whatcha think?????

1. feasibility of converting a 338 win mag to 416 rigby?

2. feasibility of converting a 30-06 to a 300H&H magnum?

thanks for the help.....

Bill--

I don't know of any 338 that's built on an action large enough to handle the 416 Rigby except the Ruger Number One.

If the '06 is on a 700 series Remington or a P-17 it could be rechambered, but the bolt face would have to be opened. Other actions aren't long enough.

To open the face on a M-700 means the extractor has to be replaced and the bolt face bushed.

RE: .30-06 to .300 H & H.

Jack Belk overlooked a couple of long-action possibilities: The Sako L61R .30-06 uses a long action in the .30-06, and even the magazine is unbushed, measuring 3.6" in mine. Also, a Winchester 70 can be lengthened with a new magazine box and removing metal either in the front (like the factory .375 version, but not my favorite) or at the rear of the magazine well. The FN Mauser can also be lengthened successfully, as with the Browning Safari .375 version.

One more oddball: The Weatherby Mark V was chambered in .30-06 for a limited run. If you had one of these, you could theoretically even make a .416 Rigby out of it.

But a .30-06 on a Ruger 77, Howa or similar action just has to be restricted to a standard-length cartridge.

EDITOR'S NOTE: None of these, in my opinion, is economically practical compared to just purchasing the proper action/rifle to begin with.

The hot conversion for the .30-'06 to .300 Magnum in the 60s was to rechamber for the .308 Norma Magnum.

As I recall you could do this then for under $50, including the bolt work and extractor, etc.

I suppose you could consider a .300 WSM on the same basis today.

jim dodd

yes, i admit it, there is a lot of nostalic appeal to these cartridges. but....there is also a lot to be said for the usefulness also. i would never look at anything i have done with regard to rifles, however, and brag about practicality. i am why someone coined the term "gun nut".

what i have are a few left handed model 70s. as i also have several 30-06s and 338s, i was looking for something to do with them. i currently own a 375 H&H and it seemed a "nostalgic" thing to do to have a 300 H&H also. i also have a right hand 458 Lott. i am pretty sure that the 338 would make a nice left handed Lott. however, there's that nostalgia bug again, hence the question about the 416 Rigby.

so..............

JBelk: is there a space problem?

jeffeoso: now that you know that i am left handed....that rules out the CZs. good idea though.

Stonecreek: i am curious....just where do you go to find "economical" left handed bolt action rifles originally chambered in these calibers? i am very curious. i would do this in a minute if i knew where to look.

hunter jim: nice thought, but what happened to my nostalgia??

[ 11-11-2002, 21:33: Message edited by: bill smith ]

Stonecreek: i am curious....just where do you go to find "economical" left handed bolt action rifles originally chambered in these calibers? i am very curious. i would do this in a minute if i knew where to look.

You didn't specify LH in your original post, nor did you specify "originally chambered".

My suggestion on a .300 H & H would be to buy a LH Sako .30-06 which would rechamber and rework fairly economically. If you're willing to live with a lesser quality rifle, a LH Remington 700 would do, but since it is only offered in a 22" barrel in '06, I would think that purchasing a used magnum action (any caliber) and rebarreling to .300 H & H would be the easiest (although by this time you're back up to about the price of the Sako). As I said earlier, the M70 can be reworked for the longer cartridge, but it will be expensive and you'll need a smith who is familiar with this project.

As for the .416 Rigby, the action which comes to mind most immediately is the Weatherby Mark V lefty.

I know that none of these are cheap, but typically, left hand rifles on the used market bring less than similar RH. You have the advantage of purchasing a bit cheaper, but the disadvantage of selling one of your current rifles cheaper, also, so it works out to about the same difference.

Good luck!

Bill,

If you want nostalgia, then rebarrel the .338 to .334 OKH, and leave the .30-'06 alone!

The .300 H&H is plenty nostalgic too.

jim

Stonecreek: now see there.....just what i needed.....an idea. i never even considered using a LH Weatherby Mark V and it just so happens that i have one in a 30-378 which i have been trying to sell. well now you got me thinkin. thanks for the input. i'll letcha know how it utrns out.

hunter jim: see everyone is happy and i get to keep my '06.

thanks for the ideas.

To the best of my knowledge (understanding that I'm no gunsmith) your Mark V 30-378 can simply be rebarreled to .416 Rigby with no other modifications necessary, since the bolt face should already be the right diameter and the magazine should need no modification. Theoretically, you might even be able to set the original barrel back enough to rechamber and rebore it, but this would likely be more expensive than a new barrel.

By the way, did you ever consider building a .404 Jeffrey rather than a .300 H & H? An action for one will work for the other and the .404 represents real nostalgia, and even better, cases can be made from the Remington Ultra Mag series. Or there's the .425 Westley Richards, the rebated rim of which should fit an '06 bolt face (I think).

Enjoy!

stonecreek: well you have given me some good ideas. all that remains now is for me to get to it. thanks much for the help.