Rechamber a 30-06 to 308 questions

caporal

caporal

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Hi

Did someone try or heard about rechamber a 30-06 to 308?

I understand that barrel need to be remove, then cut shorter,, then re-thread, then re-installed then re-chamber.

But will rate of twist work ? Too fast??

any idea??

I have load of 308 ammo, brass and bullet and as been offred a cheap sporter mauser in 30-06 and I dont wish to add an other caliber to my collection

Thanks

Larry
 
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If your barrel allows to be shortened about 1/2" at the rear end - some commercial style barrels will have enough "meat" left for a shoulder - most military style will not? Stock's inletting along barrel will be wider with barrel moved back that far? Magazine may or may not feed - Isreali conversions from 8x57 usually had blocks installed in magazine for using 7.62 NATO. A "proper" 30-06 length magazine would be even longer than for an 8x57? Could check the feeding part as is - 308 Win will feed into 30-06 chamber if rifle has a suitable magazine. Bolt face would already be same size. Cutting off, re-threading and re-chambering a barrel is likely a couple hundred dollar job? I think at various times and various makers, both the 308 Win and 30-06 had 1-10" twist as well as 1-12" twist - twist rate goes to bullet length, not the cartridge firing the bullet. Might be money ahead to try to source a 98 Mauser 308 Win (7.62 NATO) barrel and replace your 30-06 barrel, then sell that one - if you have action wrench and barrel vice to do the swap?

I have not done a "shorten and re-chamber" as you propose, but have swapped several 96 and 98 barrels - action wrench, barrel vice and headspace gauges (GO and NOGO) make it fairly straight forward. More complicated if you need iron sights on barrel to end up top dead centre; pretty "easy" with a "naked" barrel.

I want to re-iterate to have correct tools!!! I bought a "mess" thinking I could salvage - bench vice marks on barrel, action twisted and evidence of a bar through action as the "tool" used to unscrew, chip from bolt face - pretty much all garbage - was a Parker Hale based on commercial 98 Mauser. Sounds simple enough to "unscrew" a barrel, but whomever messed it up badly by not using "real" tools for the job...
 
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the rate of twist will work fine, though if it is 1 in 12 then you are better off shooting bullets closer to 155gr than say a 208 A-max. If you don't want to add another caliber, save the money you will spend on cutting, rethreading and rechambering the barrel, if there is enough meat there to do so, sell the 30-06 and use the cash from the sale and the money saved for another 308, or a new optic or more ammo. Doing something because you can or might be able to will often result in something you are not happy with or will never see a return on the investment. you can't take wood out of the middle of the stock to hide the fact you shortened the barrel and moved the shoulder back anywheres from 1/2" to 2". The other option of course is to get 30 cal barrel blank and build the 308 of your dreams on the mauser action. then you control the dimensions, the rate of twist and everything else you wanted to have.
 
gunpro said:
the rate of twist will work fine, though if it is 1 in 12 then you are better off shooting bullets closer to 155gr than say a 208 A-max. If you don't want to add another caliber, save the money you will spend on cutting, rethreading and rechambering the barrel, if there is enough meat there to do so, sell the 30-06 and use the cash from the sale and the money saved for another 308, or a new optic or more ammo. Doing something because you can or might be able to will often result in something you are not happy with or will never see a return on the investment. you can't take wood out of the middle of the stock to hide the fact you shortened the barrel and moved the shoulder back anywheres from 1/2" to 2". The other option of course is to get 30 cal barrel blank and build the 308 of your dreams on the mauser action. then you control the dimensions, the rate of twist and everything else you wanted to have.
Click to expand...

I agree, if you can get the feeding part sorted out. I am missing something on a 98 Mauser here - simply can not get it to feed 243 Win - it should, but won't, and I have not yet discovered why not. Of course heavy barrel all set up on action, correct headspace, etc., fits very nicely into the stock I selected, but it is a single shot, when I was trying for a repeater...
 
Not quite like actual re-chambering, but years ago there was MCA, a company in Anchorage, AK, who made chamber adapters in several configurations.
Their 30-06 to .308 chamber adapters were held in place with non-permanent Locktite and could be removed with a broken shell extractor that they also made. They sold the whole kit for $25.00 at that time, and also charged the same for a similar kit to fire 7.62 X 39 in either .308 or 30-06 chambers.
I bought 2 of their adapters to fire 45 Long Colt and 45-70 in my 577-450 Martini, and they did work but with poor accuracy due to the Martini's larger bore diameter.
I believe they are no longer in business, and don't know of any similar adapters being made for sale today.
 
-My mauser I have it for free, a member of family give it to me
-It's a sporter or commercial sporter mauser of some sort, the barrel shank is long and almost staigh and does not have sights.
-Gun work right now i can check feeding

But I really like the idea of selling the "old barrel" and buy a new.....I just don't think about it :mad::redface:

Thanks

Larry
 
What are you trying to gain from the switch? Seems like a lot of work for no meaningful gain?

I just re-read the OP and noticed you say you don't want to add another caliber to your collection. In that case I would look to sell the rifle you have and get something in 308. There is not going to be much market for your barrel, if any. If people are looking to buy a barrel they're usually looking for a premium product from a name brand, not some 90 year old take off. I've seen Savage and Remington factory barrels on the EE a handful of times, and I want to say they are listed for $100-150 and take a while to sell.

Do you know what kind of mauser it is? Mauser 96 or 98? If its a Mauser 98 you're in luck, as those are worth more than the 96. You can get a used Mauser 96 in 30-06 for under $400: https://frontierfirearms.ca/stiga-verken-tranas-30-06-110/
 
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