Need advise. To cannon or not to cannon

B

BoogieMan

New member
I have a FN Mauser Sportified that I inherited with a dark nasty bore in 30-06. I want to rebarrel and refinish the entire rifle. But I am up in the air about what cartridge to choose. I love big bore handguns (460s&w is favorite) and I am considering going big with the Mauser like a 416 Taylor or Rigby. That require a lot of work to the action to make it so. Also considered going the other direction and chambering for .243w and turn it into a tack driver. Keep in mind I have no real use for either. I hunt with a 30-06 pump and I dont have plans to go to africa. Its really a matter of going to the range and shooting a box of cannon rounds or several boxes of a light round like 243.
Help me choose. Ammo price is no concern, I will reload either.
 
I wouldn't spend money to build a rifle that costs $5 every time you pull the trigger, and kicks like a mule, just to shoot at a range

I suspect it would be like the 416 Rigby we got as a trade in at the shop, that was like new and came with a box of bullets with 17 rounds left
 
I think it would be kinda fun to have some kind of big bore cannon for a range toy, but I'd do it with something that shoots huge cast bullets. Load em yourself, and they'd be affordable and fun.

I like the thought of -- BOOMMMMM -wait for it -- wait for it -- CLANGGGG!! jd
 
Just stick with 30-06. sort of a middle ground, lots of boom, plenty to components and variety.

You could even give it a 1-11 twist.
 
Consider this: to do this right (stock, trigger, bolt handle, safety. drill/tap for mounts, barrel, scope, refinish) can easily cost much, much more than a Remington 700 or a Winchester M70, or even a Tikka T3 or a TC Icon. To do it half way (I know what you thought I was going to say ;)) can still cost you $1,000 ($300 for a barrel, $100 for bolt, $150 for a trigger, $75 to drill/tap, $75 for mounts, $200 for a scope, cut off the stock, sand and spray varnish it). I am currently upgrading (new bolt handle, drill/tap for mounts, mounts, trigger, new safety) a Santa Fe Mauser (K98 rebarreled, reblued, and dropped into an ugly stock in the 1960s) for a customer, and it will run him over $500 before he even buys a scope. If you want a Mauser project rifle, OK, but if what you want is a cheap shooter, look at a new rifle.
 
Inherited, did you say?

Sounds like it might have an interesting history as a family heirloom. If it was me, I would scrub the bore thoroughly and use a copper solvent as well. Then I would see if it would shoot with decent accuracy. If so, then good, keep it as it is. If not, rebarrel to the same caliber and contour, maybe even remount the sights from the old barrel. Depends on what the rifle's story is. Want a big boomer? 30-'06 with 220grain bullets.
 
"...came with a box of bullets with 17 rounds left..." It was a .458 Win M70 African and 18 round in the shop I was in. snicker.
Suspect it'd take a great deal of modifying to change a .30-06 to a big calibre. The action isn't made for magnum cartridges. Plus opening the bolt face, converting to belted extraction and the mag.
The .243 is too short for the long action. The .270 is not. Be feeding issues with the short case that aren't insurmountable, but a nuisance. There is the 6mm-06 though.
 
The .243 is too short for the long action. Not really, I have a H&R Ultra 300 rifle with a FN Supreme (Belgium) long action that is chambered for .243 from the factory, bought it new around 1978. What they did was use a short magazine follower and added a spacer in the mag well. Works flawlessly all these years. I'll post detailed pictures when time permits. So yes it is possible.
 

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If you just want a big bore a 35 Whelen or 9.3X62 is the easiest route. The 338-06 would actually be my pick if converting a 30-06 larger, but it isn't much larger caliber than 30-06.

If you just want performance load the 30-06 with good 200-220 gr bullets and it will outperform 338-06, and 35 Whelen. The 9.3 might be a small step up, but I'm not 100% convinced of that.

If you want to go truly bigger then I'd just buy another rifle.

Going smaller has several options, including 6.5mm-06. A 280 is another good option that might make you forget the 30-06. 25-06 and 270 are other options, they just don't appeal to me.
 
Why not keep it simple if the bore does not clean up and it does not shoot well enough just go up to 8mm and neck up some 30-06 cases.
 
Another vote for the .35 Whelen. If you go that route, ask for a 1 in 12" or 1 in 14" twist in the barrel. I have three rifles chambered to the .35 Whelen, two factory jobs and a customwith a 1 in 14" twist. Next custom will have a 1 in 12inch twist which IIRC was the original specified for the round.
FWIW, converting that rifle to .416 Rigby would be very expensive, shooting it also very expensive and the recoil, especially from the bench will definitely bring attention to the fact you might have made a mistake. Federal premium ammo ran $215 a box for 20 rounds last time I bought any. :eek:
Paul B.
 
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Its not an heirloom by any means, but it has sentimental value beyond resale value. I plan to do all the work myself (I am a accomplished machinist, not a gunsmith) and I have no timeframe that I am trying to hit. Will send out to be blued when complete. Cost of ammo really isnt an issue.
35 Whelan is a respected round but not enough to be a cannon in my book and doesnt offer me any real improvements.
Im looking for a list of cartridges that share the 30-06 case dimensions because IO think this is going to make the easiest and most practical rebuild.
As for the cannon. I still want one. I am keeping an eye open for a BIG bore single or double rifle. Something between .40 and .60 with at least a 100g of powder should fit the niche.
 
Surprised Clark hasn't chimed in- he is a Mauser expert...

Open the boltface, and the sky's the limit- so long as the action can take the pressure, and the bolt- the bolt thrust.

Me...I'd kill two birds with one stone IF the bolt/action will handle it.

.338 LM


Plenty of cannon, and an ELR tack driver at the same time :D
 
In a standard Mauser action, without opening the bolt face or getting too crazy with the mag box, look into the 9.3x62. I know it doesn't start with a .4, and therefore isn't a truly fun cannon, but that would be something in your realm of possibilities.

Incidentally, I always like cannons as well. I know I can afford to shoot a .243 more, but there just isn't always a lot of fun in that...
 
"35 Whelan is a respected round but not enough to be a cannon in my book and doesnt offer me any real improvements."

Shoot a few critters with one and you just might think otherwise. When I can shoot an elk from exhaust pipe to appetite with a 225 gr. Barnes TSX and the bullet does a complete pass through, and the elk doesn't even have time to say, Ya got me.", well you just might change your mind. I have three Whelen and am seriously contemplating building a fourth.
Seriously, there isn't animal in North or South America I wouldn't hunt with my Whelen and my load and that include probably 95 percent of all game on the planet. The more I use it the more impressed I am with the cartridge, properly handloaded, not the wimpy factory stuff loaded for pump and semi-auto rifles.
Paul B.
 
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