30 govt 06?????

moosinaround

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I have a mod 70 win serial number dating in the 1945-1946. It is labelled 30 govt 06. Now I have fired this rifle with 300 win mag ammo. 300 win mag ammo cycles and functions in the rifle easily. There is no other markings on the barrel indicating a rechamber. So my question is could I fire 300 win mag ammo in a 30 06 action, or vice versa? I haven't fired this rifle in probably 15 years so what are my options?

moosin
 
I too have a Model 70 marked 30 Govt 06 on the barrel and it does shoot the 30-06 ammo only. Your rifle was probably re-chambered to 300 Win Mag. I agree with .270boy that you should take it to a gunsmith and have it checked out as to the current chambering. If the smithy certifies it as a 300 Win Mag it should still be safe to shoot.
 
cease and desist from firing ANYMORE ammo until you know for sure what it is. Thats a surefire way to get your face blown up. Have a gunsmith do a chamber casting, then go from there.
What made you decide to drop a .300wm round in the barrel in the first place, if its not marked as so?????
 
300 win mag ammo will not fit in a 30 06 rifle, I tried, wont go! My suspicion is it was re chambered and not re stamped I am unfamiliar with the 30 govt 06, not unfamiliar anymore, and it is what my father in law shot out of it for years. I have not handled this rifle for probably 15 years and only today noticed it stamped 30 govt 06 and kinda freaked a bit!! As my father in law has passed away I cannot ask him, so I will have the chamber cast and ensure it is 300 win mag.

Thanks for the info nutters, Moosin
 
It would be a good idea to x out the .30 Gov't 06 mark. It would be a bad idea if anyone were to fire a .30-06 cartridge in the rechambered barrel.
 
30-Govt 06 was one of the original terms for the 30-06, which is a 30 caliber, adopted in 1906, by the US Govt, hence the name. If you can fit a 300 Win Mag in the chamber, it is definitely not a 30-06 Govt any longer. And just for interest's sake, there was also a 30-Govt-03, and a 30-40 Govt. - dan
 
If u can chamber the 300 wsm & fired it with problem then that is what it is no need for a cast if u have not fired it then possibly a 300 wby a few rifles were rechambed to that cal also the 300 Norma was a possible rechamber job but the 2 for mentioned would not chamber if it was 300 Norma
 
can't be done ..

I have a mod 70 win serial number dating in the 1945-1946. It is labelled 30 govt 06. Now I have fired this rifle with 300 win mag ammo. 300 win mag ammo cycles and functions in the rifle easily. There is no other markings on the barrel indicating a rechamber. So my question is could I fire 300 win mag ammo in a 30 06 action, or vice versa? I haven't fired this rifle in probably 15 years so what are my options?

moosin
 
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Hard to believe a gunsmith would rechamber and not re-mark the caliber.

If there is a gunsmith around, have him check it and stamp the correct caliber.

If no gunsmith around, see if you can find the old magnum ammo you shot it it and compare a empty case to the unfired case. if they look the same, it is now a 300 mag.
 
Whoever did the hack job on it and didn't restamp the barrel should be given a solid beating. Actually, they deserve the beating for hacking on it period.
 
300 win mag ammo will not fit in a 30 06 rifle, I tried, wont go! My suspicion is it was re chambered and not re stamped I am unfamiliar with the 30 govt 06, not unfamiliar anymore, and it is what my father in law shot out of it for years. I have not handled this rifle for probably 15 years and only today noticed it stamped 30 govt 06 and kinda freaked a bit!! As my father in law has passed away I cannot ask him, so I will have the chamber cast and ensure it is 300 win mag.

Thanks for the info nutters, Moosin

Think you are a candidate for the next Darwin award.:) Just the fact that the cartridge fit should have set off alarm bells. Could be 300 H&H too, given the age of the gun

Grizz
 
Think you are a candidate for the next Darwin award.:) Just the fact that the cartridge fit should have set off alarm bells. Could be 300 H&H too, given the age of the gun

Grizz

If the rifle will chamber and fire a 300 Win. Mag. there is no way it would/could be a 300 H&H because the Win. Mag. will not fit in a 300 H&H chamber. The H&H chamber has too much taper...
 
Hard to believe a gunsmith would rechamber and not re-mark the caliber.

If there is a gunsmith around, have him check it and stamp the correct caliber.

If no gunsmith around, see if you can find the old magnum ammo you shot it it and compare a empty case to the unfired case. if they look the same, it is now a 300 mag.

I've bought a few rechambered rifles over the years that weren't marked accordingly. Still have a couple in the safe now. Not as unusual as you might think. -dan
 
Take the barrelled action out of the stock and see if anything is stamped on the underside of the barrel. I had a 9x3x62 chambering stamped out of sight.
BUT have a gunsmith check it out, Model 70s do not control escaping gas and brass fragments, a ruptured case will blind you for sure. They have changed the bolt now to stop gas blowing back. Firing a 30-06 cartridge in that rifle would be disastrous.
 
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