I have a savage model 110 long action in 30-06 that I would like to replace the barrel on. I found shilen makes barrels that swap out easily in many calibers for this application. Does anyonoe know what calibers will work with the action that I have? I have a 300 WM, 204, 222 already and will keep the 30-06 barrel so I am looking into calibers in the 6mm,243,260,6.5mm range if they will work with the long action and the bolt face that it already has. Any other recomendations are welcome. Thanks
- Thread starter Gilly
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Re: What calibers will work?
Any cartridge with a .473" case base diameter, of which there are a boatload. .243 Win, 260 Wem, 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win, .338 Fed, .358 Win, .25-'06, 6.5-'06, .270, 280, 284, .30-'06 .35 Whelen, .220 Swift, .22-250, and the list goes on, even to include .45ACP. Even the 6.5X55, though nominally of a slightly different diameter, is often formed from .473" diameter base blanks when made by US manufacturers.
Two good references are handloading manuals which contain cartridge dimensions, and <span style="font-style: italic">Cartridges of the World</span>.
Greg
Any cartridge with a .473" case base diameter, of which there are a boatload. .243 Win, 260 Wem, 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win, .338 Fed, .358 Win, .25-'06, 6.5-'06, .270, 280, 284, .30-'06 .35 Whelen, .220 Swift, .22-250, and the list goes on, even to include .45ACP. Even the 6.5X55, though nominally of a slightly different diameter, is often formed from .473" diameter base blanks when made by US manufacturers.
Two good references are handloading manuals which contain cartridge dimensions, and <span style="font-style: italic">Cartridges of the World</span>.
Greg
Re: What calibers will work?
The 6.5-06 would be the best fit to what you've described, but I'd be tempted to go .280 or .280AI. Both of these use the .30-06 case, so they will feed correctly without altering anything.
Do you handload? That'll guide your selection.
The 6.5-06 would be the best fit to what you've described, but I'd be tempted to go .280 or .280AI. Both of these use the .30-06 case, so they will feed correctly without altering anything.
Do you handload? That'll guide your selection.
Re: What calibers will work?
All great advice above. Since I love the 6.5 round, and 6.5-06 would be sweet! Or, go heavy with a 338-06. And the 280 AI would be about as stout as you could get in a long action.
To maximize the power of the rifle, I would choose something in long action.
All great advice above. Since I love the 6.5 round, and 6.5-06 would be sweet! Or, go heavy with a 338-06. And the 280 AI would be about as stout as you could get in a long action.
To maximize the power of the rifle, I would choose something in long action.
Re: What calibers will work?
I do handload which is why I was looking at 6 or 6.5 mm to take advantage of the high bc bullets for longer ranges. I would mostly target shoot and varmint hunt at long range with it. I don't want to go any bigger than the 300 WM I already have as that will serve any purpose I have for large game hunting. 7mm has some good bc's aswell but then I start running into a bigger caliber agian. Thinking about a .260 rem or a 6mm rem or 243. Trying to decide on which caliber then I will decide on which cartridge to go with. Is there any problems running a short action cartridge in a long action rifle if it is barreled for it such as a 243 in my LA savage?
I do handload which is why I was looking at 6 or 6.5 mm to take advantage of the high bc bullets for longer ranges. I would mostly target shoot and varmint hunt at long range with it. I don't want to go any bigger than the 300 WM I already have as that will serve any purpose I have for large game hunting. 7mm has some good bc's aswell but then I start running into a bigger caliber agian. Thinking about a .260 rem or a 6mm rem or 243. Trying to decide on which caliber then I will decide on which cartridge to go with. Is there any problems running a short action cartridge in a long action rifle if it is barreled for it such as a 243 in my LA savage?
Re: What calibers will work?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is there any problems running a short action cartridge in a long action rifle if it is barreled for it such as a 243 in my LA savage? </div></div>
No, not really. You are going to a smaller/shorter round (~2.8") with the 260 Rem or 243 Win when the long action (3.360") can handle a longer caliber. You give up a little performance doing this, but it will work. If you just want that short action caliber, then go for it. If you want to maximize the potential, then I'd look at a long action round. A 6mm-06 or 6.5-06 will outperform these shorter rounds.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is there any problems running a short action cartridge in a long action rifle if it is barreled for it such as a 243 in my LA savage? </div></div>
No, not really. You are going to a smaller/shorter round (~2.8") with the 260 Rem or 243 Win when the long action (3.360") can handle a longer caliber. You give up a little performance doing this, but it will work. If you just want that short action caliber, then go for it. If you want to maximize the potential, then I'd look at a long action round. A 6mm-06 or 6.5-06 will outperform these shorter rounds.
