punch out a .308 to 30/06?

[the444shooter]

Is it easy to finish out a barrel that's been short-chambered in .308 to a 30/06? One gunsmith I talked to said if it's already at .308, he couldn't get his pilot lined up to continue chambering.

How difficult of a job is it, truly?

Background: I scored on a new Christensen Arms carbon fiber barrel, (chambered in .308) and have a Rem700 Long action (30/06) and a McMillan HTG LA stock on the way. I know I can run a .308 in a long action, but I'd also like to know my options for punching it out to 30/06?

 

[Jerry M]

You have to set the barrel back about 3/4 of an inch, if the barrel is thick enough. Otherwise consider the .30-06 Ackley Improved.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[the444shooter]

Why would the barrel have to be set back?

 

[shortgrass]

Why would the barrel have to be set back?

Because if you don't the .30/06 reamer won't
clean-up' the .308 chamber. It's got nothing to do with the pilot, it's the fact that the .308 is bigger around at the shoulder ( .455) than the .30/06 is at the same distance from its base (.438-.439).

 

[the444shooter]

Ok, THAT makes sense

 

[Edd]

Why would the barrel have to be set back?

A 308 chamber has a diameter of .4551" at 1.5542" from the bolt face.

At that same length a 30-06 chamber has a diameter of .4488" .

 

[the444shooter]

Thanks, all--I wasn't thinking about the case taper.

 

[MudRunner2005]

You have to set the barrel back about 3/4 of an inch, if the barrel is thick enough. Otherwise consider the .30-06 Ackley Improved.

Good luck

Jerry

Go for the .30-06 Improved 40º...You won't regret it. Mine shoots Berger 185 VLD's between 2,900-3,000 fps from a 26" barrel. That's pushing a close gap with the .300 WinMag.

 

[the444shooter]

dammit---this wasn't the reply I needed, lol.

I was already thinking about it, but my sensible side was saying, "look at all this .308 ammo and brass you have...."

I was seriously considering it (still am, since I've got a LA/std bolt face to play with)

We'll see after this season, since the donor gun will be needed for this fall yet.