have a old weatherby made on a mauser action that has been a shooter for a lot of years . would like to change it from 30-06 to 300 winchester is this possible without rebarrel or am i just ruining a good shooting rifle. also if possible any one in texas that you would recomend,,,,thanks khh

The barrel may be rechambered, but you will also have bolt face issues to deal with and possibly the rails will need to be modified. I have one in .270 that is wonderful!

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also if possible any one in texas that you would recomend

Tip Burns

http://www.burnsgunrepair.com/

If the rifle is accurate I sure wouldn't mess with trying to make it a 300Wmag.

Or you could just buy some Hornady Heavy mag loads or reload the 30-06 up to the same pressure levels as the 300 and I guarantee that anything you shoot with it will not be able to detect the difference.

I'd sure recommend you go along with 458Win's idea. When you change to a fatter case, all sorts of "Ah shit" things come up

And reloading for a belted magnum creates it's own set of issues. You can't full length resize with out a special custom die. and head spacing off the belt has never been conducive to good accuracy

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Originally posted by kcstott:
And reloading for a belted magnum creates it's own set of issues. You can't full length resize with out a special custom die.

Huh?? We all have our own preferences, but does your statement mean you rule out the thousands of us who happily shoot belted magnums and reload with standard (FL, say) dies with good results??

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and head spacing off the belt has never been conducive to good accuracy

Fair enough, so set up your sizing die to ensure you headspace on the shoulder. Your brass will also last longer that way.

- mike

To each there own. But there was an article years ago about increasing case life on the belted magnums the problem was this guy was only getting a few reloading with his brass and noticed that the problem was that the full length sizer was not full length sizing. There was a spot just ahead of the belt that could not be sized due to the belt being in the way. So he made a collet die that sized and formed the base of the case right at the belt. Claimed it improved case life by 4 times or something like that.
My statement is just that if you want to extract the best accuracy you can a special die is needed.

PLEASE---Step back from your 06, admire it and leave it as it is! If your really want a 3Winnie, watch the ARclassifieds or post a WTB and you'll find one. Better yet, find a 338WM for sale. I found a 70 classic in the ARclassifieds for a fair price. By the time you "alter" your 06, you will have spent more $$$ and still have only one rifle.

Confessions of a gunmaker: The 06 is so damn good that ...when a new client wants an 06...I say "Phooey" He really will not "need" another rifle in the future.

Since my business is built on repeat customers...guess you can see my point.

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Originally posted by aliveincc:
PLEASE---Step back from your 06, admire it and leave it as it is! If your really want a 3Winnie, watch the ARclassifieds or post a WTB and you'll find one. Better yet, find a 338WM for sale. I found a 70 classic in the ARclassifieds for a fair price. By the time you "alter" your 06, you will have spent more $$$ and still have only one rifle.

+1 Best option yet

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Originally posted by aliveincc:
PLEASE---Step back from your 06, admire it and leave it as it is! If your really want a 3Winnie, watch the ARclassifieds or post a WTB and you'll find one. Better yet, find a 338WM for sale. I found a 70 classic in the ARclassifieds for a fair price. By the time you "alter" your 06, you will have spent more $$$ and still have only one rifle.

I'll agree with this one too. The thing is, the '06 pretty much does whatever the 300WM does so if you want something that can do what the '06 can't, it is hard to top the 338.

I know that is a statement painted with a very broad brush, but hopefully you'll understand my meaning.

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Originally posted by kcstott:
To each there own. But there was an article years ago about increasing case life on the belted magnums the problem was this guy was only getting a few reloading with his brass and noticed that the problem was that the full length sizer was not full length sizing. There was a spot just ahead of the belt that could not be sized due to the belt being in the way. So he made a collet die that sized and formed the base of the case right at the belt. Claimed it improved case life by 4 times or something like that.
My statement is just that if you want to extract the best accuracy you can a special die is needed.

Kerry, it is VERY rare that this occurs - in spite of what the article might have indicated.

I have (or have had) about 10 rifles chambered for belted magnums. In ONE of these, I encountered a problem akin to what that article described. I tried the suggested collet die, and concluded the prescribed remedy was not necessarily better than the orginal problem. So I simply decided that this batch of brass had reached end of life. Mind you, reloading components are hard to come by and expensive over here, so I'm pretty frugal with my brass... I'm positive those cases already had more than 10 reloadings behind them.

