What's a nice clean way to change a caliber designation when rechambering a rifle?

I'm going fro a .35 Rem to a .35 Whelen on a M30.

Any way to peen the metal back in and engrave over it? I remember someone here had it done by a smith and was very pleased. Rather not have to reblue.

Here's a picture of the marking.

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:
What's a nice clean way to change a caliber designation when rechambering a rifle?
I remember someone here had it done by a smith and was very pleased. Rather not have to reblue.

I was most likely the one who was "very pleased." I don't know how he does it(magic wand?), but Dennis Olson changed the marking on my #1 from 30/06 to 300 H&H and I couldn't be happier.

I will have to post a photo. It is amazing!

In theory you could maybe peen it over and have "CAL" impresses over "REM"?

I had one smith mill a tiny flat over the stamping, and the new cal stamped into the flat.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
I had one smith mill a tiny flat over the stamping, and the new cal stamped into the flat.

Bob Snapp used this method on some barrels he rebored for me.
Regards, Joe

YOU took a classic Model 30 in 35 Rem and bore it out to 35 Whelen???

sorry, but I hate to see a classic rifle like that wasted...by destroying its original chambering..

Thanks, that was it Dennis Olsen, could you post some pics oplease?

If it can be peened over I would put WHELEN over the REM.

I had a BLR rebored by Labounty a few years back and he milled a flat and restamped. Looks OK on the gun but would rather find another way for this one.

As to changing a classic rifle, this one has already been modified by the addition of a pad and possibly the scope mount as the holes were drilled a bit offline. May be original, may not.

And he had the gall, the utter unmitigated AUDACITY, to add 200 yds to the effective killing range of that old classic!(VBG)

That's one reason that Remington abandoned the 35 Rem chambering and chose to offer the 35 Whelen in the 700. Makes a 300% better hunting cartridge IMO.
Regards, Joe

Not to put words in his mouth, BUT I think Seafires point was converting a classic rifle into "just a Remington 700"

I was once offered one that had been a Hornet and had been converted to 222.

Price was really good, but it was just another 222, actually even less, after the conversion.

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:
Thanks, that was it Dennis Olsen, could you post some pics oplease?

I am going to take some photos and post them for you. If it is not too much trouble, I would love to see photos of the rest of your rifle.

My pleasure...

quote:

Originally posted:
I think (the)point was converting a classic rifle into "just a Remington 700".

Just to stir the pot a little, maybe we have to be a little careful with how we toss in labels like "classic"

According to my Webster's dictionary, "classic" means things like:

1. Of the highest class, a "model" of its kind (in this case bolt-action sporting rifles),

2. Of the art, literature and culture of the ancient Greeks or Romans,

3. Formal, objective, restrained, regular, etc. in style (in other words, the ordinary established standard example commonly followed),

4. Famous as traditional and continuing in fashion.

Model 30s WERE a good way for Remington to use machinery otherwise useless once WW-I contracts were cancelled. They ARE old. They DID help to fill a niche created by returning servicemen who wanted a bolt action they were familiar with, over the lever action-style rifles they had almost all used before the great war.

They ARE also an example of a somewhat ungainly, make-shift, commercial failure (far outclassed in the minds of that day's riflemen by the 1936 introduction of the Winchester Model 70). They also were dropped like a hot rock when Remington went back to civilian rifle making after WW-II, rather than serving as a continuing example of what the American hunter's bolt gun should be..

Of course, they ARE also excellent donors for folks who want to build magnums of various ilk, and are decent (though heavy and bulky) working hunting rifles as is.

But are they really treasured icons of the highest class and/or the continuing standard on which modern bolt guns are based?

Perhaps, but perhaps not.

Should we cherish every old gun, with no alterations allowed, just because it is old?

Those are questions I m still thinking over, but I have no problem so far with the concept that if a guy wants to convert one to something else, that is his business, not mine.

i'll give you $600 and shiping for the 35 rem, just as is.. where would you like the check sent to? yes, 35 rem isn't a bigbore, but my grandkids would love it

In the injection mold making industry (which I'm a tool maker)
We use a ball peen hammer and an assorted set of dowel pins and hardened punches to roll the metal back where it came from. It is a very delicate process especially on a parting line. You just get in there and start tapping very gently and just pay attention to how the metal is moving.

That is the short of how it is done. But the long of it is that it takes years of practice to develop the proper technique. and you can scrap parts fast. I'd suggest finding someone that know what they are doing and has an example to show you before hand.

Here are the photos. In person it looks perfect, but when the photo is taken with the light at just the right angle and the photo is enlarged you can see where the original 6 was. Just the same, I doubt anyone would be able to see it without some type of magnification.

I hate to advertise for Dennis because I always seem to have a couple of projects on the way to him, but I must say, he is darn good.

Yep, I have thought of that. The scope holes may be factory, it was an option. Mine came with the Lyman 48 and the scope holes plugged, no evidence of a scope ever having been mounted.

The pad, however, is not original though it may be period.

If I can get it done as well as Jason's I would be OK with that.

Jason, was your gun blued after the mark was changed?

Jason, that is impressive work.

Much nicer than grinding a flat and re-stamping.

It takes talent to do that kind of thing.

Wikepdedia: "The .35 Whelen was originally developed in 1922 as a wildcat cartridge .....". "In 1987 the Remington Arms Company standardized the cartridge, in other words they began producing it as a regular commercial round. It was first made available in the Remington model 700 Classic, manufactured in 1988.[1]"

Since Remington first produced the commercial version of the .35 Whelen, why not just stamp "WHELEN" after .35 REM., .35 REM.-WHELEN or .35 REM./WHELEN? It would be an accurate description.

Not a bad idea Bobster, thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I still like the original markings which can never be replaced no matter how good someone is.

To every rule there is the exception.

I'm not saying I can or have but I've seen it done and you would not believe your eye. It is insanely difficult to do though

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:
If I can get it done as well as Jason's I would be OK with that.

Jason, was your gun blued after the mark was changed?

Yes it was reblued. I also had Dennis reshape the 1/4th round lip at the front of the action. I had figured I would have to reblue it at a later date and planned to cold blue the lip in the mean time. Much to my surprise Dennis had reblued the barreled action at no extra cost.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Jason, that is impressive work.

Much nicer than grinding a flat and re-stamping.

It takes talent to do that kind of thing.

I agree. Dennis is a master.

Dennis is a man of few words. When I tried to discuss this remarking with him I told him it would be OK even if he just XXXXed out the 30/06 and stamped it 300 H&H. He said, "I've got a way to do it. Never tell it's not original."

What can you say to that? I sent it and could not be happier.

If you notice, the barrel still has the original Ruger "circled R" just above the cartridge stamping and it is untouched. How did he do that.... magic?