Other than just sell it, what are my options for a different caliber? I just inherited the rifle, but dont need the 30 06. Its an older gun, made in the 60's I think,

I do not reload so would like to stick with caliber that I can purchase factory ammo

Thanks

That is probably a fairly valuable piece. You should probably sell it rather than rebarrel that gun. It is your's to do with what you want. Since you don't reload there is probably a factory guyn out there in a caliber you may want.

If it doesn't have any sentimental value to you then sell it and buy a rifle you are interested in. Since you don't reload about the only other thing I'd change it to is a .270 Win unless you are willing to change the bolt face. If you open up the bolt face and have the rails worked then you could go to a .300 or .338 Win Mag. However, it is tough to beat the old 06 anyway, and I wouldn't change it at all.

easy answer; 9,3x62.
35 Whelen on steroids.

Rich

IMO, i would be a shame to rebarrel a beautiful old Belgian Browning Safari. If it's in good shape there are folks out there who would appreciate it, and give you enough $$ to buy what you want. One thing for sure, it will be worth less after it's rebarrelled.

Change that beautiful classic FN 98 Mauser hunting rifle just to get a lesser big game cartridge? Aw. man...don't do that!!

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
easy answer; 9,3x62.
35 Whelen on steroids.

Rich

+1 9.3x62!

Sometime ago I had the same "problem" with Browning FN, Safari in '06, and did rebarrel for the bore was messed up big time yet the action and stock very nice. I rebarreled mine to 300WinMag and would have done the 9.3x62, but already had one. Jim Kobe did mine at reasonable cost and works smooth as silk. No question that the '06 will do about anything you could ask, but if you do want to change it and noting where you live, 300WinMag not a bad choice. Don't think you would have any problem finding ammo. Just a suggestion.

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:
IMO, i would be a shame to rebarrel a beautiful old Belgian Browning Safari. If it's in good shape there are folks out there who would appreciate it, and give you enough $$ to buy what you want. One thing for sure, it will be worth less after it's rebarrelled.

Wise words here.

Value of those Browning rifles is condition and condition they made alot on those FN actions so 30-06 is fairly common caliber. If you had a Cabela store close by you could take it up there and get a value might even be able to trade it on something else.

Browning used a step down barrel without getting a barrel to match you get a good gap rebarreling or you could get a larger contour and take that out.

Ok, the gun will sleep safely in my safe for the next unseen future. So I guess re-barrel of the 25-35 and the Krag levers is out as well?

This brings me to another questions. What to do with dads old guns. My dad is still alive, but does not shoot anymore. He has some nice older guns that he said he was going to give me. I dont want them. I told him to sell them, take the money and go on a cruise or something but he cant seem to sell them.

Have any of you ran into this problem? I guess I can put them in a safe and see if I will eventually grow into them??

Take the guns, put them in a safe... buy another safe if you need to, and keep them oiled and ready ...
my dad is still living... and my first mauser he made for me was sold to the pawn shop by my first step mother... i wouldn't touch that same gun today, but dad made it for me.. i wish i still had it ...

I DO have the rifle he made for my grandfather, before i was born ... long family story that, and again, not a rifle i would have chosen to have .. but its a family gun ... and won't be sold.

quote:

Originally posted by Jon Beutler:
What to do with dads old guns. ?

Here's an idea.....This is one of dad's old guns and I deemed it no longer serviceable so I made a "permanent" home for it.....The glass is laminated so it's almost baseball bat proof and the gun is 100% sealed in wood with epoxy.....

It normally hangs on the wall.





As you can see (yes unclearly) there is an engraved brass plate with the history of the firearm going back to 1898

Vapo,
I like that. I have a few wall hangers that will get that same treatment.

What you inherited are not rifles. They are prized, precious, possessions of a member of your family who thought enough of you to believe you would appreciate them as a memory of his/her existance and values.

I suggest that before you do anything else with them, you might want to learn what they are, and how their history ties in with your dad's era and his persoal history (they were your dad's, right?).

The Krags, for instance, most likely aren't "lever" guns, they are very probably "bolt actions". Either that or they likely are not Krags.

