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**Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

JC Steel

Gunny Sergeant
Commercial Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 12, 2008
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Washington State
Hello Gentlemen and ladies if there are some!!

I need some more of your advise.

If you were to build a gun from a long action with a standard bolt face .473, what caliber would you go with???

Purpose of the gun would be this-

Tac Comp gun
Long range weapon for banging steel
Long range hunting
Paper punching

All you advice and expert opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

280AI
Shoot the 180 SMK
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

I would open up Bolt face add Sako extractor and shoot 7WSM.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

Do what I did. Turned it into a 6.5x55 Swede and never looked back
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

284, Lapua brass, freebore set up for 180s
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

OH yeah, I forgot to mention I have a .284!!!
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

284 or 280 for sure. Forget 7WSM...poor barrel life for very little gain.

Plus, Lapua brass is available for both 285 (neck up 6.5-284) and 280 (neck down 30-06)....although I think 280 requires more than a simple necking to form from 3006...
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

30-06..Still badass and very accurate with a good chamber.
smile.gif
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MTETM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">280AI
Shoot the 180 SMK </div></div>

+1
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

Open up bolt face, then rechamber to 7mm SAUM and have it throated for 180 Berger Hybrids.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

280AI or .284 Improved throated for Berger or Sierra 180s. Both will run a Berger 180 to 2,900 fps in all seasons. No real need for more velocity than that with the ballistics of the 180 grain bullets these days.

Not to say that I don't run higher with the capacity of my various 7WSMs
smile.gif
but I would not open up a bolt just to do that.

I've run a true 7WSM for over 5 years (right at 5,000 rounds downrange in 2 different rifles). Barrels are consumables, just like bullets, powder, primers, and brass.

JeffVN
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

leave the bolt face build a 260 on the long action. you can seat the 139 scenars or the 140 bergers out long and use the case volume for powder.
 
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Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

Jake,

Go back to the 284 that you used to have. No major changes to the action are necessary and you are already familiar with the performance of the round.

My affinity for the 30-06 is strong and I wouldn't hesitate to build one of them either.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

Bohem, I have a .284 currently. And I love it, was just looking to build another gun and have no idea what I want it to be.

I am leaning towards the 280AI since it might equal the 7WSM. I might also do the 260 to have another match rifle for pretty much anything.

I would like to shoot it alot though so I am trying to figure out if barrel life is a big deal to me. I really like the 6.5-06 or something super hot like that!!! JOSH, you had one of those, would you do it again?
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

I've been thinking on this also.

I have a really nice Weatherby long action thats been in my family for about 30yrs. I'd like to build on it, but I don't currently shoot any long action calibers so I've been undecided. The .260 on a LA seems like a good option. I don't want to open the bolt up any so the WSM is out and I already have one anyway. I'm not real familiar with the .280 or .284.

Does anyone have any first hand experience with a .260 on a long action?
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

I've seen some dern good '06s
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

i built a 260 on a mauser long action and love it.
 
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Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jcvibby</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am leaning towards the 280AI since it might equal the 7WSM. I might also do the 260 to have another match rifle for pretty much anything. </div></div>

It won't. There's no replacement for displacement. The water capacity of the 280AI is about 74gr, the 7 WSM is between 82-84gr.

My 7/300WSM with a 27" barrel pushes 180 Berger Hybrids to 3085fps avg with 73.5gr of Retumbo

My 280 with a 28" barrel was topping out at 2850 with a HOT dose of H1000. I never tried RL17 for it, though I do have some. The rifle shot fantastic with H1000 so I just left it alone.

Nothing to sneeze at, but certainly not equivalent.

The 280 AI can be pushed more of an equivalent to the 7 SAUM, which has 74-75gr of water capacity.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I would like to shoot it alot though so I am trying to figure out if barrel life is a big deal to me. I really like the 6.5-06 or something super hot like that!!! JOSH, you had one of those, would you do it again? </div></div>


Yes, I would. A friend of mine just took delivery of a 6.5-06 built on a 31.75" finished length 8tw Brux.

The "soft" loads with 48.5gr of H4831sc are still getting 140 Bergers to 635yd in 8.5MOA at 1200' DA's and the recoil is minimal. It works out to a MV of right about 3000fps

My last one topped the Bergers at 3175, he's in the midst of doing load development now and already speeds over 3250 have been seen over the chrono.

Barrel life on the last 2 barrels was right about 1500rd.

I took my "shot out" barrel, trimmed 4" off the breech and 2 off the muzzle and turned it into my 6.5 Creedmoor barrel. I'm a little over 1500rd through it and it's shooting in the high 0.1's and low 0.2's pretty consistently.

