I have a NIB Winchester Model 70 Super Grade (Classic Action) in .300 RUM. It is a non-catalog item. The wood is superb.

I've heard that re-barreling to .404 Jeffery is among the easiest conversions since the magazine box may well work "as is".

Has anyone tried this, and if so, what other suggestions do you have.

welllll Judge.....it's not quite that simple
The bolt face will need to be opened a little as the RUMs are rebated and the 404 is not.

IMO the bigger issue is magazine capacity.....do you want the greater capacity of the larger bottom metal.....if you do then there goes the stock.....it's not going to work with the new profile. At this point you're at base "0" again.

If you're willing to live with two down and one up (I think that's the RUM specs...double check) then the 404 gets a lot easier.

I used a 1999 action and didn't use the larger capacity bottom metal as I actual;ly like the standard profile.....but that's not what folks are looking for I guess.

quote:

If you're willing to live with two down and one up (I think that's the RUM specs...double check) then the 404 gets a lot easier.

The factory 700 magazines hold 3 ultramag rounds but I am not sure about the model 70.

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
I have a NIB Winchester Model 70 Super Grade (Classic Action) in .300 RUM. It is a non-catalog item. The wood is superb.

I've heard that re-barreling to .404 Jeffery is among the easiest conversions since the magazine box may well work "as is".

Has anyone tried this, and if so, what other suggestions do you have.

I have done two in that way. One was a 375 action and the other was the RUM. Both done by Dennis Oleson of Plains Montana and both turned out very well. The 375 was used on the first conversion as the RUM was not available at that time. I think my rifles had the original style bottom metal and held three down and one up. I think the Williams bottom metal option took away one round down. I also think you have to exchange the follower spring for one that doesn't have the space eating curl in it.

Judge -

I am currently having a Model 70 Classic Super Grade converted from 300 Rum to .404. This rifle also has fantastic wood. The only problem that has been encountered was the necessity of having Kreiger make a special barrel contour so that the stock could be used without opening the barrel channel too much. Barrel contour starts as a No. 5 and finishes as a No. 5.5. I originally wanted to go with a No. 6 contour. The mag box held 3 down when loaded with the dummy rounds I made up. I have also replaced the original crappy mim extractor with a stainless steel one from Williams. Sights will be NECG.

TreeFarmer

This rifle is three or four years old and, I believe, has the "old" contour. I appreciate the suggestions so far and would like any others.

I don't know if this was addressed by anyone but I'll throw in my two cents. I converted a push feed Model 70 in .300 WINMAG to .404 Jeffrey and did not have to open the bolt face. The magnum spec is .007" smaller than the .404 but apparently there was enough slop in my bolt face that even Norma and BELL .404 cases fit without alteration. If you use .375 RUM brass to form your .404's, you certainly will have no problems. The .375 RUM cases can be easily formed to .404 Jeffrey jst by using the .404 die set. They come out about 1 m/m (.040") short but, they tell me the RWS cases are actually 73 m/m long vs. 74 m/m that the specs call for. Besides, they are one heck of a lot cheaper.