Hey Jeffe -

We probably do drink the same water Considering I live in the San Jac river flood plain and follow Caney Creek to the office. Or put differently, follow Porter road until it hits 105 .... closer than you think ... we even shoot at the same range. I will be testing the .500 Phantom at Carters here in about 2 weeks, will let you know so you may join us if you like ...

As to the cost, you seem to be paying too much ...
factory new barrel blank $100
factory new dies $70
factory new reamer + gauges $280

Other than the cost aspect, any reason not to do this? Might turn an old Finnish Nagant into a nice tack driver ...

It is almost done already finns used to rebore 7,62*54r to 8mm or 9,3.

Well, the Russians have a rifle called the MEDVED (brown bear) in 9X54R that they use for bear hunting. So why wouldn't it work? That case looks like a good piece of brass to me.....

you may have seen vihtavuori oy reloading manual 2 ed.,they have loads for the 7.62x54R case in 6.3, 7, 8.2, and 9.3. the improved case would be better.

The only downside of the Nagant route is you'll likely have a single shot. When I'd mentioned my thought of building a 480 carbine on a nagant action, A buddy mentioned that making the magazine work for a different round would be a major endevor. I of course was not deterred, and picked up the cheapest Polish nagant I could find.

He was right of course, the thing won't even feed 7.62X54 ammo!

Now if you were doing it on a double rifle, or falling block single shot, then there'd be some merrit to the project, especially if in a useful diameter like .358"

I think that reboring the barrel of a Finn would be an expensive proposition.

But I'm intrigued by just doing an "AI" job on one of my Finns. Where in the world would you find find a reamer for that job?

Here is a stray thought....

Take the 7.62x54R. It holds 64 gr water according to QL. The 308 Win holds 56 and the 30-06 holds 68. Now, the x54 is rimmed, so fireforming is relatively easy - the rim holds it securely. My computer tells me that if I reduce the taper (but still leave 0.150" total between base and start of shoulder), move the shoulder forward and reduce the neck length, giving it a 25� shoulder, I get 4 more grains. That then, gives me the same capacity as the 06, but with a slightly shorter case....

And the .338-06 is a nice hunting round ... so perhaps the .338x54R Improved would be too ... and now I can rebarrel that "old" Dragunov and make it the equivalent of a .338-06 sniper rifle ....

Or, take a different direction - instead of going UP to .338, take it down to 6.5 mm. This then gives a 6.5x54RImp, that should do everything the 6.5-06 does, and in an autoloader .....

Probably just another silly idea ....

Marty,
where do you live, as I occasionaly drink that same water...

don't worry, if it doesn't pass in two or 3 days, just plunk down 700 bucks for barrel, dies, and reamer...

THEN it will pass... like a football (after an aggie swallowed it)

jeffe

From time to time I have been known to have similar pipe dreams. Most of my friends refer to them as flashbacks.

Heck Marty why not, I have want one of the russian converted hunting rifles they do up in a 9.3 caliber on the same case