Rechambering a 30-06 BLR takedown?

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Howdy folks:

Okay, I've got a really nice 1978 Marlin in 30-30 for the bush stuff and a really nice Zastava M70 Mauser 30-06 for the ( fire-formed ) longer stuff.
I also have a really nice 30-06 Brownining BLR Takedown that's not really doing anything and I can't help but thinking, that as a 35 Whelen it would be
one hell of a mean, nasty SOB for any thing on this continent, or the same goes for a conversion to a 338-06 ( I really don't want to start a Cartridge debate here, okay ).
What I'd like to know is, are there any recommendable gunsmiths/machinists in Canada ( the closer to Edmonton the better ) that are capable and willing to undertake
such a project?

Thanks for your input.
 
First of all it isn't a rechambering... you are changing calibers... it will be either a boring and rifling by a barrel maker or a re barrelling by a gunsmith.

Either cartridge you mention will work very well... but the 338-06 will outperform the .35 Whelen in flat trajectory and energy.

It also would be considerably cheaper to barrel your Zastava M70 Mauser 30-06 to 338-06 or 35 Whelen... less than $1000

My guess is the take down will be twice as much.
 
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guntech said:
First of all it isn't a rechambering... you are changing calibers... it will be either a boring and rifling by a barrel maker or a re barrelling by a gunsmith.

Either cartridge you mention will work very well... but the 338-06 will outperform the .35 Whelen in flat trajectory and energy.

It also would be considerably cheaper to barrel your Zastava M70 Mauser 30-06 to 338-06 or 35 Whelen... less than $1000

My guess is the take down will be twice as much.
Click to expand...
School is in session.
 
Do not turn your nose up at 9.3x62 - nearly identical case head / magazine length as 30-06 - I think you can buy pre-chambered barrels from TradeEX for that Zastava that you have. 250 Accubond will pretty much match 338 Win Mag factory 250 grain - 286 Partitions at 2450-ish are a pretty substantial "hammer" and then Woodleigh and others go into the 300 grain plus for .366" cartridge.
 
guntech said:
First of all it isn't a rechambering... you are changing calibers... it will be either a boring and rifling by a barrel maker or a re barrelling by a gunsmith.

Either cartridge you mention will work very well... but the 338-06 will outperform the .35 Whelen in flat trajectory and energy.

It also would be considerably cheaper to barrel your Zastava M70 Mauser 30-06 to 338-06 or 35 Whelen... less than $1000

My guess is the take down will be twice as much.
Click to expand...

Sorry, please excuse my ignorance. And let's pretend I never mentioned the Zastava - it doesn't exist, I don't have one, the company and every Zastava rifle on the planet just got "Thanosed."

Now, I doubt that Browning is going to have any spare 338-06/35 Whelen Takedown barrels laying around, so that leaves having the existing barrel bored out to either a 35 Whelen, or a

338-06. Are there any good "barrel makers" around, that you would recommend?

Thanks again.
 
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OP, if you're looking to get more out of that Browning BLR, why not just load 200 - 220 grain, 30 cal bullets???

They can both "safely" be loaded to similar velocities as similar weight bullets in the 338-06, but they would likely have less drop and in the case of the 200 grain better penetration because of the better sectional density.

I personally really like both the 35 Whelan and the 338-06 and I've done ranging and penetration tests to compare long heavy 30 cal bullets against similar constructed 338 and 35 cal bullets.

The 30 cal bullets actually came out ahead.

Both the 338-06 and the 35 Whelan will give better performance with heavier 250 grain bullets but if they're loaded to their full potential in that BLR, you will definitely know you've just shot something with substantial recoil. The butt stock drop isn't conducive to reducing recoil.

Take guntech's advice and rebarrel that Zastava to what you're looking for instead.

It wouldn't be that you're actually having accuracy issues with the BLR, would it????

I have an acquaintance with one and he only trusts the accuracy of it out to about 150 yards.
 
bearhunter said:
OP, if you're looking to get more out of that Browning BLR, why not just load 200 - 220 grain, 30 cal bullets???

They can both "safely" be loaded to similar velocities as similar weight bullets in the 338-06, but they would likely have less drop and in the case of the 200 grain better penetration because of the better sectional density.

I personally really like both the 35 Whelan and the 338-06 and I've done ranging and penetration tests to compare long heavy 30 cal bullets against similar constructed 338 and 35 cal bullets.

The 30 cal bullets actually came out ahead.

Both the 338-06 and the 35 Whelan will give better performance with heavier 250 grain bullets but if they're loaded to their full potential in that BLR, you will definitely know you've just shot something with substantial recoil. The butt stock drop isn't conducive to reducing recoil.

