Can a Savage 30-06 be rebarreled into a 300 win mag?

[flyingfrog509]

Title says it all. Starting to play with some savages to start my home-smithing fun. I have so much reloasing stuff for 223, 308, and 300 win mag that I'd like to stick with the same calibers for now BUT I've come across a good deal on a 30-06 savage.

I know 30-06 to 25-06 and other odd six based cartridges is a no-brainer, but odd six to a mag...wouldn't want to take the chance of having that blow up in my face!

 

[flyingfrog509]

It appears that it can be done to any long action rifle with a few pieces parts...

http://www.switchbarrel.com/SavKit.htm
Magnum Caliber Change Kit
Tools and parts needed to change a standard (30/06, 270 Win, etc.) long action (110, 111,112,116) for standard belted magnum (7mm Reg Mag, 300 Win, etc.) calibers. Includes a NOGO headspace gage, barrel nut wrench and a complete (extractor and ejector installed) bolt head.
I'm going to continue to look for more detailed info.

 

[BHJ]

You'll have to swap over from a .473 to a .532 magnum bolthead but its a straightforward job. If you want it to be a repeater your gonna have to do the magazine follower too. Nothing real complicated or expensive.

Still wanting a long range rig? The 30-06 will get er done and easily stay supersonic.The main difference between the 308,30-06 and the win mag is knowing the dope.

 

[flyingfrog509]

Yes, still wanting a long range rig.

Still researcing what I want to do for long range. I guess I lean toward 300 win mag because I have a ton of it and if I ever get the itch to shoot an animal across the peanut field I want enough energy to do it. That is way down the road for me (read: once I'm confident enough I can make such a shot)

I've got a short action 7mm-08 to play with for now. Probably make that into a short barrel something while I continue to research/learn and get comfortable with what I want in the long run. Don't want to screw it up 10 times to get what I want.

 

[loadnplenty]

I think brownells has most of everything you would need to do the swap

 

[BHJ]

You can very often find a magnum caliber Savage here for a song if that's what you choose, but I believe you may be selling the 30-06 way way short on accuracy, trajectory and energy. The 30-06 is one bad mother of a long range killing machine. You may want to consult a reliable ballistics chart to confirm what I'm telling you.(Here's one from remington, compare the win mag to the 06 both with 180 gr bullets http://www.remington.com/pages/news-and-resources/ballistics.aspx) If you can see a deer and hit it with a 30-06 then you basically have plenty enough energy to kill it. The 30-06 is also very accurate and gives a long barrel life. I have one particular Savage FLCSAK rifle in 30-06 that amazes everyone who sees what it's capable of. My best group to date was 10 shots into .446 center to center at 100 yards with handloaded Sierra Game Kings. This is a factory rifle with only a trigger adjustment since I bought it in 1996. I wouldn't dare tinker with this one.
Those that think the 30-06 is a relic may not realize what modern bullets have done for the old war horse.
In the long range game most often you're better off spending cash on practice ammo than gadgetry. The single biggest improvement to a rifles accuracy is nearly always a handloading kit.
The 06 will go down to .308 in a heartbeat.
Be careful with the Savages, Once you start barrel swapping and smithing the simplest most modular design out there your gonna get addicted very quick.

 

[flyingfrog509]

Be careful with the Savages, Once you start barrel swapping and smithing the simplest most modular design out there your gonna get addicted very quick.

I'm afraid your right...just doing the research is really getting me excited at the options. Seeing that the bolt face for a 7mm mag is the same as 257 weatherby and 300 win mag and 338 and and and. The options are almost to much to handle. I'm going to post something I found over on longrange on bolt face / calibers for everyone.

 

[flyingfrog509]

Quick follow up...

looks like Midway has all the parts needed to swap a 30-06 over to a magnum and it is quite inexpensive too. Looks like the
- stripped mag. bolt face is about $20
- new blind box for another $10
- and maybe new extractor and spring for another 10
and your converted over to a Savage long action ready for a 300 win mag barrel...more or less.

Picked up a cheap Savage 30-06 to play with. Right now I'm leaning in the direction of doing a 25-06 build...but I might sway back to a 300 win mag before I actually get started. Don't know yet. Looks like the ballistics on a 25-06 (factory loads) are good for deer out to 500 yards. Reallity is I probably will not be taking 500 yard shots any time real soon so why suffer the recoil of the mag or the extra expense of a brake to tame the beast down. The saga continues.