. 1 since it still shoulders/fits me very well and has a 26" barrel.

Keep the opinions comings folks. It's helping.


SCHOOLCRAFT

I have shot a lot of Ruger #1s, and have seen hundreds of the on the range. They are a very pretty rifle, but I have never seen one that was a real tackdriver. If I wanted a long range rifle the #1 would not be my choice. They are plenty accurate enough for big game hunting but have their limitations.
The only place that I have seen #1s shoot 1/4 inch groups ( or even 1" groups) is on internet forums. Almost everyone on the internet owns a rifle that is amazing! I am guessing that a few guys with unbelievable rifles will take me to task for these opinions.
Match up a rifle with 300 yards of hunting precision with a cartridge that has 300 yards of power. I like the #1 - they have great resale value, and it would be perfect for whitetails.

I was even thinking about the Remington CDL in 7mm. Rem. Mag.
I've had VERY good luck with that caliber on deer and hogs, and by just rebarreling it, I could have a .300 or .338 Win. Mag.

Any thoughts?

Two feelings about the Ruger No. 1. I LOVE the No. 1, and I own 3 of them currently, definitely a classy rifle. I LOVE the look of the stainless/laminate No.1, which is another option if you're interested in stainless guns but want more class than a synthetic stock. With a little practice, you can reduce your reload time to within reason. I keep reload rounds in a wrist band on my left hand, I open the breech without taking the rifle from my shoulder and I feed in another round. Bang... Bang...

The other opinion I have, is that when you pass down a rifle, rare is great, but useful is better. The No.1 is a fantastic heirloom rifle, but I want my boys (and their boys) to HUNT with my hand-me-down rifles, not leave them in the safe. Not everyone is excited about shooting a single shot rifle so that's something to keep in mind. I have a few single shot shotguns that were passed down from my great grandfather dating back around 100yrs, they're in great shape and function perfectly, but my wingshooting standby is my own pump gun. I can reload a singleshot VERY quickly, and I commonly DO use my grandpa's singleshot .410 for rabbits and squirrels each year, but for wing shooting, the single shot 12ga and 16ga's sit in the safe. I love the shotguns, but I just don't shoot them.

Personally, with the flair of the Ruger No.1 and the high availability of the Rem 700's, I'd go with the Ruger No.1. An heirloom should be a rare item with a high level of class. I love my 700's, but Rem 700's are like "excuses", everybody has one.

Between the .300mag, 7mag, or .30-06, I'd go with the .30-06. All 3 are great cartridges capable of bagging ANYTHING on the north american continent, but the '06 holds a certain nostalgia stemming from it's long history. The .30-06 was the cartridge our nation depended on for decades, and the sporting cartridge that legends have been made of for over a century.

A Ruger No.1 in .30-06, plus a little range time and a few hunting trips teaching your kids how to reload the rifle quickly, will make a rifle that your kids will be proud to carry afield long after you're gone.

How am I going to tell you (or your son) which one is prettier ?

I like synthetic/stainless also, and in fact the only wood I own in a rifle is my Marlin 336.

So, 7MM Rem Mag for me, but the .30-06 has all the history behind it.

This one is your call.....................

If your going to rebarrel why not buy the rifle you like and then when time comes switch it oput for a longer tube if you think you need it. If the gun fits you well personally wouldn't give it a second thought buying a 24" tube. As a big game setup, real world difference for most is never seen. Forget speed

Buy the Ruger #1. Sometimes they need a little work to shoot accurately. But that can be said of every rifle on the market. The #1 is a classic sporting rifle. Take your time and find one with extra nice wood. I would even look for the classier 300 H&H magnum, just for being different!! Tom.