Opening a Bolt Face from .308 to Magnum

[Capt RB]

Does Gretan solder or epoxy the bushing to the bolt?

In his video I believe he says solder. I talked with him on the phone before I sent it to him. He answered the phone and every question I asked as well as a few I didn't was answered. I had a bit if firecut on the bolt face and I felt his service was better for my application because he asked about it while we were talking. I didn't speak with CHad when I called he was unavailable

 

[Chamberman]

We do this in our shop quite often... Here are some things to consider.

#1 The 6.5 PRC is an "intermediate cartridge" it's O.A.L Factory 143 ELD- X is 2.950, so the magwell of the short action will need to be extended, which leads to a Bainey Box or a Wyatts extended box. So extended to .115", and if continuing to use the standard Remington bolt stop- it has to be ground for extension to .115"
#2 The feed lips need to be opened up .009" to accommodate the new case circumference.
#3 The feed ramp also needs to be opened up to accommodate the new case circumference.
#4 A complete "bolt work up", opening the bolt face, M-16 extractor, bolt fluting, can be done by either Gre- Tan (Greg Tannel)- Colorado, or Kempfeld Customs (Karl Kempfeld)- Northern Idaho.
You can also consider a Short Action Mag PTG bolt, Midway sells them- you may have to backorder and wait. You can get one with fluting and M-16 extractor, and it's all done from a single billet.
#5 I would also suggest Blueprinting the receiver while going down this road.
#6 Also consider a .250" recoil lug, instead of the factory Rem lug.

Rick is correct in saying that a "Custom Receiver" could be cheaper. Usually is.....

But with all of this work, a Remington receiver has now become a custom receiver.

 

[Bang4theBuck]

I am appreciative of all of the responses from some of the best in the business. I know that sometimes we do things that are very complicated just because we can, or because it poses a challenge. I have been down that road a bunch of times, and I am not willing to go down that road on this project. I think that a new trigger, truing, rebarrelling and bedding will be the solution for this rifle, without changing the caliber. This leads to my next question, unrelated to the original post. I would like to shoot factory hunting ammo out of this rifle, ultimately. I am thinking that the Hornady Precision Hunter 178 ELDX would be the best for Elk in this caliber. Is there any reason that I consider a barrel twist other than 1:10, and should I be considering anything other than a Saami Spec reamer?

 

[jrock]

I've been down the same road and did find it too much work to mod an internal box mag system to work for the mag case. I really like what I ended up with though.

 

[L.Sherm]

A 10 twist will be just fine and if your shooting nothing but factory ammo saami reamer will be fine also.

 

[bsaoneshot]

I built a 28 Nosler from a 7mm rem mag (older 700 action). While building it, I found my bolt was cracked. A gunsmith had a standard boltface bolt from a Rem 721. He opened the face and installed a Sako extractor. He sold me the bolt for $130. It works awesome and gives my rifle some character with the 721 straight bolt handle. I had to open the rails a bit and installed a RUM magazine. It wasn't that hard or that expensive.

Get to talking to your locale smiths and find the right one for you. They will treat you.

 

[Lefty G-gear]

The PRC case is based on the RUM case (404 Jeffrey).
need a RUM action. or the case won't feed up out of the magazine.

https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/pro...s&refType=&from=fn&ecList=7&ecCategory=485267

 

[Edd]

The PRC case is based on the RUM case (404 Jeffrey).
need a RUM action. or the case won't feed up out of the magazine.

https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/pro...s&refType=&from=fn&ecList=7&ecCategory=485267

That isn't correct, look at the specs.

 

[Lefty G-gear]

That isn't correct, look at the specs.

You're right. a regular magnum action will do. http://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/6.5-prc-rifle-cartridge-everything-you-need-to-know/328000#

 

[Lefty G-gear]

Here are available actions to buy. https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/category/firearms/rifles/bolt-action/actions.do

 

[johnlittletree]

Do yourself a favor either sell that rifle and get a standard length action with a magnum bolt face or stay away from the modern short action magnums. It is foolish to build a short action into a 6mm-7mm short fat magnum with long VLD bullets. Why is it foolish and why do so many do it even though it is Forest Gump foolish?

It is foolish because you are limited by the OAL of the mag box when seating the bullet to feed from the too short short action mag box. So you can not load the ammo in such a way to make it extremely accurate because you can not seat the bullet out far enough to kiss the lands and you encroach into the powder capacity often with VLD bullets in the 6mm, 6.5mm and 7mm variety often.

The best action to build a 6.5PRC on is a standard length action but once you go there it is foolish to limit yourself to the 6.5 PRC with a standard length action.

The 4 ounces you save with a short action are lost once you start adding a #3 or larger barrel, Badger Ord. steel rings, steel base, steel HD bottom metal, debatable mag, huge NightForce or like 4-24x55mm 35mm tube etc....

I can only assume people read too many gun rags and have been brainwashed by the writers of those magazine the internet experts that seem to always be pushing an agenda not based in fact. They always leave the real world experience part. People that think a short action being stiffer equals more accurate are just demonstrating how indoctrinated they have become since no part of that belief has ever been proven with a large data pool in real life ever. It is based on assumption that even a C- engineer could see is not factual or related.

 

[WildRose]

That isn't correct, look at the specs.

True, it's based off of the RCM case.

 

[WildRose]

I am planning to change rebarrel and accurize a 12 twist 308 Rem 700 into a 6.5 PRC. Can anyone weigh in on having this done, and advise on what kind of trouble I might be asking for. Also, I would like to send the bolt to someone to flute it, add a nice bolt know, and open the bolt face all at the same place. What's the best approach to the extractor if i were to open the bolt face?

Any other suggestions or pitfalls to avoid? Thanks.

Your shortest and most sensible route to where you want to be would be to buy a beat up, old pawn shop Model 70 or Model 700 with a long magnum action then have it trued and build off of that or simply start with a new long magnum action.

You will never notice the difference in weight between them.

 

[johnlittletree]

Once someone besides Hornady starts making 6.5 PRC Brass and it is not constantly sold out I might build one on a standard length action! I am guessing it will be a while. Good thing I have a 6.5-06 built on a Mauser action that can use non-proprietary 30-06 brass if I want too instead of 6.5-06 A-Square Brass. The Elk never asked me what I shot him with. It is built on a War World II Military Mauser Action. When I do my part it will routinely shoot 1/2MOA from a bench but normally it is a solid 1 MOA rifle in almost anyone's hands if they know how to shoot prone that is not bad for a surplus WWII action with a thin light weight barrel and a walnut stock. A 12 year old school girl could carry it up up and down a mountain all day with no problem. I freq. sit down, kneel, squat or lay down prone to shoot. Standing I will use shooting sticks. I use a bipod in F-Class but not on a hunting rifle.

Bipods make a light gun stupidly heavy and if you are humping it up and down rough terrain that matter's. Bipod does not help or double as a walking stick and you can not use it to make a stretcher/litter out of. You can not use a bipod to push a snake away or a crock or anything really. For the weight of a bipod you can carry more water, first aid kit, another pair of socks and a lighter windbreaker for layering, ammo, snacks. If you fill that spare pair of socks with dried beans it can be used like a sandbag and you have something that if you need to you can eat if weather roles in and you get stuck making shelter some place.

I learned my field craft and mountaineering skills at Ft. Benning and Dahlonega Ga. so I do not want to hump around anything I do not need too. I prefer to be prepared for what should never happen while staying as light as I can! Keeping in mind I need to field dress that beast and hump it out of where ever I shoot it!