303 Savage to 30-30 Win in original barrel ??

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commonman

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I have an idea and am looking for some experienced smiths to tell me if it is possible.

I have an old sporterized Schmidt Rubin that was converted from 7.5x55 to Win 30-30 in the original barrel. From what I can see they bored the chamber out larger and pressed in a plug which was then reamed to chamber the 30-30. The 30-30 is a shorter case so there is a long jump from the bullet to the start of the grooves, but even so it is a decent shooting little riffle. Of course the plug is locked between the old barrel and the action once the barrel is remounted and there may be some other mechanical securing that I can't see, and the magazine had to be reworked to handle the shorter cartridge.

I was just wondering if it would be possible to use the same system to re-chamber a Savage 303 to use 30-30. The 30-30 is .024" longer in the case and about .030" in OAL. The action seems to handle the 30-30 without problem and the rim is only .001" different in diameter and the same in thickness.

I reload for my 303 Savs but I guess I am not a purist, I like my 30-30's too and the bountiful cheap brass would be a bonus.
 
commonman said:
I have an idea and am looking for some experienced smiths to tell me if it is possible.

I have an old sporterized Schmidt Rubin that was converted from 7.5x55 to Win 30-30 in the original barrel. From what I can see they bored the chamber out larger and pressed in a plug which was then reamed to chamber the 30-30. The 30-30 is a shorter case so there is a long jump from the bullet to the start of the grooves, but even so it is a decent shooting little riffle. Of course the plug is locked between the old barrel and the action once the barrel is remounted and there may be some other mechanical securing that I can't see, and the magazine had to be reworked to handle the shorter cartridge.

I was just wondering if it would be possible to use the same system to re-chamber a Savage 303 to use 30-30. The 30-30 is .024" longer in the case and about .030" in OAL. The action seems to handle the 30-30 without problem and the rim is only .001" different in diameter and the same in thickness.

I reload for my 303 Savs but I guess I am not a purist, I like my 30-30's too and the bountiful cheap brass would be a bonus.
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The 303 Savage would bring more money as an original than trying to rechamber to 30-30........
 
In the earlier days it was not uncommon to just run a 30-30 reamer into the chamber--not an issue if you are not reloading the brass as it will expand too much at the head for long life. I am not recommending it--just saying that it has been done.

44Bore
 
The Savage case neck is 61 thou longer and the diameter at the case head in front of the rim is 20 thou bigger than the .30-30's. The neck shouldn't be too much of an issue, but the case diameter will be. You can remove steel but you can't add it.
 
I don't think I made myself clear. In simple speak, drill bigger hole where chamber is now. Fill hole with new steel, make new chamber in new steel. It has been done on other types of guns, will it work in this one????
 
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