rebarrel a .308 to ???

[Hoofprint]

I live in SE Australia, & I have a Weatherby Mk V in .308W caliber. I have a hankering to rebarrel it to a caliber which can make full use of the action length (30-06 length with a spacer in the magazine) It just seems a pity to have a medium-length action & not utilise it. So I wonder if it should become a 338-06 A-Square, for shooting Sambar deer, or maybe a 6.5-284 or 25-06 for Fallow deer, feral pigs & other medium game. Does anyone out there have a 338-06 & love it? A 25-06 is nice for Fallow deer, but a 6.5-284 looks good too. What would you do? I am a reloader, so any less common caliber (like 6.5-06 or 6.5x57 for example) is acceptable. I could rebarrel it to 30-06 & get a bit more power. (I can't just rechamber it, since it has a slim sporter barrel, & might not have enough steel around the extended chamber of 30-06) I look forward to hearing our suggestions!

 

[J E Custom]

I live in SE Australia, & I have a Weatherby Mk V in .308W caliber. I have a hankering to rebarrel it to a caliber which can make full use of the action length (30-06 length with a spacer in the magazine) It just seems a pity to have a medium-length action & not utilise it. So I wonder if it should become a 338-06 A-Square, for shooting Sambar deer, or maybe a 6.5-284 or 25-06 for Fallow deer, feral pigs & other medium game. Does anyone out there have a 338-06 & love it? A 25-06 is nice for Fallow deer, but a 6.5-284 looks good too. What would you do? I am a reloader, so any less common caliber (like 6.5-06 or 6.5x57 for example) is acceptable. I could rebarrel it to 30-06 & get a bit more power. (I can't just rechamber it, since it has a slim sporter barrel, & might not have enough steel around the extended chamber of 30-06) I look forward to hearing our suggestions!

Look at the 280 or the 280 AI. It is close to the 7mm Rem Mag and more than capable of
taking a Sambar size animal at great distance.

It is a natural for the 3006 size barrel and is a great long range cartridge with lots of different
bullets in.284.

No real changes will have to be made except the spacer will have to be removed and the center
feed box may need to be tuned(Probably not).

Recoil is light and in a light barrel I will not be a problem.

Lots of 280 brass and ammo is available and fire forming is just a matter of shooting 280 ammo
(If head spaced with a 280 go gauge) and accuracy is great while fire forming, so there is no
need to load fire forming loads.

All of the AIs I have are set up with the parent case head space gauge and will shoot under 1/2
MOA with standard loads.

Just my recommendation.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Hoofprint]

Thanks for that suggestion. Thoughts on 280 Rem had crossed my mind, but I had not gone the extra step to the Ackley improved version. My son has a 7mm Rem Mag - which never fails unless his aim is off. His latest kill was a big sambar doe for meat, shot with a 175 grain Nosler Partition projectile at a genuine (rangefinder) 200 metres. I will check with local gunsmiths to see if any of them have the right chamber reamer. It is encouraging that you have had good experiences with the 280 AI & not encountered unexpected problems.

 

[J E Custom]

Thanks for that suggestion. Thoughts on 280 Rem had crossed my mind, but I had not gone the extra step to the Ackley improved version. My son has a 7mm Rem Mag - which never fails unless his aim is off. His latest kill was a big sambar doe for meat, shot with a 175 grain Nosler Partition projectile at a genuine (rangefinder) 200 metres. I will check with local gunsmiths to see if any of them have the right chamber reamer. It is encouraging that you have had good experiences with the 280 AI & not encountered unexpected problems.

There are several cartriges that have a large following here in Texas and the 280 and 280 AI
has almost a cult like following.

They are very popular for long range hunting and F class . the AI version can almost match the
7mm Rem Mag but does not require any special work on a 30/06 based action.

Brass life as with most AIs is very good .

I have chambered many rifles in 280 and 280AI and have never heard anything but praise for
ether.

There are lots of good calibers available but this is a very good one.

J E CUSTOM