I bought the 270WSM from Russel's that turned out to be a complete Lemon. Had a bit of a fight on my hands and had to send it back for a refund. This one would not feed or eject. Rounds would not clear the feed ramp and would turn as the bolt pushed forwards and jam the cartridge in the sides of the skeletonized magazine. Nothing would extract, and would instead remain in the chamber. If the cartridge were drawn out, it would not actually eject, but remain on top of the next round. The stock was warped, exerting significant pressure along only one side of the barrel. Numerous scuffs and marks, mostly obvious machining flaws. There were other problems as well.
Over the next few months, I had several other Alaskans in my hands, many of which showed the same machining nicks and scratches. In total I had three 270WSM and four 300WSM, all of which had the same problems with feeding and extraction. I did not experience these problems on the standard calibres like the 270Win or 7-08, but they showed signs of similar problems with the stocks.
On a separate note, I have had problems with 3 Bell & Carlson stocks. Their quality has gone down over the past few years.
For a price tag between $1800 and $2100, depending on the vendor, the Alaskan is not worth it, especially considering it is a 6.5 lb rifle before a scope and mounts are added. There is a good selection of off-the-shelf rifles for less than theis price tag and significantly lighter without modification.
For under $1000 off the rack (and under/near 6 lbs) try a Tikka T3 Lite, Ruger 77 Compact, or Remington Mountain LSS. I like the Remington Mountain and the Ruger Compact/Stainless, both in 7-08.
If you can find one, get your hands on the older model Remington Titanium or put your pennies into a custom job.
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