I have my dad's old shotgun, and the story of how it came to be his. Someone stole his rifle between his death and settlement of his estate. I would give a great deal to have it now, because it was a symbol of a poor man, from a tough era, making his way to and through manhood in a free country which was America.

Treasure your family and the symbols of their lives. Bottom line is they are all you really have in this world.

True words, AC.

wasnt the win 1895 made in 30/40 Krag?

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
wasnt the win 1895 made in 30/40 Krag?

Krag is the rifle not the chambering. The offical chambering of the the rifle from that time period would either be .30 U.S. or.30-40 U.S. It wasn't until much later did the Krag get added to the ammunition. Even then I don't know for sure what Winchester or Browing stamped for the chambering on their barrels in the later years on their 1895 rifles.

Here is one stamped .30 U.S. 1895 Winchester

Those Brownings are really just trash. You should send it to me and I'll dispose of it for you.

My wife inherited one, probably just like yours. She says that anything she shoots at with it just dies.

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:
IMO, i would be a shame to rebarrel a beautiful old Belgian Browning Safari. If it's in good shape there are folks out there who would appreciate it, and give you enough $$ to buy what you want. One thing for sure, it will be worth less after it's rebarrelled.

+1

When i started shooting as a boy with my grandfather the first rifle i ever fired was a pre 64 Winchester model 94 32 special. It was the first rifle i fired, first i hunted with, and first i took a deer with. Grandad passed when i was 18 and it was given to me and will be in my cold dead hands when i'm gone. The other guns went to my uncles and they could give a shit about em and Grandad would be upset. I have since bought 4 more of them from family members that i heard were going to sell them and i had to pay more just because they knew how bad i wanted them, bastards! If he loved them, it would indeed be an injustice to let them go, just my .02.

quote:

IMO, it would be a shame to rebarrel a beautiful old Belgian Browning Safari. If it's in good shape there are folks out there who would appreciate it, and give you enough $$ to buy what you want. One thing for sure, it will be worth less after it's rebarrelled.

X2 !

If the Man doesn't reload chances are he has little use for a 9.3X62 !.

I would ask DO YOU HUNT ? IF SO WHAT ? IF NOT , then is target shooting something you're thinking

about ?. Answering the above gives an Idea as to what you really are after .


Get a couple of appraisals from known gunsmiths and either look or have it looked up in

The Blue Book of Gun Values https://store.bluebookinc.com/Firearms/Default.aspx

by S.P. Fjestad ; If you should decide sales or trade in value .

I've got a Browning Safari 243 on Sako action that I got new 1965 and it's be rebarrel afew time. I'm sure the value of it now would be more than what I paid for it 45r ago.

I also have a Browming Safari on Sako action that hasn't been fired build 1964. Asking and getting cash in hand is two different things.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
easy answer; 9,3x62.
35 Whelen on steroids.

Rich

Potato potahtoe

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
easy answer; 9,3x62.
35 Whelen on steroids.

Rich

Potato potahtoe

Having chambered for both these cartridges and having ordered the standard finishing reamer for each, I can attest that the 9.3 X 62 reamer I received from PTG has a substantially longer lead to the lands.....much like the infamous Weatherby freebore.....in this manner the 9.3 X 62 might just outshine the .35 Whelen.

If one is ordering a custom in the Whelen, he just might want to consider long throating it for freebore gains.....IMO another 150 FPS....

I would probably have it rebored NOT rebarrelled. It would be the same on the outside. I think my Dad would say "Cool!" at a 9.3X62. Just my $.02 Packrattusnongratus

Ok after much thought, and reading the help from you guys, I have decided to keep it, maybe someday when my Sako wears out I will shoot it. Last question. I have always fancied a rifle with open sights. What if I changed the barrel out to one with open sights? Used the same contour barrel so not to mess with the stock. I would probably use it more then, but would it mess with the preceived value? I could always change it back correct?

quote:

What if I changed the barrel out to one with open sights? Used the same contour barrel so not to mess with the stock. I would probably use it more then, but would it mess with the preceived value? I could always change it back correct?

I love old Safaris but as shooters, never saw any signifant "collector" value so a barrel change is largely moot.

There is no way I would change barrels until I had at least given an honest try to what it has first, FN has made some very good tubes.