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Bolt face diameter and calibers - for easy barrel swaps

flyingfrog509

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Found this elsewhere and from looking at my shell holder reference chart it appears to be correct. Only difference is the shell holder chart doesn't state long or short action.

Bolt face diameters cheat sheet
Short actions with a bolt face .Dia of .384 +/-
17 Remington
204 Ruger
222 Remington
223 Remington

6x45 (think .223 necked up to 6mm)
6 & 6.5mm TCU
20 Tactical
20 Practical (think .223 necked down to .20cal)



Short actions with a bolt face .Dia of .473 +/-
225 Winchester
22/250 Remington
6mm Norma BR
243 Winchester
250 Savage
260 Remington
6.5/284 Norma
7/08 Remington
284 Winchester
300 Savage
308 Winchester
338 Federal
35 Remington
358 Winchester

6 & 6.5 Creedmoor
6.5 Lapua
6XC


Short actions with a bolt face .Dia of .540+/-
223 WSSM
243 WSSM
25 WSSM
7mm Remington saum
7mm WSM
300 Remington saum,
300 WSM
325 WSM
350 Remington Mag.


Long actions with a bolt face .DIA of .470 +/-
220 Swift
6mm Remington
240 Weatherby Mag
257 Roberts
25-06 Remington
6.5x55 Swedish
270 Winchester
7x57 Mauser
7x64 Brenneke
280 Remington
30/06 Springfield
8mm Mauser
338/06 A Square
35 Whelen


Long actions with a bolt face .Dia of .540 +/-257 Weatherby
264 Win Mag
270 weatherby Mag
7mm Remington Mag
7mm Weatherby Mag
7 STW
7mm Remington Ultra Mag
300 H & H
300 Winchester Mag
300 Weatherby Mag
300 RUM
303 Brit
8mm Remington Mag
338 Winchester Mag
340 Weatherby Mag
338 RUM
375 H & H
375 Weatherby
375 RUM
416 Remington Mag
458 Winchester Mag
458 Lott


Long actions with a bolt face .Dia of .585 +/-
30/378 Weatherby
338 Lapua
338/378 Weatherby
378 Weatherby mag
416 Rigby
416 Weatherby Mag
460 Weatherby Mag
470 Nitro Express
 
Many shooters build on short actions for rigidity. They'll leave the bolt stop out, and removed the bolt to load and unload longer cartridges. I've seen a 300 Win mag built using a Model 7 action.

Other shooters will build on a long action even for 308 Win length cartridges. Most are repeaters, and want the extra length for loading really long bullets.

I've had .257 Roberts caliber rifles in both long and short actions. Ruger uses a long action, and I've got a Browning built on a short action.

Most .308's are built using short actions, CZ, Tikka's T3, and others are built on long actions. For many years all the Savage rifles were long actions.

So there's no hard and fast rules for action lengths.
 
It's not that complicated for Savages basically you have the small bolt head at .378 (a little harder to find .223 family) the medium bolt head at .473 (.308 & 06 family ) and a magnum bolt head at .532 (win mag family) If you stick with standard calibers you should have no problems.
 
Hi, I have a question about changing calibers.
I have a JFC action Belgium made mauser rifle. It has a barrel on it labeled 6-284. I don't know much more about it. I know I am not interested in this caliber and would like it to be in a standard caliber you can find on the shelf. I do hand loads but only of the non-wildcat variety. So if I stick with the .473 bolt face category does that mean its as simple as swapping out barrels within that same category of calibers and I'm good to go? If so, what calibers within that bolt face diameter would work well for my rifle? I already have several 270 rifles for deer, and would prefer a good varmint rifle or dual purpose caliber. Your thoughts and opinions are much appreciated.
Thanks.
 
6mm-284 is an excellent varmint and target cartridge, and with the right bullet, adequate for deer. If you want to change cartridges and the barrel has a large enough shank diameter, you could set it back and rechamber to 243 Win. Or rebarrel to any standard .473 caliber of your choice; 257 Roberts would be excellent.
 
A number of short actions are actually a long actions with a bolt stop installed to limit the bolt movement to all that is needed for a short action. They often have a spacer in the mag box for the shorter bullets.
 
If converting a rifle to a different cartridge, it is wise make sure the magazine box will allow proper feed and function. I do not have any idea what will or won’t work, but I know from a bad experience with a local smith that you cannot always depend on the smith to guide you. I took a Mauser to a guy to have it converted from a 257 Roberts(Mauser Family) to a 308 Family cartridge….and it does not feed reliably. I should have gone with a conversion from within the Mauser family of cartridges. I think the 284 and 6-284 are the only rifle cartridges based on the 284.
The 6-284 can do anything a 243, or 6mm can do, and at a longer range.

The brass (6.5-284 already formed for the 6.5 version-just run them through the 6-284 die) and dies for reloading, are NORMALLY available.

LINK:

 
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