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I am having a FN Mauser action rebarreled to either a 270WSM or 6.5/300WSM. I priced the job for the 270 short and the wildcat caliber might run a little more but I can't decide which. I have always wanted to have a wildcat but I don't know if the 6.5 would be the better choice. I will hunt mostly deer and hopefully antelope with this gun. Its giving me a headache thinking about it. BTW, I don't have a varmint rifle. Dennis Life member NRA | ||
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If you want a wildcat, go for the 6.5. I have always liked the .264 bore. I have finally quit messing with wildcats as there are so many commercial cartridges nowadays that there is not that much use for them. DRSS(We Band of Bubba's Div.) N.R.A (Life) T.S.R.A (Life) D.S.C. | |||
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Given that you hav a standard length action...why don't you do a 6.5/06 Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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A 6.5-06 on a FN would be my choice too. The magazine box and follower are already setup for it. You would only lose about 100FPS and you could save yourself a lot of trouble. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea how about a .264 Win Mag? Faster than a 6.5WSM and I would think still a lot easier to do than a WSM on a Mauser. Terry -------------------------------------------- Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? | |||
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Also, bear in mind with Winchester's demise, the fate of the WSM/WSSM rounds is unclear. No telling if the other big makers will continue to cut chambers for it. If you want an african rifle out of this, you're better off going with a longer more tapered round that uses you mag box length. It will feed up through the mag box more reliably and bind less going into the chamber - all important features on a potential DGR. | |||
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That FN Mauser is just begging for a 6.5-06 barrel..... /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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The 6.5-06 will be a whole lot easier (read cheaper) to get to feed than any of the WSM cartidges in an FN and no bolt-face modification needed. John Farner If you haven't, please join the NRA! | |||
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You didn't mention what the original caliber of the rifle was. If it was an '06 based cartidge, your best bet is the 6.5-06 because, as already mentioned, no bolt face alteration, no magazine alteration and it should feed just fine. The barrel will last marginally longer than a 6.5 WSM. If you have to have a wildcat, go with the 6.5-.284 and you will probably not need any feed rail work done and will be able to load the longest bullets so that they don't encroach on the powder space of the case. "I ask, sir, what is the Militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effective way to enslave them" - George Mason, co-author of the Second Amendment during the Virginia convention to ratify the Constitution | |||
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The FN is chambered for 308 Norma Mag now and I don't want to have to mess with the bolt. I have cycled 300WSM cartridges through the action and they chamber and eject fine so I don't think feeding will be a problem with either of the cartridges I mentioned above. I am leaning toward the 270WSM with this rifle and eventually may have a Ruger in 30/06 rebarreled to 6.5/06. Thanks for all replies. Dennis Life member NRA | |||
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Have you filled the magazine with these WSM rounds or just one? It may not do as well with a full magazine. Also, what about all the extra room in the front of the magazine, are you going to block that off? Given that it was a magnum the .264Winmag sounds awful tempting. You know it'll push those 6.5's faster than a WSM will. Terry -------------------------------------------- Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? | |||
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300 Win Mag? | |||
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Yup, I'd easily pick the .264 Win over those WSM's. The Mag capacity will be one more and, if it feeds the .308 norma then it'll likely feed the .264 just fine or at most, require some small tweaking. Not so for the WSM's. By the way, how'd you get those WSM's to chamber anyway????? Last I saw the WSM is at least .020" larger in diameter than the .308 Norma???  Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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If the rifle is already chambered for 308Norma I'd keep things simple and chamber it for another "classic" magnum cartridge, 300Winchester, 300Weatherby (Remington brass for 300WBY is available so it's not materially more expensive to feed) But if you want a smaller bore caliber there is the 257Wby, 264WinMag, 270Wby, 7mRemMag.... I don't see the point in setting up a long action rifle for a Short Action Mag... AllanD If I provoke you into thinking then I've done my good deed for the day! Those who manage to provoke themselves into other activities have only themselves to blame. *We Band of 45-70er's* 35 year Life Member of the NRA NRA Life Member since 1984 | |||
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Can't put anything past you guys! I must be losing it, I would have sworn that I tried the 300WSM's in that action to see if they would cycle but your posts made me recheck things. The bolt won't even pick up the case. I think the 264Win Mag. might be an easier conversion. I wish I had some brass of that caliber to try in the action, but I don't. I have never had an interest in the 264 but I might like it. Thanks for the input. Dennis Life member NRA | |||
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It aint even close to what you are asking for but with a magnum bolt face I would be awfully tempted to go .358 Norma, But a .264 win Is an awfully good cartridges, I just have a real bad taste in my mouth from those WSMs I know they preform well enough, but it was marketing hype from the start and it may have only been the straw that broke the camels back but it sure helped bring Winchester down. ...tj3006 freedom1st | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Gunsmithing Need advise on caliber for rifle rebarrel
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