Early 50s FN, question about opening bolt face and feeding

26 November 2015, 01:44

This has probably been discussed many times, but I suppose one more won't hurt. Recently acquired a very nice early 50s Husquavarna in 270, built on an FN action. It's a pretty chunky, substantial gun, chambered in 270. I don't really need a rifle in that caliber, and have thought about a 300 mag or 338. Depending on caliber choice, it might need to have the bolt face opened up and the feed rails modified for a magnum sized case.

So, how much of a hassle is it to get that done? Is there much risk of a botched job or functioning issues? What should I expect in terms of expense?

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving

26 November 2015, 02:40

dpcd

Easy job on the bolt; medium job on the feed rails. Risk; minimal. Cost? Others will tell you that; usually better to trade for one already Mag.
No hassle; you just have to pay for it; it is all labor.

26 November 2015, 03:36

ramrod340

Doubt you will need much on the rails. See if you can swap bolts

26 November 2015, 04:13

JeffreyPhD

Thanks for the input. It would make a nice 300 mag. If it became a 338, I might just go with a rebore to 338-06 and avoid the other hassles.

26 November 2015, 04:27

Toomany Tools

Straight forward job, done all the time. Open bolt face, reshape extractor, work feed rails and maybe lengthen mag box. All standard stuff for a gunsmith who rebarrels rifles.

26 November 2015, 04:49

lindy2

Well, I will take the other side of the coin.
There are thousands of .300 Winnies and .338 Winnies already out there that nobody wants. A nice model 70 classic in .338 could probably be had for $700 or so (that is what I was able to get for mine a few months ago).

Use the money for good glass instead.

30 November 2015, 00:31

Atkinson

Its a easy conversion and won't break the bank, contact Dennis Olson Plains, Mt. he does that kind of work as good as anybody and his rates are more than fair..A 300 or 30/338 or 338 would make you a mighty fine gun.

Rebore is half as much as an installed new barrel, at about $200. I use Norman Johnson at Hi Plains reboring & Rifleing and have had better than excellent results. Best to contact him at ruth@HighPlainsReboringandRifleing.com, he won't answer the phone as a rule and will get back to you at the end of the day. Or NormanJohnson@same. 701-448-9188...

Also Dennis Olson will send you action and barrel to NOrman, then Dennisi will do whatever else it needs and send the gun back to you..Dennis uses NOrman quite a bit, but Dennis might rebarrel you gun for just a little more??

30 November 2015, 05:07

JeffreyPhD

quote:
Originally posted by Atkinson:
Its a easy conversion and won't break the bank, contact Dennis Olson Plains, Mt. he does that kind of work as good as anybody and his rates are more than fair..A 300 or 30/338 or 338 would make you a mighty fine gun.

Rebore is half as much as an installed new barrel, at about $200. I use Norman Johnson at Hi Plains reboring & Rifleing and have had better than excellent results. Best to contact him at ruth@HighPlainsReboringandRifleing.com, he won't answer the phone as a rule and will get back to you at the end of the day. Or NormanJohnson@same. 701-448-9188...

Also Dennis Olson will send you action and barrel to NOrman, then Dennisi will do whatever else it needs and send the gun back to you..Dennis uses NOrman quite a bit, but Dennis might rebarrel you gun for just a little more??

Thanks very much for the contact info and recommendations. I will check them out.

The reason for pondering this is first that it's a really nice rifle, second that I don't need a 270 at this point, and third that the rifle is configured in such a way that it would make a better 338 or something similar. The barrel contour is quite heavy. The stock has a lot of meat on it. It's quality, dense walnut that took and held checkering very well. It's really too massive for what I think a 270 should be. Overall weight without scope is probably about 8.5 pounds, maybe a little more. The gun is very clean and it would make a fine African plains game rifle.

30 November 2015, 06:04

dpcd

Go with the .338; a 30 cal is way too small (for me and Elmer).
My theory is that if you are going to make a change, make a bold one.

30 November 2015, 07:04

JeffreyPhD

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
Go with the .338; a 30 cal is way too small (for me and Elmer).
My theory is that if you are going to make a change, make a bold one.

Go big or go home, as they say.

30 November 2015, 19:52

ColoradoMatt

338-06 gives up litte to the 338 win.

Matt
FISH!!

Heed the words of Winston Smith in Orwell's 1984:

"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."

30 November 2015, 23:41

JeffreyPhD

quote:
Originally posted by ColoradoMatt:
338-06 gives up litte to the 338 win.

And there's the added benefit of no modification to the action. A friend has a 35 Whelen, which is also a very compelling option. The 225 Accubond at 2700 fps should do all that could be asked of such a gun.

30 November 2015, 23:49

speerchucker30x378

Rather than go to all that trouble and expense I would just sell it and spend $200 or $350 and buy a 9.3x57. Its so close to a 338-06 it's not worth arguing about.

https://www.tradeexcanada.com/produits/95

01 December 2015, 00:00

JeffreyPhD

quote:
Originally posted by speerchucker30x378:
Rather than go to all that trouble and expense I would just sell it and spend $200 or $350 and buy a 9.3x57. Its so close to a 338-06 it's not worth arguing about.

https://www.tradeexcanada.com/produits/95

For reasons I don't understand, I have an aversion to the metric calibers except for the 7x57. It makes no sense but I accept it as a character flaw. If I were going to make it a 9.3, it would be a 9.3x62. But, I think that would leave a little less barrel thickness at the muzzle than is ideal. It measures about .6 at the muzzle. So, I was thinking a 35 was max diameter for the gun.

01 December 2015, 00:07

dpcd

I can put a new 9.3x62 barrel on it for less drama and money than altering and re=boring. I keep them in stock.

01 December 2015, 01:12

speerchucker30x378

quote:
Originally posted by JeffreyPhD:

For reasons I don't understand, I have an aversion to the metric calibers except for the 7x57. It makes no sense but I accept it as a character flaw.

Well EGG-SKUZZ me all-ta-hell-N-back. I meant to say a 366 Mauser. How silly of me. My bad.
he he he

01 December 2015, 01:25

JeffreyPhD

quote:
Originally posted by speerchucker30x378:
quote:
Originally posted by JeffreyPhD:

For reasons I don't understand, I have an aversion to the metric calibers except for the 7x57. It makes no sense but I accept it as a character flaw.

Well EGG-SKUZZ me all-ta-hell-N-back. I meant to say a 366 Mauser. How silly of me. My bad.
he he he

366 Mauser sounds ever so much better! Actually, a buddy has owned several 9.3x57s and speaks very highly of them. There's a story behind the metric aversion thing, which also makes no sense. But hey, I just do this for fun so I can indulge my idiosyncrasies.

01 December 2015, 01:36

speerchucker30x378

quote:
Originally posted by JeffreyPhD:

366 Mauser sounds ever so much better! Actually, a buddy has owned several 9.3x57s and speaks very highly of them. There's a story behind the metric aversion thing, which also makes no sense. But hey, I just do this for fun so I can indulge my idiosyncrasies.

Calibers with decimals in them sound like part of a caliber. Not a whole gun. Like they took a 10mm, which must be some sort of rip-snortin magnum, and knocked .7mm off it to make a 9.3mm so the ladies could shoot it. Aint be shootin no damned fool, GURLS GUN ! Dontchaknow.