30/06 to 300WM, 300RUM, 308NM, or...

[hawk4974]

I have an old (1950's 1960's) Remington 700 in 30/06 that I want to covert to something different. The problem with the rifle is I can't get a load to shoot even halfway decent out of it. It's got a short barrel (20"?) on it with a metal butt plate. It doesn't even have a magazine plate on it, you have to empty the gun by working the action. It looks just like the picture I'm attaching.

I know that most custom builders use the Remington action so I'm sure there are plenty of options out there. I have no clue where to go, how to start, or if I should just take the action somewhere and pay someone. Here are my questions:

1. I know you can easily convert a 30/06 to a 308 Norma Magnum but is it a good round? Everything I've read about them seems positive except for the brass.

2. Can it be converted to a 300 RUM or a 338WM? I've seen threads about converting to 300 WM but not the RUM or .338WM. I figure if I'm going to change the whole thing why not look at my options.

3. If it possible to do this stuff, where do I start? I worked at a gun shop/shooting range all through high school and some college and I am no gunsmith by any means! I'd like to do as much as I can myself but I will definitely take it elsewhere to get the important things worked on. BTW, I'm in Mesa, AZ if anyone is a custom builder out there that is willing to help me out!

 

[Jud96]

I have an old (1950's 1960's) Remington 700 in 30/06 that I want to covert to something different. The problem with the rifle is I can't get a load to shoot even halfway decent out of it. It's got a short barrel (20"?) on it with a metal butt plate. It doesn't even have a magazine plate on it, you have to empty the gun by working the action. It looks just like the picture I'm attaching.

I know that most custom builders use the Remington action so I'm sure there are plenty of options out there. I have no clue where to go, how to start, or if I should just take the action somewhere and pay someone. Here are my questions:

1. I know you can easily convert a 30/06 to a 308 Norma Magnum but is it a good round? Everything I've read about them seems positive except for the brass.

2. Can it be converted to a 300 RUM or a 338WM? I've seen threads about converting to 300 WM but not the RUM or .338WM. I figure if I'm going to change the whole thing why not look at my options.

3. If it possible to do this stuff, where do I start? I worked at a gun shop/shooting range all through high school and some college and I am no gunsmith by any means! I'd like to do as much as I can myself but I will definitely take it elsewhere to get the important things worked on. BTW, I'm in Mesa, AZ if anyone is a custom builder out there that is willing to help me out!

The easiest route is to make it a .308 Norma Magnum. This cartridge was designed to fit in standard length actions such as yours. Only thing that needs done is the bolt face needs opened up and rechambered. The problem is, you won't use it to its full potential with a 22" barrel that are on the old Remington 700 ADLs. You can most likely make the '06 shoot. It may just need the barrel free floated to improve the groups. What have you shot out of it as far as loads?

If you want to make it a custom and have never done full on gunsmithing, take it somewhere. Even the easiest of things can turn into disasters if you're unsure on what you are doing. Rechambering requires good lathe skills and knowledge on how to properly chamber a rifle. Free floating is easy though, and this may be all your rifle needs.

 

[hawk4974]

I free floated the barrel a couple of years ago. I've used 165 Hornadays BTSP, 168 TTSX, 180Accubond, 180 Speer BT, 200 Accubond, 180TTSX, 150 Hornaday SST, And a couple others that I can't remember. The powder options I've used are IMR3031, IMR4350, & IMR4831 with all of these bullets.

I'm wanting to change the barrel and everything. I imagine the parts alone will cost $1,000+ by the time I'm done but I want to build something larger than a 300WSM that I normally shoot.

 

[Jud96]

I free floated the barrel a couple of years ago. I've used 165 Hornadays BTSP, 168 TTSX, 180Accubond, 180 Speer BT, 200 Accubond, 180TTSX, 150 Hornaday SST, And a couple others that I can't remember. The powder options I've used are IMR3031, IMR4350, & IMR4831 with all of these bullets.

I'm wanting to change the barrel and everything. I imagine the parts alone will cost $1,000+ by the time I'm done but I want to build something larger than a 300WSM that I normally shoot.

What groups were you getting?

Parts can be cheaper than that if you stick with a basic rifle like I prefer. You can get a Boyds laminate thumbhole which are pretty good stocks and they are very affordable. You already have the best action, besides maybe a custom, to start with. You could also get a trigger but those old Remington triggers can be made pretty smooth and soft.

