Is it Possible to Ream a Savage LRP 243 factory barrel into a 6mm AI..?

[daniel brothers]

I have two of these same barrels in 243 caliber, and was wondering if it's possible to ream one out into a 6mm AI without cutting too much off the length. It's a factory 26" barrel. Would like to keep as much length as possible.

thanks Guys.... Dan

 

[Larryh128]

Without seeing a reamer print for both, this isn't 100% but I don't think you will loose anything. I you're talking about a 6mm rem AI it should clean up a 243 chamber.

 

[JRS]

What is the 6MM AI shoulder diameter?

 

[Larryh128]

I just looked at both, shouldn't be an issue. The 6mm AI chamber should completely remove the 243 with messing with your threads etc. Just an issue of properly headspacing.

 

[Ggmac]

That's assuming the original chamber is cut centered and not larger than the print . On factory barrels it a hit or miss . Usually

 

[RonAKA]

According to my quick calculation, you cannot ream to a standard 6mm Rem. The .243 is a very straight case, while the 6mm has quite a bit of taper. That is probably why the 6mm really has no significant extra capacity. However if the 6mm AI is very straight like the .243 then it may work.

 

[pdog2225]

I have two of these same barrels in 243 caliber, and was wondering if it's possible to ream one out into a 6mm AI without cutting too much off the length. It's a factory 26" barrel. Would like to keep as much length as possible.

thanks Guys.... Dan

Go ahead and do it. I have a savage mdl 12BVSS. I put a Shilen .243 8 twist prefit and shot it for a few hundred rounds. I had soo much 6mmAI brass, dies etc. that I gave it to my smith to run his 6AI reamer into it. That's all he did. When I first shot it after I got it back I thought he had messed it up as there was a small ring around the neck about 1/8" from the case mouth. But when I miked it that front portion was .0015" smaller than the rest of the neck. I shot it again this past Wednesday and both 100yd groups were less than .250".I think that front smaller part acts to really line up the bullet with the bore. By the way I shoot 107smk with Re-22 powder, hitting things at 1600 to 1760yds is pretty easy if the wind doesn't get me. Good shooting pdog2225

 

[hoz53]

I have two of these same barrels in 243 caliber, and was wondering if it's possible to ream one out into a 6mm AI without cutting too much off the length. It's a factory 26" barrel. Would like to keep as much length as possible.

thanks Guys.... Dan

Like ggmac said the reamer may cleanup the old chamber but chances are good the old chamber on a factory savage isn't concentric with the bore and the reamer will follow the old chamber.

 

[hogpatrol]

It'll work BUT if it were me, I'd make a chamber cast on the existing and do some reconnoitering.

.243 Winchester

.244 (6mm) Ackley Improved

 

[daniel brothers]

Man O Man... your guys are so helpful... no wonder why this is such a great forum. Each of you have contributed valuable insight... now... it's up to me to figure it all out... but it's all a tad over my head on how to do it. Is there someone out that that can make it all come together?

What I really want is to turn this Plain Jane 243 into a hotter caliber for 105 and 107's. I'm not stuck on a 6 mm AI, so it something better would work, then please turn me onto it... I'm just bored with 243 and want to go WILDER...LOL... thanks Guys so much.... Dan

 

[savagedasher]

If I was going to do anything I would make a 243 AI . Brass is available and It will use less powder and get the same results .
Larry

 

[js2013]

I

If I was going to do anything I would make a 243 AI . Brass is available and It will use less powder and get the same results .
Larry

If he went 243 to 243 AI wouldnt he need to set the barrel back also?

 

[hogpatrol]

One item to check is the twist of your existing barrel and see if it will be capable of stabilizing heavier bullets. Possible to rechamber and then find out it doesn't do what you thought it would.

 

[RonAKA]

I'm not stuck on a 6 mm AI, so it something better would work, then please turn me onto it... I'm just bored with 243 and want to go WILDER...LOL... thanks Guys so much.... Dan

How about a 6x284? Will need a 1:8 twist though...

 

[savagedasher]

I don't see where he was worried about twist . But if he was wanting more speed I sure wouldn't go to a 6 mm Ai asumeing 6 mm was a Remington . A 243 is over bore AI is more over bore but the sharp shoulder helps stop brass flow . Larry

 

[hogpatrol]

I don't see where he was worried about twist . But if he was wanting more speed I sure wouldn't go to a 6 mm Ai asumeing 6 mm was a Remington . A 243 is over bore AI is more over bore but the sharp shoulder helps stop brass flow . Larry

My two cents: With a twist of 1 in 10, and using a factory barrel, this to me is another exercise in wasted time, money and eventually ammo. Marginal increase in speed at the expense of barrel wear and questionable accuracy improvement.

 

[savagedasher]

My two cents: With a twist of 1 in 10, this to me is another exercise in wasted time, money and eventually ammo. Marginal increase in speed at the expense of barrel wear and questionable accuracy improvement.

I don't understand why someone would consider re chambering a factory barrel to begin with . But he only ask if it could be done. Going to a Ackley is easy .many for years was improved by hand . Larry

 

[Ggmac]

If your twist is wrong , all you would be doing is burning more powder = more velocity = less barrel life .
I've got a 6-06 Ackley reamer ?
At least brass would be cheap !

 

[Patch700]

I don't understand why someone would consider re chambering a factory barrel to begin with . But he only ask if it could be done. Going to a Ackley is easy .many for years was improved by hand . Larry

Have to agree with Larry here , if you have a means to get the work done for free then it is a matter of what your time is worth... Assuming the job goes well you are still left with a factory copper collector... Were this a premium quality barrel that has proven itself then maybe the juice would be worth the squeeze so to speak.

If you are paying a qualified smith to do the work then dump another 300 bucks for a new pipe into the equation and greatly improve your chances of being satisfied.

It's kind of like spending 1500 bucks to port a set of old camel bump heads for a sbc when you could go out and buy a set of aluminum darts with the big ports and know what you have lol.

Good luck.

 

[RonAKA]

If it is the current Savage 12 LRP in .243 the twist appears to be 1:9.25. That may fall short of stabilizing more than 90-95 grains.