Can a pre 64, 300 H&H action which was rechamberered to 30-338 (original barrel)be again rechambered to another 30 caliber magnum as WBY or RUM? [I don't reload),

Thank you for sharing your knowledge,

Bill

Don't have any books right here with cartidge dimensions, but I think you could do a 300 Wthby. The Wthby uses a blown out full length
H&H case, while the 30/338 uses a 458 length case. I bought one that had been rechambered to the Wthby round and was fortunate enough to find an original barrel.

Man there are people around here that would burn you at the stake for rechambering a pre 64 300H&H. If you do not reload how would a 30-338 help you? Sinple answer 30-338, 308NMorma, 300wmag all are a now. Ammoguide says these will work. from a rechamber point of view. Can't say from a action lenght and feeding. Have no clue what the 300 12 egg is

Don't see the need to change. Hornday 300H&H won't cost you much more than 300 Ultra or Wby.


1. .30-378 Weatherby Magnum
.308 2.913 .579 [Compare case diagrams]

2. .300 12 Egg Magnum
.308 2.913 .579 [Compare case diagrams]

3. .300 Pegasus
.308 2.990 .580 [Compare case diagrams]

4. .300 Remington Ultra Magnum
.308 2.850 .534 [Compare case diagrams]

5. .300 Weatherby Magnum
.308 2.825 .5315 [Compare case diagrams]


Upon taking the time to read ammoguide the 300 12 egg is a "blown out improved" 30-378 case.

300 H&H model 70's saw some kind of butchering.

Many were chambered in 30-338 and 300 Win Mag without being set back. Your's can potentially be a lot of things depending on what it is right now is a big factor.

Does your's have a 26 inch barrel and the proof mark on the barrel near the receiver? If so, you would be better off making it a 300 Weatherby in my opinion.

As I said 300 H&H's received tons of modifications in years past. Sometimes they made a new chamber insert to reclaim them.

I would recommend a chamber cast to see what you have.

setback and rechamber for 300 win .. or rechamber for 300 RUMm, though there might be feeding issues.

my advice? i am not kidding, or being a jerk-- learn to reload.. its not difficult, but it IS dangerous

second thought --
you can have an identical profile barrel made, though it won't have the markings, and chamber in 300 win .. which is likely the most useful, to a non-reloader

Hi Ramrod

I didn't do any rechamber, and I would have left it 300 H&H. Someone before me did the dirty deed.

Bill

quote:

I didn't do any rechamber, and I would have left it 300 H&H. Someone before me did the dirty deed.

Sorry I misunderstood. If they did do a 30-338 it would have to be set back or the neck area will really look strange after firing.

If it already a 30-338 then either a 308Norma or 300wmag will clean it up. Or anly of the longer ones listed above.

There are plenty of pre-64 .30-'06 take-off barrels floaring around. Chances are, one could be fitted to your action without problems. You could then rechamber to the whole list of magnum cartridges, including .300 H&H. You would end up with a 24" barrel, however.

As an alternative, you can send your barrel to Douglas (http://www.douglasbarrels.net), who will duplicate the profile in a caliber of your choice.

quote:

Posted 07 February 2011 22:59 Hide Post
Man there are people around here that would burn you at the stake for rechambering a pre 64 300H&H.

to desecrate a pre 64 300 H&H - burning at the stake is to good for him make him sleep with hilary instead

I'll get him off the hook! I will swap you even up for the 300 m70 barreled action with a Pre-64 model 70, 30-06 complete.

What say you?

Here's a new issue: The barrel hasa Not been set back ; yet the seller-a gunsmith- affirms that it is 30-338! So.........?

It has a super long throat. It is a good candidate for a 300 Weatherby. I'll bet it will still chamber and fire 300 H&H. It will be a strange case that comes out though.

The safest thing is to chamber cast. You can try and chamber a 300 H&H and then let your judgement decide how to proceed.

quote:

Here's a new issue: The barrel hasa Not been set back ; yet the seller-a gunsmith- affirms that it is 30-338! So.........?

If that is the case here is what it would look like. The Black line is the 300H&H the red line is a 30/338. Not to mention the huge bullet jump .35" just the difference in the case length.


Since it headspaces on the belt you could fire it. You would just be working the neck shoulder junction A LOT!!!! Fron the shoulder neck on the 30/338 to the H&H neck is .045"

300 WTBY, would be the easiest rechamber for ammo availability.

quote:

300 WTBY, would be the easiest rechamber for ammo availability.

+1 The ultramag would be second but for me the the ultra simply adds muzzle blast and recoil for marginal gain.

