.308/6.5x47 win in a long action?

[ajw]

As I'm trying to clear the house ready for the off I still cant get calibres and (future) custom projects out of my head!!

 

Anyway, my current thoughts are on a .308 or 6.5x47 / .300win mag switch barrel rifle.

 

Would this be possible (practically)?

 

Would it be worth it financially?

 

Would the short action calibre feed reliably in a long action?

 

 

Any comments greatly apprieciated.

[Vermincinerator]

Yes it can be done ajw, but as well as a switch barrel you will need another bolt with a .532" magnum bolt recess as opposed to the standard 308/30-06 boltface recess of .472"/.473"

You may encounter feeding problems because not only is the 308 case is almost 5/8 of an inch shorter then the 300 Win mag, it as also .060" smaller on diameter around the base, dont forgot the Win mag has a belt.

The same can be said for the 6.5x47, keep it as a single shot and it will be okay.

 

Ian.

[foxing2night]

Hi mate,

I have got both 308 and 6.5x47 barrels for my ai aw,,,

But to be honest once you put a 6.5x47 barrel on you might not go back to the 308???

 

6.5 x 47 is awesome,,,,

 

Darrel

[Streeker59]

What sort of barrel life can one expect with a 6.5 x 47 Darrel ?

[ajw]

Thanks,

 

I had thought about the two bolts needed, hmmm........ i keep thinking

 

I hadn't thought about having the smaller calibre as a single shot though.

 

I was intending a magazine system, certainly on the win mag. Was pondering a mag conversion for the smaller round?

 

I think I would probably go for the 6.5x47 instead of the 308, but I do like the .308.......oh man?????

[Ronin]

Own opinion, as Ian has said its alot of messing a expense if the donor rifle is a Magnum bolt face.

 

Don't bother.

 

6.5x47 / 308?

 

 

Both are good calibres if I were to choose one over the other, I would have to say 308.....

[baldie]

I,ve just built a .308 on a s/s long remmy action. Its well on the way to being an m24 copy. The stock came today etc.

The USMC built them on a long action, so they could be rebarrelled in .300 win mag if required.

This particular rifle ran a Dakota floorplate [as will the copy] which is basically a very expensive steel version of the remmy one. I dont know how it will feed, it only came back from proof yesterday. Unless you particularly want something like that, i would stick with s/a and .308/6.5x47.

[MarinePMI]

Baldie,

 

Uhhh...not to be a stickler here or antagonistic, but the USMC did/does not build them on the long action. The Army does though, specifically for the reason you mentioned. The USMC continues to build them on a short action, and uses the Barrett for the longer range needs. They've also played around a bit (IIRC) with the 6.5x47mm, but only within certain "special" units...other than that, the .308 remains their mainstay chambering/cartridge.

 

BTW, the M24 is the Army's designation for their sniper rifle, the M-40A3 is the USMC's...I could be wrong as it's been awhile, but I'm pretty certain.

 

Not trying to be overly anal here, just point out a potentially slight misunderstanding...

[ajw]

Baldie,

 

Uhhh...not to be a stickler here or antagonistic, but the USMC did/does not build them on the long action. The Army does though, specifically for the reason you mentioned. The USMC continues to build them on a short action, and uses the Barrett for the longer range needs. They've also played around a bit (IIRC) with the 6.5x47mm, but only within certain "special" units...other than that, the .308 remains their mainstay chambering/cartridge.

 

BTW, the M24 is the Army's designation for their sniper rifle, the M-40A3 is the USMC's...I could be wrong as it's been awhile, but I'm pretty certain.

 

Not trying to be overly anal here, just point out a potentially slight misunderstanding...

 

 

Well I'm sure he wont be the only one on here to learn that, I know I have

[ajw]

Well sod it.

 

I'm going to have a rifle in each calibre when I get sorted again.

 

Hell, being as I'm in the land of True flight barrels and Barnard actions.......... when in Rome as they say

 

Andy

[baldie]

Baldie,

 

Uhhh...not to be a stickler here or antagonistic, but the USMC did/does not build them on the long action. The Army does though, specifically for the reason you mentioned. The USMC continues to build them on a short action, and uses the Barrett for the longer range needs. They've also played around a bit (IIRC) with the 6.5x47mm, but only within certain "special" units...other than that, the .308 remains their mainstay chambering/cartridge.

 

BTW, the M24 is the Army's designation for their sniper rifle, the M-40A3 is the USMC's...I could be wrong as it's been awhile, but I'm pretty certain.

 

Not trying to be overly anal here, just point out a potentially slight misunderstanding...

 

Always ready to listen to a man that knows, Marine, and thank you for it. Knowledge, is only knowledge, if you are willing to share it.

