If one rebarreled a bolt action rifle chambered in one of the 30-06 family of cartridges to 6.5x284 Norma, would the magazine rails need to be widened slightly to work with the slightly wider case? I know that the case heads are the same dimension - I'm basically wondering if it is simply a rebarrel job or if the action would need to be worked on. It would be on a long action that did not have a removeable magazine such as a CZ 550, Mauser 98 clone, or Ruger Hawkeye. Thanks.

I couldn't get a definitive answer to this same question when I decided to rebarrel a M700 Remington this spring, so I decided on a 6.5-06 because I wanted it to feed properly.

This rifle feeds 6.5-06 just slick, and is shooting about 1" at 200 yds with a 95 gr VMax as I work up loads. I'm not exagerating.

Just my opinion, mostly based on lack of an affirmative answer, that some work needs to be done with the magazine to make the .284 case work properly on an 06 donor action.
Shotgun

It really just depends on the donor rifle as the rails are different on all of them. I understand that the conversion can be done easily without feed rail/box modification on a Remington 700. I have never done it on a 700. I CAN tell you that when I did it on my 98 I did have to do considerable rail work to make it feed from both sides of the box, but it was not so bad as to make me not want to do it again. It would be a perfect conversion for an intermediate mauser, IMHO.

Hope it helps.

I also did as Shotgun31 did and had a 6.5-06 (except the AI version) and I like it better. If I was to do that again, I would skip the AI.

Larrys is correct -- it will vary with which action is used. Mostly, .30-06 actions require little or no feed rail work. I have a friend who owns a custom FN Mauser chambered for .25-284. I don't believe any work was done on its feed rails, but even if they did require very slight widening, it feeds flawlessly. I would not back away from building a 6.5-284 simply because of fear of feed rail issues.

A friend of mine built a 6.5-284 on a Win Model 70 (post 64, push feed action) and it did not require any rail modifications to feed properly.

Barstooler

I did a 6mmm-284 on a Tang model Ruger M77...no mods necessary and it feeds like greased owl schat.

Also a long throated Rem 700 in 284 Win long with nary a problem.

Both LA and SA Savage receivers needed a slight bending out of the very end of the mag lips to get both the WSM, RUM and 284 cases to feed.

I also didn't need any for mods on a OEM 8mm M98 for the WSW, 284 or 9,3x62mm cases.

It just depends on the OEM case and receiver.

You might need a new follower or the OEM follower re-shaped.

Luck

I very frequently rebarrel M700s to 6.5x284 & nothing needs to be done to the rails.

I took a Montana Rifle Co short action and had it chambered in 6.5x284 without touching the feed rails and had no issues with it.