Take guntech's advice and rebarrel that Zastava to what you're looking for instead.

It wouldn't be that you're actually having accuracy issues with the BLR, would it????

I have an acquaintance with one and he only trusts the accuracy of it out to about 150 yards.
Click to expand...

I take it you've never shot a BLR before. From personal experience, I can tell you that a BLR seems to mitigate felt recoil better than most rifles and I think it
would serve as an excellent platform for the 35 Whelen, or the 338-06. And how does me entertaining the idea of a 35 Whelen Lever gun ( which I think would be awesome ),
translate into my BLR doesn't shoot straight? Or are you just trolling?
 
I am not familiar with a BLR takedown.
Does the barrel have an extension into which the bolt locks (independent of the receiver)?
 
358 BLR said:
....

Now, I doubt that Browning is going to have any spare 338-06/35 Whelen Takedown barrels laying around, so that leaves having the existing barrel bored out to either a 35 Whelen, or a 338-06. ....
Click to expand...

I think it has been mentioned that there is the option of having a gunsmith turn and install a "new" barrel - either a .338 or .35 blank, and chambered to whatever you want - you are not limited to what Browning might be able to supply. I suspect that may have been where Tiriaq might have been going - if it has a barrel extension, then quite likely that is where the take-down mechanism is - becomes a matter of threading a "new" barrel into that extension, perhaps - much less fuss than trying to make a "new" take-down?? But I have never tried to do that.
 
As others have stated a 30-06 with a 200gn Partition or Accubond, run between 2550-2700 ft/s, does give you on target performance of any medium at regular hunting distances.

200gn will range better than a medium thus having similar if not more energy as ranges get long.

I've hunted with a 35 Whelen for 20 years and really can not tell the difference between that and the 30-06/ 200gn bullet combination at POI, plus the 30-06/200gn load is a true 500m set up.

So, a 338-06 with a 225gn bullet at 2550 ft/s and a 30-06 with a 200gn bullet at <2700 ft/s are so close in performance.
 
tiriaq said:
I am not familiar with a BLR takedown.
Does the barrel have an extension into which the bolt locks (independent of the receiver)?
Click to expand...

358 BLR said:
The bolt locks into the barrel like the standard "non-takedown" BLR.
Click to expand...

I have rebarreled standard steel framed BLRs. The barrel screws into the receiver, the bolt locks to the receiver. No different than a conventional bolt action.
I assume that the aluminum receiver BLR uses a steel barrel extension into which the bolt locks.
 
tiriaq said:
I have rebarreled standard steel framed BLRs. The barrel screws into the receiver, the bolt locks to the receiver. No different than a conventional bolt action.
I assume that the aluminum receiver BLR uses a steel barrel extension into which the bolt locks.
Click to expand...

I hope this answers your question? No threads, it just slides into the receiver and you flip up the locking lever.

View attachment 427579
 
Thanks for posting the photo.
To rebarrel the rifle, the barrel extension will need to be removed, and installed on the new barrel. Unless the gunsmith has done the job previously, he will have to make the tooling to secure the barrel extension while removing and reinstalling it. In all likelihood, the threads will be metric. The new barrel will need to be externally contoured to work with the existing forend, and drilled and tapped for the scope base.
Reboring might actually be less expensive.
It comes to mind that there is no reason that the rifle could not be set up as a switch barrel rig, with multiple interchangeable barrels - if additional barrel assemblies could be obtained, or at the minimum, additional barrel extensions.
 
tiriaq said:
Thanks for posting the photo.
To rebarrel the rifle, the barrel extension will need to be removed, and installed on the new barrel. Unless the gunsmith has done the job previously, he will have to make the tooling to secure the barrel extension while removing and reinstalling it. In all likelihood, the threads will be metric. The new barrel will need to be externally contoured to work with the existing forend, and drilled and tapped for the scope base.
Reboring might actually be less expensive.
It comes to mind that there is no reason that the rifle could not be set up as a switch barrel rig, with multiple interchangeable barrels - if additional barrel assemblies could be obtained, or at the minimum, additional barrel extensions.
Click to expand...
From the outside it looks like one solid piece with no separate "Barrel extension." Looking at the inside with magnification, then it starts to look like it could be a threaded on

extension. However, no "Barrel Extension" is listed on Browning's official replacement parts list, only the "Barrel alignment pin" ( that small protruding piece pictured on the bottom

next to the wood forearm ) is offered, along with complete replacement Takedown barrels. I have found some outfits down in the States that perform the kind of service I am looking

for, but they might as well be located on the moon with respect to getting my rifle serviced there. I will contact them though, hopefully they will be willing to let me in on the process

involved in accomplishing such a thing.

Thanks for your help. :)

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