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Gunsmithing Barrel and bolt head swap never done it before need advice

williamhowell83

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 4, 2014
52
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Niagara Wisconsin
I have a 338 savage win mag that i want to convert to a 308 i was told to change the barrel and bolt head but i have never done anything like this and I'm on a budget .. do i get them from the manufacturer or see if i can track down a gun Smith plz help me out guys thanks
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I have a 338 savage win mag that i want to convert to a 308 i was told to change the barrel and bolt head but i have never done anything like this and I'm on a budget .. do i get them from the manufacturer or see if i can track down a gun Smith plz help me out guys thanks
Sent from my LG-L38C using Tapatalk 2

You can buy a new bolt head from Pacific tool and gauge to swap it out and its easy. If you have a barrel vise and a go gauge for the 308 a savage is very easy to headspace. If you going to be switching barrels back and fourth you might invest in some of the tools to do it but if your going to just keep the 308 barrel on I'd run by a gunsmiths place and they should be able to swap them out in 15-20 mins.

Casey
 
can get them from almost anywhere that deals in gun parts.

look over on savageshooters forum for a list of pre-fit barrel makers. bolt heads you can get from midway, brownells, ptg, etc.
 
Might want to look into how well your mag system will handle the 308 round, if it will at all. you could be turning it into a single shot 308

Savage sold stagger-feed long actions chambered in 308. If it's the factory internal mag, there is a mag well that will work. There was also a specific bolt baffle that shortened the bolt's rearward travel.