The 6.5 CM and the 260 are pretty nice to shoot, a 140 Berger going 3200+ still has some recoil to it. More than most people would credit a 6.5mm to likely have.

 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

I am in the same situation, and I can't decide between a .284 or .280AI.

Leaning toward the .280AI as I want to run it with a shorter barrel, 23" for a hunting rig and plus I've always just wanted one.

Six of one, half dozen of another. They will both do the exact same job.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

I'd build a .284 "but" since you have one already, sell the action and save your money!
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

7mm WSM seated long with 180gr Berger VLDs. No much comes close in ballistics unless you really step up in size (e.g. 338 Lapua).
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> sell the action and save your money!</div></div>

Nah, you don't want to sell the action, some day, if not today or not tomorrow, you'll want to build something.

Actions like gold, arn't coming down in price.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

.280 AI would be my choice for a LA .473" build.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

30/06 twisted and throated for the 190g SMKs. Plenty of room for powder. Has been called the "poor man's .300 mag." Of course the barrel life is much better and not so much whoopdeedoo! when you light one off. Hard to lose on that one.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

a fast twist 6mm AI would be pretty nifty.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U do??

Think i would use it to build a 6.5x284 norma
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: trevor300wsm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've been thinking on this also.

I have a really nice Weatherby long action thats been in my family for about 30yrs. I'd like to build on it, but I don't currently shoot any long action calibers so I've been undecided. The .260 on a LA seems like a good option. I don't want to open the bolt up any so the WSM is out and I already have one anyway. I'm not real familiar with the .280 or .284.

Does anyone have any first hand experience with a .260 on a long action? </div></div>

you don't have too look too far the military does the 308 in a long action M24 they have had reasonable success or they would have dumped it awhile ago. the nice thing about the 260 is that it is the 308 case necked to 6.5 to shoot the sleeker bullets less recoil means quicker follow up shots, better wind busting efficiency and the 6.5 pills are shorter in length then the 30 cal class meaning you can seat them out pretty far and still be able to mag feed.. I would need to refer to Bryan’s book on exact lengths….Tom Sarver has a couple of videos where he is shooting the 260 to a mile.

Here is the a minus. The long action does require you to be aware of short stroking the bolt and failing to chamber a fresh round. Short action don’t have this problem by the time the spent case is ejected the bolt has almost completed its cycle length that is not the case for the long action. If you’re thinking of running this in comp you need to be mindful of this.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

284 Win.!
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trevor</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: trevor300wsm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've been thinking on this also.

I have a really nice Weatherby long action thats been in my family for about 30yrs. I'd like to build on it, but I don't currently shoot any long action calibers so I've been undecided. The .260 on a LA seems like a good option. I don't want to open the bolt up any so the WSM is out and I already have one anyway. I'm not real familiar with the .280 or .284.

Does anyone have any first hand experience with a .260 on a long action? </div></div>

you don't have too look too far the military does the 308 in a long action M24 they have had reasonable success or they would have dumped it awhile ago. the nice thing about the 260 is that it is the 308 case necked to 6.5 to shoot the sleeker bullets less recoil means quicker follow up shots, better wind busting efficiency and the 6.5 pills are shorter in length then the 30 cal class meaning you can seat them out pretty far and still be able to mag feed.. I would need to refer to Bryan&#146;s book on exact lengths&#133;.Tom Sarver has a couple of videos where he is shooting the 260 to a mile.

Here is the a minus. The long action does require you to be aware of short stroking the bolt and failing to chamber a fresh round. Short action don&#146;t have this problem by the time the spent case is ejected the bolt has almost completed its cycle length that is not the case for the long action. If you&#146;re thinking of running this in comp you need to be mindful of this.
</div></div>

Trevor,
Thanks for that info. I knew the army had done the 308 on a long action in the past, but didnt know if they were still doing it that way currently. Seems at one time they were undecided on the 30-06 or the 308 so they kept the option open.

Im pretty familar with the 308 parent case and the 6.5mm bullets. I currently have (3) rifles chambered in 6.5x47L. I love the 130 VLD's.

The short stroking is a good point and something to keep in mind.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

i would do a 24 inch 6mmBR, easily pushes a 105 at 2950-3000FPS with 30gr of varget, barrel life is excellent and accuracy legendary.
hope this helps.
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

a long action 6BR. now thats "legendary"!

chuck
 
Re: **Long Action W/ .473 boltface!! What would U

hahaha that would be indeed. never mind the 6mmBR make it a 243AI then