7.63x39 in 308 chamber?

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heft

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I'm going to modify a rem 700 action to take 7.62x39. I've sourced a bolt and DBM. Does anyone know if its possible to use a straight 308 chamber until I can figure out just what twist and barrel length I want on this project? Mystic will make me a barrel when I figure out what exactly I want.
I would likely use Lapua and Federal factory ammunition.

Only needs to be safe and go bang!
 
I have a chamber adapter to convert 7.62x51 (.308) to 7.62x39. It is held in place with locktite.
Do not fire rounds from chambers they are not designed for. (few exceptions there but x39 in x51 is not one of them)

As mentioned the x39 uses .311 diameter bullets, and .308 uses .308 (coincidence?) diameter. That didn't bother me as the original ruger mini 30 had a .308 bore. Pressure can increase due the .003 swage.

I was gung-ho for years to get a bolt action in x39. Acquired the chamber adapter, acquired a rifle to modify, then got my hands on a jw-103... I've fired very few x39 from bolt action rifles though. Started reloading a few years ago and can now produce mild shooting ammo for all the centerfires.
 
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So, just to clarify. If I use a chamber adapter in a 308 can I use x39? Would it be cost effective to get a chamber adapter or have a 308 re-chambered (Instead of a brand new barrel)?
 
heft said:
So, just to clarify. If I use a chamber adapter in a 308 can I use x39? Would it be cost effective to get a chamber adapter or have a 308 re-chambered (Instead of a brand new barrel)?
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It's been done. I dunno if you accept that as "I can".
The adapter was certainly cheaper than a rebarrel job. It can be removed. It's not the same though as with a real chamber your bullet is close to the lands instead of leaping the distance in a .308 chamber with adapter.

Why do you want an x39 bolt gun?
I would say it would be far more cost effective to buy reloading gear than rebarreling a rifle. You want reduced loads? You choose to wring as much accuracy out of a rifle as you can? Reload
For now surplus x39 makes it more cost effective than reloading, but it's gone up quite a bit since my project began and really wasn't built with "matches" in mind.

Rebarrel vs rechamber in this instance is only the difference of a barrel...a smith would still have to lop off a lot of the original barrel's chamber, recut the chamber, and fit it.
 
The .308 with Chinese ball gets pretty cheap. The Hirtenberger is quite reasonably priced. Work fine for practice.
.308 is a first rate deer round, 7.62x39 is adequate.
The cost of converting a .308 to 7,62x39 would buy a lot of .308 surplus ammunition.
 
Well - Buying decent factory ammo in 7.62 x 39 is an expensive proposition compared to reloading in 308. And reloading allows you to get the most out of any rifle, and gives you much more satisfaction as your hobby progresses.
 
heft said:
I'd like a nice deer rifle i can get alot of practice with for cheap.
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"nice" is one of those subjective terms, and you may be put to task defending an x39 vs x51 position...

If practice is making a bang by squeezing the trigger, a surplus x39 slinger is great. Low recoil, currently low cost (although rising...). You'll be practicing with an ammo you can't hunt deer with (FMJ in my region). It would take several thousand shots to see the financial benefit given there is also affordable .308 ammo out there.

IF you do pursue it, keep a thread on your progress...I certainly delayed my own project with cost/effort vs result.
 
Was thinking along the lines w/ Snider Shooter. Have you considered looking at x39 bolt guns which are chambered for the caliber from factory? Your project could get expensive very fast!

I recently purchased a Ruger Ranch chambered in 7.62x39 ($600 brand new w/ warranty) and it has quickly become one of my favourites. Very accurate surprisingly with cheap ammo (Barnaul and Norinco.) Savage has an Axis chambered in x39 along with the CZ 527 rifle.

Good luck!
 
My rem 700 barrel in .300 Savage arrived... It's destined to sling 7.62x25. People do things because they want them sometimes...

As suggested, there are rifles in x39 already, and they rival the cost of reworking what may already be a gem. Norinco, CZ, Zastava (and Remington by association), and others...
 
salarguy said:
This thread has made me question why Ruger hasn't built the Ranch Rifle in .308. A natural progression in my books. I'd be the first in line!
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They did. Called it the XGI. Almost had it into production when they decided that they could not guarantee reliable function with all varieties of .308 ammunition, 110 to 200 grain bullets.
 
I built a Rem 700 in 7.62 x39.
I used a standard Rem 700 .308 varmint barrel and cut off 1.5" and rechambered it. I modified the boltface and magazine to feed and extract.
I do my own smithing so cost was only time, but paying someone to do this?

The 7.62x39 shoots great in .308 bore as most ammo mikes .309 or .310. I've put over 3 crates of surplus through that barrel so far.

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