Savage LA build

[Crossfire64]

I am still pretty new at this so bear with me. Last year I built my 1st gun ( a Savage of course ) I started with a hog hunter .308, bought a 6mm br barrel from McGowin and a thumb-hole Varmint stock form EABCO. Had a blast & can switch back & forth between the two calibers fairly easily. Now I want to try this on a long action. I'm thinking of starting with the 116 Savage Bear Hunter in 300WM (really cool gun) and I'd like to buy a .280 ackley improved barrel. I'm pretty sure that I'll need a different bolt face, but other than that can these two calibers interchange on this action?

I don't know the difference between large & small shanks. Can this trip me up?

 

[geargrinder]

You'd only need the standard 30-06 bolt head to switch to the 280 from the 300win.

The 300win will be a small shank. In the newer production rifles the only large shank long actions are the 338 Lapua's and the 375 Rugers.

 

[Crossfire64]

Thanks! So my plans are achievable! 6mm br, .308, .280AI & 300WM will cover me for virtually any critter I'd care to pursue. And I can tell the wife I only have 2 guns!

 

[wbm]

Yep. Savage rocks!

 

[tbrice23]

You'd only need the standard 30-06 bolt head to switch to the 280 from the 300win.

The 300win will be a small shank. In the newer production rifles the only large shank long actions are the 338 Lapua's and the 375 Rugers.

Factory Savage WSMs (short mags) are all in large shanks.
I had a couple of smiths turn me down for wanting one chambered in a small shank.

Yet i know McGowan and a different smith that is chambering 26 Nosler in small shanks even though I think the nosler and WSMs are similar in case head diameter and pressure.

 

[tbrice23]

Thanks! So my plans are achievable! 6mm br, .308, .280AI & 300WM will cover me for virtually any critter I'd care to pursue. And I can tell the wife I only have 2 guns!

My model12 6br is also a large shank but i think Savage used a large shank because of the stiffness of the action not because of pressure restrictions.