Turn a 30.06 into ?????
- Thread starter chola
- Start date
The .35 Whelen is a fine cartridge and I'm in the throws of an Argentine 1909 custom build to .35 Whelen myself. Very rewarding project. I'm using a Montana bbl from Bits of Pieces. The labor is all done in Canada so you support a Canadian company 
On a .30-06 conversion for a model 70 action, some cartridges I'd consider are:
-.35 Whelen (classic Wildcat)
-8x57JS Mauser
-9.3x62 (african mystique!)
-.30 Mauser (now THAT would be different for that action!)
-7.7 Japanese (also would be neat-o for that action can be made from '06 brass)
-7.5 MAS (harder to find brass but a fun cartridge)
-6.5x55 Swede (yawn...)
-8mm Pridham (think custom brass, custom reamer, less than 5 guns in existence)
-7x57 (double yawn but a great round)
There are other cool rounds to go to, but many would require opening the boltface which you might not be interested in ($).
On a .30-06 conversion for a model 70 action, some cartridges I'd consider are:
-.35 Whelen (classic Wildcat)
-8x57JS Mauser
-9.3x62 (african mystique!)
-.30 Mauser (now THAT would be different for that action!)
-7.7 Japanese (also would be neat-o for that action can be made from '06 brass)
-7.5 MAS (harder to find brass but a fun cartridge)
-6.5x55 Swede (yawn...)
-8mm Pridham (think custom brass, custom reamer, less than 5 guns in existence)
-7x57 (double yawn but a great round)
There are other cool rounds to go to, but many would require opening the boltface which you might not be interested in ($).
If you want to keep the same bbl and just rechamber, either buy a reamer or find a gunsmith with one, that has the original chamber taken out to a 1 degree taper and the shoulder pushed forward until you have a 1 X caliber neck. This gives enough powder capacity to turn the old 06 into a real performer. I had a Ruger #1 in 338-06 done this way and couldn't (i'm a recoil wimp) handle the recoil over the standard 338-06. Then again the 6.5-06 is great as well as long as you use decent bullets that will hold together on impact at close ranges, 3050+ fps with 140 grn bullets is nothing to turn your nose at. Lots of great ideas here though, have fun. bearhunter
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Silly, I forgot about a wonderful wildcat that I have played with and would cost you little. How about the 30 Gibbs???!!!!
Now you can use the barrel you have and just need a simple rechamber job. Wouldn't surprise me if the work was around $100.
No issue getting 2950fps with 165gr SST. A 200gr slug should get to around 2700fps. That'll slow something down.
Jerry
Now you can use the barrel you have and just need a simple rechamber job. Wouldn't surprise me if the work was around $100.
No issue getting 2950fps with 165gr SST. A 200gr slug should get to around 2700fps. That'll slow something down.
Jerry
What about a 9,3 x 62 not common but more punch than a 35 Whelen, Bullets easy to find, Speer, Nosler, Barnes. Case can be made by Necking up 30/06, Dies available 25,00$ more expensive than std.
The only problem is to find a barrel and a reamer.
I hunt with one, it's accurate, Very good Stopping Power, but not for long range.
The only problem is to find a barrel and a reamer.
I hunt with one, it's accurate, Very good Stopping Power, but not for long range.
Pathfinder
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Northeast Ontario
Here's an easy one.
I have a 30.06, what do I need for a 6.5-06 ?
As far as I know, It needs to professionaly rebarreled to 6.5 and I need the 6.5-06 dies.
As far as Brass, I imagine I would use 30.06 because that is what the action is chambered for. Am I missing anything ?
I have a 30.06, what do I need for a 6.5-06 ?
As far as I know, It needs to professionaly rebarreled to 6.5 and I need the 6.5-06 dies.
As far as Brass, I imagine I would use 30.06 because that is what the action is chambered for. Am I missing anything ?
- Location
- Manitoulin Island
If you have to re-barrel, you are probably better off to save the money you would spend on the 06 and buy the gun chambered for the cartridge you want. Depends on what you want to do. Unless you are planning to hunt Alaskan brown bear you have no need for more than a 30-06. The one conversion suggestion you have received that makes financial sense is to rechamber to 30-06 improved.
Because this way he can turn it into something that he wouldn't be able to buy from the factory, and get rid of that boring old 30-06
My suggestion would be 9.3-06 or 375-06 -- save you from hunting around for 9.3x62 brass, and more unusual that the whelen.
Im turning my old beat-up ADL 30-06 into a 25-06 as a mini-project. I know I can buy one cheaper but thats no fun. Plan is to take restock it (already got that from a CGN member), build a few of my own tools to remove the old Rem barrel, and then rebarrel it myself as part of a class at SAIT when its offered next. Until then, I'm going to shoot the hell out of the old barrel since its garbage as soon as it comes off.
I thought about building a 35 whelen as well but decided I'll probably just get a 338wm or maybe even a fancy 325wsm so Im not the last guy on CGN to own at least one whizzum cartridge.
As a side note, there is nothing wrong with 30-06....I have a Ruger MK-II SS in 30-06 as my main hunting rifle.
I thought about building a 35 whelen as well but decided I'll probably just get a 338wm or maybe even a fancy 325wsm so Im not the last guy on CGN to own at least one whizzum cartridge.
As a side note, there is nothing wrong with 30-06....I have a Ruger MK-II SS in 30-06 as my main hunting rifle.
Exactly!
Even if a "poor" barrel is replaced with a custom chambered for the original cartridge the accuracy potential will be much better due to the individual attention by good tradesmen compared to a mass-produced factory built offering.
If someone is just looking for a rifle to kill critters than I suggest they just buy a Steven 200 in 30-06 and have at it. If however someone is a true nimrod then I would further suggest that life is too short to shoot an "ugly" rifle.
