New Project Question!

[mike22250]

OK all you Professionals, I have a project that I have been thinking about.

It currently is a Smith & Wesson 1500 action, with a 32" 6.5 cal barrel (Chambered in 6.5/65 SMC) in a Kelby stock.

I love the cal. but only have 15 pcs of brass left, and I cannot make more... due to time and cost of the brass. It is based off the .338 Norma Mag, then cut down, annealed and stepped down with 28 Steps.

So, my question is do I take the barrel and re-chamber to another 6.5 cal and make it into a bench gun? Or cut down the barrel and re-chamber for a 6.5x47L or a 6.5 Creedmore and put it on a Remington action for my kids to shoot. Then put a new barrel on the S&W action with the Stock for another bench gun? also, I thought about selling the Kelby stock and buying another stock for the S&W and building a .338 Norma or .338 Edge on the action.

Is the S&W action strong enough for the .338 cal?

Thoughts......

Mike

 

[butchlambert]

Doesn't Russ Haydon's Shooters Supply have brass?

 

[stacy]

YES MIKE U CAN SET IT BACK AND RECHABER IT OR U CAN CUT THREADS OFF RETHREAD IT AND CHAMBER IT AND PUT IT ON A REM 700 BUT U HAVE TO OPEN UP THE BOLT FACE TO USE MAG HEAD BRASS LIKE YOUR SPEAKING OF.338 EDGE ETC.

 

[mike22250]

Russ does not have brass for the 6.5/65 Case....

What is the Bolt Face for the .338 Edge? Currently the bolt face is opened for .338 Norma Mag brass.

Do you think the old S&W Action will hold the .338 Edge or .338 Norma Mag pressure?

 

[Ggmac]

Mike , 1) how many rounds down the barrel ?
2) what was your prev load
3) how many pieces of brass did you start with ? And how many reloads did you get from each piece ?
4) was brass loss due to primer pockets ?
Depending on these answers I would first say Pressure is Pressure wether it 335 or 243 , I know a lot are gonna jump in but not getting into shoulder angle , brass composition , chamber polish , its pressure in all directions .
If you can borescope it I would , a couple of 6.5 x284 s I built for clients ,only lasted 1200 -1400 rounds . The 1 st 4-8 " of barrel were heavly checked.
If you have to pay someone to cut thread an chamber , I usually say replace the barrel .
Gary

 

[wwbrown]

The S&W 1500 is just a Howa isn't it? The reason I ask is I have heard that a smith in Germany (I forget his name but he is well known for aftermarket parts for the Howa and others) is building 338 Lapua Magnums off of Howa 1500's. You have the bolt face opened up so you are half way there. They build 338 LM on Rem 700's and I think the 1500 is a stronger action so I think you would be good.

 

[butchlambert]

Wade,
I would hope it is stronger. I sure wouldn't build one on a 700.

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

Wade,
I would hope it is stronger. I sure wouldn't build one on a 700.

Amen brother. Toooooo many smarter people than me have said the 338LM pressures are pushing the limits of a standard 700. Jerry Stiller is one of them smarter people. Google it up.

 

[butchlambert]

Dan Lilja is also against it. It may be on his website.

 

[shortgrass]

Ya', but they do it on U-Tube all the time, so it must be OK.

 

[jscandale]

This raises an interesting question. What is the strongest production action anyhow? Some swear Wheaterby, some say Remington, others say Sako. Since I truly have no way of knowing, other than blowing one up (which I ain't gonna do), which is it?

JS

 

[butchlambert]

If I wanted a 338 Lapua(I don't), I would use a custom receiver. We are getting a little OT though.

 

[mike22250]

WOW... That is some interesting talk. I have never thought about the strongest action.

Ggmac..... I have no clue on how many rounds are through the tube. I purchased it off of By Smalley. He was still testing it and trying to get it to shoot. All I know is that he was using a heavy charge of Retumbo. I am talking 65 grains behind a 130 gr VLD Berger. Not sure the pressure, but I'm sure its up there.

The barrel is about 34" long and the muzzle break is another 3"....

I am going to try to get to the range tomorrow, but the weather is going to predict it.

The charge I have is 61 gr Retumbo behind a 140 gr A-Max.

 

[boltfluter]

Wade,
I would hope it is stronger. I sure wouldn't build one on a 700.

Amen brother. Toooooo many smarter people than me have said the 338LM pressures are pushing the limits of a standard 700. Jerry Stiller is one of them smarter people. Google it up.

Listen to these guys. AJ from Bighorn Actions has the same opinion.

Paul

www.boltfluting.com

 

[Ggmac]

If you need to pay someone to cut ,thread ,ad chamber the barrel , I would install a new barrel . As far as 338 go , check out the old stand by , 338 win mag. Its only about 200 fps slower than a lapua 338 , your bolt face is cut for it already , it uses almost 1/2 powder .
Gary

 

[rayjay]

The cost of some new brass would be less than anything else being discussed.

 

[wwbrown]

Wade,
I would hope it is stronger. I sure wouldn't build one on a 700.

I don't disagree with you, I just finished up a 30-375 Ruger on a 1500. I would have liked to go with a 300 Norma but did not feel like building one on an action that small. Given the 'smith who does them is in Germany don't the rifles need to be proof tested before handing back to the customer?

Quite a number of builders build 338 Normas and 338 LMs on Defiance Rebel actions and they have 700 footprints except for an extended tenon.

wade

 

[mike22250]

Ok so let me through another wrench into this.... I purchased a 300 RUM barrel off a Sendero with a muzzle brake so it shouldnt be too bad on the shoulder, but will hit the pocket book.

I was reading that the 1500 action is similiar in threads size (MM) and pitch as the Rem 700 1-1/16 threads. Again not sure what the barrel was threaded but most likely it is the standard 1500 threads. If I was to run a 1-1/16 tap down the action and open the threads to recieve the 300 RUM barrel, what would need to be done to the bolt to handle the 300 RUM head Dia.?

 

[mike22250]

Here is a picture of the target I shot with the 6.5/65 SMc.
It is a 140 gr A-Max, coated with HBn.
I have 61 gr. of Retumbo and WLRM primers.

Cases are mixed, .338 Norma Mag and 416 Rigby cases.

1st 3 shots are dead center, with the 4th shot high and the 5th shot low.

Velocity was 3178.8.

This is the results that I was told he was dealing with. Now its time for me to start and get some more brass and make my own?