Regarding accuracy of belted magnums. It is unlikely that a belted magnum will show up on amongst the winners of a BR contest. But don't underestimate the accuracy potential of these cartridges. Calibers such as .300 Win Mag and .300 H&H are old stand-bys for 1000 yds competition. There are no flies on either caliber when it comes to accuracy.

In the past, I also believed what I read in articles and gun rags. These days, I realize the initimate relationship between these and commercial interests, and although I still enjoy reading articles, I take them with a grain of salt. In general, I prefer to gain personal experience before I consider myself versed in a particular subject.

- mike

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To each there own. But there was an article years ago about increasing case life on the belted magnums the problem was this guy was only getting a few reloading with his brass and noticed that the problem was that the full length sizer was not full length sizing. There was a spot just ahead of the belt that could not be sized due to the belt being in the way. So he made a collet die that sized and formed the base of the case right at the belt. Claimed it improved case life by 4 times or something like that.
My statement is just that if you want to extract the best accuracy you can a special die is needed.

Major issues I have with articles like this is what is it's purpose. If he happens to be selling the "collet die" or getting any type of support from someone that does then I take everything he has to say with a grain of salt. I have trouble getting my hands around how squeezing the case in front of the belt is going to help my accuracy. When most people claim best accuracy with neck sizing only which doesn't squeeze any of the body.

I've loaded a number of belted cases over the years. From .264 to 458 and most factory in between. 1000s of loading and never a collet die. After the first firing I set up to headspace on the shoulder (if possible). Comparing magnum accuracy to other hunting cartridges I can't say I saw a huge pattern either way. Can I get a 416Taylor to match my 6BR nope. But can I get most magnums to be subMOA. Yep. Unless you are shooting real long range a moa is a good as a .5moa in a hunting rifle.

There's a Parker Hale 3 Winnie in the classifieds today!

I would leave it as a 30/06.

If you have a good 30/06, and think you need more power, I would go up to something other than a 300 Mag.

And a 300 Mag is one of my favorite cartridges when I am hunting a long way from home and might need to take a long shot.

But IMHO it is just too much trouble and $$$ to change a 30/06 into a 300 Mag for the gain you get.

If I'm not mistaken, didn't the snipers use the 300 WIN MAG in Nam? I know that Fred used a Winchester Mod 70 in 300 Win Mag. So much for the bad accuracy theory with belted mags, right out the window. If you take care to prep your cases to fit your chamber and fire form the cases to the chamber not using the belt to head space to fire form you will get the same results you would get from a non-belted case. Every gun rag is out there to sell new product, that's what puts the bread and butter on their table and pays for their next Safari.

Don't believe everything you read in theory. Read up on accuracy reloading and see what miracles you can perform with belted mags when done right. Just my two cents.

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Originally posted by olcrip:
If I'm not mistaken, didn't the snipers use the 300 WIN MAG in Nam? I know that Fred used a Winchester Mod 70 in 300 Win Mag.

there were a lot of rifle loonies attached to the various sniper training units in Vietnam. I do know that the 458 Win was tried( they thought it would buck wind and penetrate bunkers better) and I wouldn't doubt that someone tried the 300 WM. It certainly wasn't used in any great amount.

but anyone who claims the belted magnums can not be made to shoot well should look at the history of long range target shooting ever since Ben Comfort won the Wimbleton - or talk to D'Arcy Echols or David Miller.

Navy Seals have a 300 Win Mag sniper weapon

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Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
Confessions of a gunmaker: The 06 is so damn good that ...when a new client wants an 06...I say "Phooey" He really will not "need" another rifle in the future.

Since my business is built on repeat customers...guess you can see my point.

If that ain't the truth. The old '06 really is that good!

What are you going to shoot in Texas that requires a 300 Win Mag to kill?

In the Nam, they even tried some cut down 458's with suppressors...

They also had some 378 WBy Mags in some towers on some Fire Bases...

thanks for all the replies,,,,why mess with what works ,,,,khh

There's a stainless 338Wm for sale on ARBay.