To be honest, the chap i,ve built it for is also having me build him an M40 too. I have all the bits to build them both at the moment. The chap is mad keen, and keeps bombarding me with info, specs etc. Sometimes some of the finer points on who does/uses what go in....and out again.

I / we have found Mike Lau,s book, a mine of information on both guns, and a lot of the customers specs/info have come straight from there. He is currently trying to source the m24 sight bases from your end, but has drawn a blank with the original supplier [ who,s name escapes me ]. He thinks he may have another source however. They will be purely cosmetic....the rifle will be scoped.

Chime in with any suggestions/ idea,s my friend.

[foxing2night]

What sort of barrel life can one expect with a 6.5 x 47 Darrel ?

Hi mate,,

I have herd that you can get 4000plus out of a barrel????

not got that far with mine yet!!!!

 

But the only coment i can make is that as far as i have found is that

the 6.5x 47 is better in the wind than a 308 and is a wee bit flater shooting!!!!

 

Can be a bit finicky to find a good load,, But well worth the bother,,

 

it depends on what you want????

 

All the best, Darrel

[Streeker59]

Thanks for the info Darrel.

I want what everyone else wants.....

A bullet that guides itself to the centre of the target, ignores the wind, requires no elevation adjustment and doesn't shag a barrel out within 1000 rounds....

 

Incidently. i used to have a Ruger 77 in .260 Rem. Albeit a hunter, the accuracy out to 1000 yards was incredible.

It's fave bullet was Lapuas 139 scenar. The one thing that let it down was the brass. Only RP is avail for reasons unknown and within a few firings the primer pockets stretched so much, new primers would fall out. Also the flash holes would often be off center..

I looked at using .243 cases but all the blurb i could find suggested that you had to turn the necks after sizing up. That was one job i really didn't want the hassle of so the Ruger ended up being turned into a long range pistol by another.. Such a shame and all for the lack of quality brass. If Lapua made brass for it i'd have another .260 in a heart beat..

[Ratwhiskers]

Well sod it.

 

I'm going to have a rifle in each calibre when I get sorted again.

 

Hell, being as I'm in the land of True flight barrels and Barnard actions.......... when in Rome as they say

 

Andy

 

 

THERE HE GOES AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ronin]

Grant

 

 

doesnt Nosler, RWS or Hornady custom make brass for the 260?

 

 

I made a 260 for a chap last year and I am sure he is using a "named" make of brass - getting pretty damn good accuracy too...

[Streeker59]

Grant

 

 

doesnt Nosler, RWS or Hornady custom make brass for the 260?

 

 

I made a 260 for a chap last year and I am sure he is using a "named" make of brass - getting pretty damn good accuracy too...

 

Thanks mate.. Nosler do make brass for the .260 Rem..... Oh and the 260 is avail Ackley'd as well.... A requirement if you want to get 139 grainers out to 1000 yards..

Oh god i can feel my wallet trembling.....

[Ronin]

Indeed it is...

 

 

I made a 260 AI for a chap a couple of years ago, with 130g Norma Diamond line bullets it was exceptionally flat shooting.

 

Rifle hasnt had much use as the guy is working in a warm place but I think he may be coming back home soon.

[baldie]

He is indeed Ronin. That gun [and his other] are due to be fitted with a couple of our mods, i,ve altered for them.

 

Nosler make their custom brass for the .260....its better quality than lapua.....

[Ronin]

He is indeed Ronin. That gun [and his other] are due to be fitted with a couple of our mods, i,ve altered for them.

 

Nosler make their custom brass for the .260....its better quality than lapua.....

 

 

Hope my "plumbing" passed muster in your place

[baldie]

A very nice pair of rifle,s mate. Most impressed.

[MarinePMI]

Baldie,

 

Don't want to highjack this thread, but here's a decent write up on the M-40 series of rifles, with a brief list of deltas between it and the Army M24.

 

M-40 Rifle

[baldie]

Marine, thank you Sir. The two rifle,s sure do have a chequered, and varied history.

Fascinating, and i can see why they have gripped your countrymen as they have.

[Ratwhiskers]

Grant.

 

You say you're looking for .243 brass.... winchester mate!!! it's harder then RP by a long way.

I'm using once fired "80grn varmint load" factory cases necked directly up to .308 and there's no donut (Ronin ate them all ) so I should think you'd be good to go.

 

BTW

 

Check Hodgdon's site, you can get the 139/140's past 2700f'ps at the high end and they're still going past 1000yrds at 1300f/ps and 500f/lbs (JBM), now that's bloody impressive and you don't need to ackley them and spoil you mag feed at the same time.