Need to replace my Remington 700 300WM barrel. Don't want to go the custom barrel route with this hunting rifle. There are several sources for factory takeoff barrels on the interweb. Which existing factory barrel chambering (30-06, 300 RUM, others) would be a great donor chambering to re-chamber to a 300WM. Would some chambering not lend themselves to the conversion?
Re-chambering ?
- Thread starter FTRinTexas
- Start date
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Youre gonna have to pay somebody the same amount of money to install a bad barrel as you would a good one IF you can find somebody to do it. Most wont send out a gun they know wont shoot. Then add in the cost of said barrel somebody else already dont like and for about $200 more you could have a full custom barrel of known good quality. Just a thought. As for your barrel choice you would be best to find a belted magnum to have the least amount of work to your current setup
Wal-Mart had 700 06 guns for sale under $350.00 I never seen if the mags were included in that price. Larry
Years ago I would discourage customers from attempting to re-use take offs unless they already had one in hand. The amount of work is actually higher than a pre-threaded and pre-chambered blank. Even a contoured blank is better. And it's awfully hard to beat a Shilen #3 taper barrel for looks or accuracy. Good luck in any event.
SBS
Gold $$ Contributor
If you are contemplating a take-off Rem. sporting contour, a .30-06 barrel is the best choice (other than obviously a .300 Win. Mag.). You'd have to cut too much off a .300 RUM and short action calibers are generally too short for a magnum rifle. You may be able to find a stainless 24" .30-06 barrel by looking around some. Try to find a genuine new take-off from a rifle builder rather than a slightly used one, which usually didn't shoot good for the original owner -- as factory sporter barrels are a crapshoot anyway, without taking a chance on one that has already been tried out. Unlike some above posters, I find it takes minimum work to rechamber/fit a factory take-off barrel -- just my experience.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
So you find it isnt much work to install a 30-06 barrel on a 300wm gun?
SBS
Gold $$ Contributor
Dusty Stevens said:
Not compared to starting from scratch with a blank. The threading is already done, the shank will only need a small adjustment, the counter bore is largely done, the barrel is already cutoff to final length and crowned and the barrel needs very little outside work to make it look nice. The main work is recutting the chamber to the new caliber and indexing the factory stamping if that is desired -- not a big deal. On average, accuracy will not be any better or worse than you can expect from a factory installed barrel, but that was not a concern of the OP.
SBS , so installing a 30-06 barrel onto a 300 WM action is going to work out how ? No other parts than the barrel replaced ? I seriously hope you're not trying this at home !
OP , you need to pick a clambering that uses a magnum bolt face and putting a factory take off is throwing good money after bad. You can get a pretty good semi custom barrel in the $225 range and any decent smith is going to charge the same to install a factory take off ( if they will even do it ) as chambering a fresh barrel. For an extra $125 to $150 you will have a job the smith will stand behind.
OP , you need to pick a clambering that uses a magnum bolt face and putting a factory take off is throwing good money after bad. You can get a pretty good semi custom barrel in the $225 range and any decent smith is going to charge the same to install a factory take off ( if they will even do it ) as chambering a fresh barrel. For an extra $125 to $150 you will have a job the smith will stand behind.
Daveinjax said:
Dusty Stevens said:
Dusty and dave-
You guys say there is a problem with rechambering a 30-06 to 300 win mag, but you don't mention what the problems are. I think stating this would be beneficial to the op and anyone else who comes across this post in the future. So, leaving out the cost and any potential problems that the donor barrel might have, what is the problem with doing this?
SBS
Gold $$ Contributor
Daveinjax said:
I suggest reading the title of this thread: RECHAMBERING. A .30-06 barrel rechambers just fine into a .300 Win. Mag. and the OP already has an action set up for the .300 Win. Mag. Many Springfield barrels were rechambered to a number of different magnum calibers and even shortened to accommodate others like .300 Sav. and .308 Win. And, any gunsmith who would charge you the same or more than doing a barrel from scratch should be carefully avoided. Some posters remind me of a few gunsmiths in years past -- they want to tell the OP what he SHOULD do with his project. If what I want done is safe and I know all the pros and cons, then it's my money and I want what I want. If a person is satisfied with a factory rifle/barrel for his purposes (and many are, as a lot of them are sold), then it is not up to some one else to decide its not. It's a long way from a BR rifle, but it's not for that purpose. If some of you folks think the OP must have a premium barrel, then why stop there? Why not a custom action, stock, and trigger? And perhaps get in line behind whichever gunsmith has had the last rifle to set a new record?
Springfield barrels did not have rolled threads . Rechambering a factory barrel only makes sense if you are given a new take off barrel and you can do the work yourself . I would not do it . Just me . I have in the past but regretted it . Finding center on a blued, stainless tapered non concentric barrel is a pain , at least for me . It is easier for me to center a good blank , turn threads and chamber than wasting time on a piece of factory " good enough " barrel . Just me .
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
boltman223 said:
First off he said install a 30-06 barrel on his 300wm action- not rechamber it to 300wm. The 30-06 action has a .308 boltface where his magnum action has a magnum boltface. You cant install a 30-06 barrel onto a magnum action without substantial work And cost which is what the OP is trying to get away from.
Dusty Stevens said:
Oh, ok I see now. The title is "rechambering" so with that and what he said in his post I assumed he was going use what ever barrel he found and rechamber it to 300WM. And just to help you out here a little here's the op's original post below.
FTRinTexas said:
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
My bad i just kinda inferred that the op was looking for a barrel to screw on his action not actually rechambering it after a while- i got lost sorry. The only problem with a 30-06 barrel is its a different taper than a magnum barrel and with the longer magnum it may get thin. Sorry for my mixup halfway thru.
The OP wants to use a takeoff barrel to replace a less than adequate factory barrel. Responders were suggesting that a 30-06 chambered barrel was appropriate. Others were suggesting a custom barrel. The rifle was going to remain a magnum.
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