Boyds Thumbhole stock: $100
Hart/Shilen/Lilja/etc. barrel blank: $350
Scope Rings and mounts: $75-100
Devcon Bedding kit: $50

So you are around $600 and have a pretty good long range rifle, nothing super expensive but a very nice rifle. You also have to pay a smith to do all the barrel work, bed job, action truing, and the other odds and ends. Not sure what gunsmiths charge for all of this, we are fortunate enough that we can do all of our own work. You also need a scope and may want to get a bipod for it.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Since you have a standard bolt face, I recommend the .280 Ackley Improved 40* Shoulder. It's one bad dude for a standard long-action. And to fire-form brass, you can shoot regular factory .280 Rem ammo and out pops a freshly fire-formed cartridge for reloading. Barrel life is good, and as far as powder usage goes, it's an extremely efficient design. I recommend a 26" 1:9 barrel...Barrel contour is your choice, but it would be most efficient in a Remington Varmint/Sendero contour 26" barrel.

Do some reading and I think you'll find what you're looking for.

 

[hawk4974]

What groups were you getting?

Parts can be cheaper than that if you stick with a basic rifle like I prefer. You can get a Boyds laminate thumbhole which are pretty good stocks and they are very affordable. You already have the best action, besides maybe a custom, to start with. You could also get a trigger but those old Remington triggers can be made pretty smooth and soft.

Boyds Thumbhole stock: $100
Hart/Shilen/Lilja/etc. barrel blank: $350
Scope Rings and mounts: $75-100
Devcon Bedding kit: $50

So you are around $600 and have a pretty good long range rifle, nothing super expensive but a very nice rifle. You also have to pay a smith to do all the barrel work, bed job, action truing, and the other odds and ends. Not sure what gunsmiths charge for all of this, we are fortunate enough that we can do all of our own work. You also need a scope and may want to get a bipod for it.

So are you saying these parts will get me to a 300 NM or everything I've thought about? I'm good on the rings and scope, I've got a Leupold VXIII 4.5-14 Boone&Crocket I can put on it already.

 

[hawk4974]

Since you have a standard bolt face, I recommend the .280 Ackley Improved 40* Shoulder. It's one bad dude for a standard long-action. And to fire-form brass, you can shoot regular factory .280 Rem ammo and out pops a freshly fire-formed cartridge for reloading. Barrel life is good, and as far as powder usage goes, it's an extremely efficient design. I recommend a 26" 1:9 barrel...Barrel contour is your choice, but it would be most efficient in a Remington Varmint/Sendero contour 26" barrel.

Do some reading and I think you'll find what you're looking for.

Never heard of the Ackley, I'll check it out!

 

[Jud96]

So are you saying these parts will get me to a 300 NM or everything I've thought about? I'm good on the rings and scope, I've got a Leupold VXIII 4.5-14 Boone&Crocket I can put on it already.

Yes these parts will get you everything you need for the .308 Norma Magnum. The .300 Norma you mentioned is a different cartridge.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Never heard of the Ackley, I'll check it out!

It's WELL worth the look, I can assure you.

 

[Hookturnr]

I'll second, third and fourth the 280AI! It's a beast. I have one I had throated for 180gr VLD's the MCR built and it is on tack driving mother*******! You can get great quality Nosler brass if you don't want to fireform and there's a ton of great 7mm bullets out there. 2800FPS with a 180 VLD..what's not to like?

 

[LoneTraveler]

The rifle in the picture dates in the 1965 to 1969 era. The stamped checkering, open sights and the left over Model 721 or 722 Alum. butt plate is from that era.

I own a Remington Model 722, 78 and 3- 700 and traded and worked on many other 700's. That ramp in the barrel channel at the front sling swivel is a tricky item. I have shimmed the ramp and got the accuracy I wanted, I then raised the action with the same thickness shim, on one gun 2 thicknesses of aluminum pop can, built a modeling clay dam and glass bedded the ramp. Then removed the shims from under the action, Tighten down the action screws and it shot well.

The 700 action ejection port I believe is to short for the 300 RUM.

To take a 700 Bolt from 30-06 to Mag. bolt face is an expensive conversion as many gunsmiths do not want to put a standard Remington extractor back, but use a Sako extractor. Which means milling and fitting on the bolt. on top of the opening up of the bolt face.

