Interarms MK X in 308 Norma Mag.

O

Ozzieman

New member
Friend of mine purchased a MK X several months ago and along with it came 10 boxes of factory and 6 boxes of empties. He picked up a set of dies and we have worked up some nice loads. Were in the 1 to 2 inch groups at 100. Very clean gun, beautiful wood and very nice trigger.
The problem is that he started doing some research on when the gun was built and asked me to help.
The build date on the gun is 0672 (June 1972), but nowhere could I find that they built the X in 308 Norma.
I went over to his house tonight to look at it and I noticed that the caliber markings on the gun are much much deeper than other marks on the gun. I took a magnifying glass to it and noticed that it had been stamped 308 NORMA MAG over the top of 30-06.
So the gun has been rechambered. I could not tell if the barrel had been removed, the gun appears to be in almost new condition. The bolt face is like a piece of glass it’s that smooth and the sides of the bolt have no marks at all. .
Can you rechamber a barrel while it’s still on the receiver?
I would be curious to know who and how long ago it was done. The person he bought it from picked it up from a gun store in southern Indiana back in the 90’s and didn’t know any history before he owned it. The only rounds he had shot through the gun were the 6 boxes of empties.
I guess my big question is, would you feel ok with shooting a re barreled 30-06 with 308 Norma mag in a MK X? I do understand that it is a Mauser type of action.
 
Absolutely not a problem. It may be a problem when he runs out of loaded ammo and empty brass, but the action itself is plenty strong for 308 Norma Mag. For the record, the smith no doubt unscrewed the barrel, rechambered and remarked the barrel, opened up the bolt face and opened the feed rails, then put it back together. Although I have known people who have rechambered rifles without removing the barrel.

How long ago? Hard to say, but the 308 Norma Mag was a very strong competitor for the 300 Win Mag back in the 1970s. Not so much now, but back then it was.
 
According to Cartridges of the World: "Almost any standard length 30-06 rifle can be rechambered to 308 Norma Magnum.", so it seems feasible.

It's probably possible to rechamber a rifle without removing the barrel, but it would be so much easier to do it with the barrel off that that's probably what happened.

The quality of the conversion would depend on the gunsmith who did the work. I'd advise a chamber cast and a headspace check by a qualified gunsmith. I'd also check that the feeding rails were converted properly. If it passes, shoot it.
 
FYI The 308 Norma brass can be made from 300 Win, 7MM Rem mag, or 338 Win mag.
Depending on the chamber dimensions, neck turning may or may not be required.
 
"takes me back"

Wow,I just had a flash-back of sorts. Back in the mid eighties, there was a kind old man who hunted with me, and he hadan InterArms Mark X in 7mm mag. The whole gun, every detail of its anatomy was beatiful, shiny, slick, wood to metal fit, wood grain and color, very high gloss to the beatiful stock, and the bluing; the blue was so deep, so evenly polished, the gun might as well have been chrome in the deer woods, but man, I remember that luster, and that's not the usual grade you find around the fire in camp. Hadn't even thought of my old friend, or his rifle 'til I saw your post. Good luck with your gun, I'm sure yours looks every bit as good as I remember ole John Adams's gun being.
 
Post Script

PS. I never fired his, but I did own a beatiful Ruger 77 in 7 mag for a week or two. Fired 4 rounds to sight in, one that cut a Doe in half, and sold the gun less the case and sling for more than twice what I paid for it. That gun would get meat from both ends.
 
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