Turning 30-06 into something else??

I've been thinking of finding a used Savage 06 to make a .338-06 out of for the past couple years. Right now the gun and pawn shops are asking as much as new for used rifles so I'm going to let this project go until one crosses my path for the right price...

I've been looking at the specs of this for a long time and as I recall it shoots a 200g bullet flatter than than the standard 06...

Tony
 
FWIW the 06' cartridge seems most efficient in the .33 to .35 cal range, where it can develop excess of 3500ft-lbs muzzle energy in 'standard length' barrels. If you go bigger, you start to give up energy, and if you go smaller you're getting more 'overbore' and sacrificing , efficiency, muzzle energy and barrel life.
 
I don't recommend rebarrelling rifles unless you absolutely love the rifle. Your choices are limited by action length, bolt face, and other factors.

If you wish optimal choices, sell or trade the rifle and your options are almost limitless. You also don't have to wait weeks or months for a gunsmith to get the barrel and do the work.

Cost can be more to get a rifle rebarreled than to trade or sell outright, then buy new/used.
 
Depends on what you hunt with the rifle

35 Whelen is reportedly a great larger bore round for the largest game in North America. Lots of people like it.

For deer and pronghorn and black bear, 25-06 is ideal IMO. 100 gr. bullets at 3300 fps for the first two species or 120 gr. partition at 3100 fps for old bear will do a great job.
 
120 gr. partition at 3100 fps for old bear will do a great job
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Why not just move up to a .270 where you could be pushing 130 grainers to3200fps? And you'd still have 140, 150, and (if you reload) 160-180 grain options, in a more efficient package, with more barrel life. Just a thought. :o
 
If you want something different, a 411 Hawk is as much knockdown power as you can put in a 30-06 case. You'd likely have to reload for it. On the other end, the 25-06 is a fantastic choice. Stay with the 06 case. Your gun has a long action. Cartridges like 243 Win or 308 use the same bolt face but you will not be happy using short cases in a long action.
 
Cartridges like 243 Win or 308 use the same bolt face but you will not be happy using short cases in a long action.
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The first .308's were Win 70 long actions with a half inch long spacer on the bolt for the stop to butt against and a spacer a half inch forward of the box magazine's back end. They were put in the most accurate match rifles ever produced by custom 'smiths catering to folks winning matches and setting records. They were the stuff that kicked the .30-06 cartridged long actions out of favor in NRA match rifle competition back in the mid 1960's. And long actions, such as the Win 70 ones, with their flat surfaces on sides and bottom kept their place in epoxy bedding much better than short, round actions such as the Rem. 7XX ones. To say nothing about the long action Win. 70's more reliable feeding rounds from its box magazine than what the Rem 7XX ones, short or long ones, had for a track record.
 
Maybe so but the first time you short stroke a long action in the field and miss an opportunity you will not be a happy camper.
 
Given that the 30-06' is the very balanced middle ground for that case head size, to make the switch worth the effort you will need to swing to one of the ends of the spectrum. Personally I would limit myself to commercial offerings just toimit the expense of dies, trimmers, etc.

So at the small end that gives 25-06, which with 75 grain bullets can be a strong varmint choice and a solid big game choice with 120 grainers. At the other end is the 35 Whelen. Not a varmint round, but with 250-275 grain bullets it will handle large game and small dinosaurs. It also makes a really fun platform for shooting cast bullets.
 
There's been folks who short stroke a short action, too.

Winchester 70's long actions for the .308 Win cartridge have the same bolt throw length as short actions. I mentioned earlier the spacer on the bolt and in the magazine that makes this happen.
 
My CZ 550 Full Stock was chambered in 243 Win. The 550 is a long action. CZ modified the magazine to handle the shorter case. The cartridge would pop up in full view long before I had the action cycled to the extent necessary to secure the cartridge and feed it into the chamber. Loved the gun but wish I had bought a version that fit the action. Sold it because of miss-feeds. Maybe it was just me but I learned a lesson. If I want a short cartridge I will buy a short action gun.
 
280 AI or straight 284 Winchester. The latter would require necking up 6.5 x284 Lapua brass though. 280 ai with sling 180 to just shy of magnum speeds and would be and excellent long range rig.
 
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