Next unless you are going to shoot it as a single shot. Converting to Magnum would also take an opening of the magazine lips and I believe another follower.

The 280AI would only take a barrel and maybe a new stock to balance the longer barrel. No complex Action work.

Good Luck whatever you choose.

 

[benchracer]

One of the virtues of the Remington 700 long action is that it is long enough to accommodate full length magnums with a COAL of around 3.6". If you have your rifle fitted with a Wyatt's magazine box, you can go even longer. That gives you a lot of flexibility in cartridge choice.

You haven't said what your intended use for your rifle is, so it is difficult to narrow down the choices.

If you intend to stay with the standard .473 bolt face and/or within the 30-06 case family, you may wish to contact forum member elkaholic. He has developed improved versions of most of the 30-06 based cartridges and wildcats that are similar in performance to the old Gibbs cartridges, but with a more user friendly design.

If you want to step up to magnum cartridges, you will either need to have your bolt (and possibly the feed rails on your action) modified for the .532 case head. You can also buy an aftermarket magnum bolt, which will offer a number of other improvements as well.

The .532 case head will accommodate the standard length Win Mags (or .308 Norma), cartridges based on the .375 Ruger case, Weatherby Mags (except for the .378 based Weatherbys), H&H Mags, and RUM cartridges.

Be advised that, although Remington offers rifles chambered in .338 Lapua, most custom gunsmiths don't view the 700 action as suitable for the larger case diameter of the .416 Rigby based cartridges such a .338 Lapua, .338 Norma, and .300 Norma.

Within these parameters, you can pick the bullet diameter and case family that most interests you and best fits your goals and purposes for your rifle. From there, it is possible to make a better determination of what parts will be best suited for your application. Your cartridge choice will heavily influence things like barrel length and profile, desired stock features, desired finished rifle weight, and whether or not you would want/need a muzzle brake. All of those things will also be influenced by your level of recoil tolerance.

When making your cartridge selection, don't forget to seriously and realistically consider whether or not availability of factory ammo is important to you and how much interest you have in hand loading. Even if you choose a cartridge with good factory ammo availability, realize that proper hand loading is still a necessity if true long range shooting is among your goals.

If you just want to accurize your rifle, you may be best served by staying with the 30-06 and going with an aftermarket stock, barrel, and trigger. Have it all trued up and properly bedded, and you might be surprised at how much performance you can actually squeeze out of the old '06 with the latest powders and bullets.

 

[hawk4974]

If you want to step up to magnum cartridges, you will either need to have your bolt (and possibly the feed rails on your action) modified for the .532 case head. You can also buy an aftermarket magnum bolt, which will offer a number of other improvements as well.

The .532 case head will accommodate the standard length Win Mags (or .308 Norma), cartridges based on the .375 Ruger case, Weatherby Mags (except for the .378 based Weatherbys), H&H Mags, and RUM cartridges.

To take a 700 Bolt from 30-06 to Mag. bolt face is an expensive conversion as many gunsmiths do not want to put a standard Remington extractor back, but use a Sako extractor. Which means milling and fitting on the bolt. on top of the opening up of the bolt face.

I would like to convert to a .338WM or a .300WM if for no other reason that brass and ammunition is readily available. My main uses would be for CO elk/deer, and some day when I inherit a 20K or win the lottery I want to do a self guided Moose/Caribou hunt in AK. It sound as though I can change the bolt, barrel, stock and get to this fairly easy correct? Or am I just a knucklehead for even thinking about this? Since McMillan is here in AZ I was going to visit them.

 

[benchracer]

I would like to convert to a .338WM or a .300WM if for no other reason that brass and ammunition is readily available. My main uses would be for CO elk/deer, and some day when I inherit a 20K or win the lottery I want to do a self guided Moose/Caribou hunt in AK. It sound as though I can change the bolt, barrel, stock and get to this fairly easy correct? Or am I just a knucklehead for even thinking about this? Since McMillan is here in AZ I was going to visit them.

Though I would not consider it to be a DIY project, it should be fairly straightforward for a competent smith to convert your rifle to one of the 30-06 length magnums like .300WM or .338WM. There are some excellent bullets available for both cartridges and both would be very good choices for the purposes you mention.

For a rifle chambered in either cartridge, I would recommend that you either keep the rifle weight a bit heavier than a normal sporter or that you go with a muzzle brake. Doing either or both of those will go a long way toward making your rifle comfortable to shoot.