I think, big word there, that if you rechamber it to Wby would need to open up the already long mag box and feed ramp?

Thank you all for your information. To me the rifle is a bit of a puzzle!


1. The sn shows the action & barrel's vintage to be 1952.

2. The seller, a gunsmith, says the barrel "does not LOOK turned back." Yet I see no proof mark on the exposed barrel--should I not?

3. The seller included 30-338 dies and 50 rounds of reloads with the reloader's recipe pasted on the box. If feeds and ejects these 30-338s perfectly. I've not yet shot it. The bolt functions as smooth as silk! Such quality!

4. Yet the caliber designated on the obviously pre 64 barrel is ONLY 300 H&H. It does NOT say 30-338. And while I have no 300 H&H, the magazine box easily accomodates a 375 WBY!!

5. I'm told by the seller who had the rifle on consignment that a grandson inherited it. Whoever owned it put on a really nice piece of wood, though uncheckered, which may be taken as an indicator of care and good intent. I paid $850 for it and even with all my questions am very happy with it.

Thanks again,

Bill

Oh...and the $850 included a nice, vintage Redfield scope on Redfield mount and Redfield, engraved rings. Yes, I'm very happy with it!

Bill if the barrel had been set back to simply clean the shoulder area it would have been .275" to clean the neck .35" either I would think would be easy to see.

I would use someones reloads with a good amount of caution.

Like we discussed he could have simply been firing the 30-338s without cleaning up the shoulder. It would work. It would work the brass a lot. Plus the bullet jump LONG.

I would invest in a chamber cast to make sure of what I had. If in fact it is a 30-338 clean chamber then a 300wmag would be easy. Or if it was not set back you could still run a 300wmag reamer in it. The blue line is a 300Wmag. Since you don't reload the shoulder expansion would not be much of an issue.

I would still do a cast to be sure of what I had.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
I think, big word there, that if you rechamber it to Wby would need to open up the already long mag box and feed ramp?

Didn't need to do so on several I bought or did over the years.

How long is the barrel? Shouldn't it have been 26 inches? IIRC the Holland's were stamped 300 Magnum, since there was only the H&H back then.

Rich

Hi Paul :

Thank you.

I will try to have the chamber cast this week, but if the chamber is 300 H&H still, I'll keep it original as Hornady and others still load that caliber and it exudes nostalgia.

Will let you know.

Bill

Rich

The barrel is 25". Wasn't there a 300 WBY in 1952?

quote:

The barrel is 25". Wasn't there a 300 WBY in 1952

The 300Wby was developed in 1944 but I doubt Winchester was chambering it. The 300H&H was pretty much the only 300 magnum(except the wby) until the late 50s early 60s. Winchester brrought out the 458 in 1956 then the 338 in 1958. Everyone started building the 30-338. Norma came out with the 308Norma in 1961. Everyone expected Winchester to simply build the 30-338 but since the 308Norma(I assume) was out already then Winchester went with a longer case and shoulder forward and the 300wmag came out in 1963.

So that is your history lesson for today.

Guys:

Here's the end of the story for better or worse: It no longer will chamber the 300 H&H. As I don't handload, I just dropped it off to be rechambered to 300 Winny (cost about $150).I will try to sell the 30-338 stuff here.

Thanks too all for your time.

Bill

quote:

just dropped it off to be rechambered to 300 Winny (cost about $150).

While a 300H&H would have been nice no flies on a nice pre 64 in 300wmag. Now add a little checkering (oops spending your $$ )

pre 64 Win 70's in 300 H&H were caliber stamped 300 Magnum until 1950 then 300 H&H Magnum.

Win never offered 300 Weatherby unless by special order and then I am not sure if any then.

The barrel should be 26 inches long with the proof near the receiver junction. That barrel has been setback.

It is a shame to waste an H&H length magnum action on a standard length cartridge.

According to the gunsmith at Oly's gunshop in Salem (which this AM had two camera men and an interviewer from Fox there, the barrel has been set back , the chamber cannot be restored to H&H, but the rifling of the original barrel remains excellent.

So I think I be happy with a 300 Win, and feel I got my $$$ worth.

Bill

Bill, airgun1 is right.

You have a pretty rare pre-64 Model 70 action that was made at the factory to accommodate H&H length cases.

Pre-64 M70 actions like yours will sell, without stocks or barrels, for what you paid for your entire rifle. You definitely got your money's worth.

If I were you, I'd fit that action to a barrel chambered in an H&H length case, or sell or trade it to someone (like Jim Kobe) who will do that himself, and who will give you what you want in return.

But I ain't you. Just something to think about.