Re: What calibers will work?
Chad nailed it pretty good. The 6.5-06 AI would give you something that few other 6.5's can get to, and that's a 130gr bullet at 3400 fps.
Consider as well, the 6mm Rem AI. The neck length on it significantly improves barrel life over the 243 adn it still picks up a few hundred fps on the 243.
6-06 would be a dandy varmint round all the way up to the 115DTAC bullets hitting larger animals out at substantial distances.
I'm working on a 6.5-06 right now.
Chad nailed it pretty good. The 6.5-06 AI would give you something that few other 6.5's can get to, and that's a 130gr bullet at 3400 fps.
Consider as well, the 6mm Rem AI. The neck length on it significantly improves barrel life over the 243 adn it still picks up a few hundred fps on the 243.
6-06 would be a dandy varmint round all the way up to the 115DTAC bullets hitting larger animals out at substantial distances.
I'm working on a 6.5-06 right now.
Re: What calibers will work?
Those are both options I had not looked at. Is there brass avialable for loading either the 6-06 or the 6.5-06 or do you just neck down a standard 30-06 case? 3400 on a 130 Gr bullet with a b.c. of ~.552 would be a pretty good round on varmints or steel a long range I do believe.
Those are both options I had not looked at. Is there brass avialable for loading either the 6-06 or the 6.5-06 or do you just neck down a standard 30-06 case? 3400 on a 130 Gr bullet with a b.c. of ~.552 would be a pretty good round on varmints or steel a long range I do believe.
Re: What calibers will work?
I imagine it would be easiest to neck down .270 brass. You'll have to neck turn .30-06 brass, the necks get too thick if you just neck them down.
I imagine it would be easiest to neck down .270 brass. You'll have to neck turn .30-06 brass, the necks get too thick if you just neck them down.
Re: What calibers will work?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Is there any problems running a short action cartridge in a long action rifle if it is barreled for it such as a 243 in my LA savage? </div></div>
I would not think so since Savage used to use the 110 action for .243 and .308 before they came out with the short action. I have a left handed 110FLPin .308
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Is there any problems running a short action cartridge in a long action rifle if it is barreled for it such as a 243 in my LA savage? </div></div>
I would not think so since Savage used to use the 110 action for .243 and .308 before they came out with the short action. I have a left handed 110FLPin .308
Re: What calibers will work?
I neck down 270 brass, you can also easily neck up 25-06 brass.
Since 270 brass is something that I don't have as a regular caliber, it's easy for me to sort by headstamp if I tumble 30-06 and 6.5-06 together. (Does that make sense?) So I just use the 270 exclusively for that application.
The issue you might have running a 243 in a LA rifle is that it might not properly feed, but I would hesitate a guess that it will work just fine. My dad has a k98 in 308 that feeds without any issue.
I neck down 270 brass, you can also easily neck up 25-06 brass.
Since 270 brass is something that I don't have as a regular caliber, it's easy for me to sort by headstamp if I tumble 30-06 and 6.5-06 together. (Does that make sense?) So I just use the 270 exclusively for that application.
The issue you might have running a 243 in a LA rifle is that it might not properly feed, but I would hesitate a guess that it will work just fine. My dad has a k98 in 308 that feeds without any issue.
Re: What calibers will work?
Actually been looking at the 6mm Ackely Improved to hopefully increase barrel life over the 6mm-06 or at least I think it would. I know that any large case small caliber cartridge is going to eat up barrel life but I am thinking that might be a happy medium between an overbore 6-06 and a regular ol' 243. The only downside is losing barrel life to fire forming brass. I think with the long action this would work well with the heavy 6mm such as 115 vld or dtac so I can push into the lands as far as needed for accuracy and not worry about mag length. Do you all think that the 6mm AI has enough advantage over 6mm rem to make it worth the effort of fire forming?
Actually been looking at the 6mm Ackely Improved to hopefully increase barrel life over the 6mm-06 or at least I think it would. I know that any large case small caliber cartridge is going to eat up barrel life but I am thinking that might be a happy medium between an overbore 6-06 and a regular ol' 243. The only downside is losing barrel life to fire forming brass. I think with the long action this would work well with the heavy 6mm such as 115 vld or dtac so I can push into the lands as far as needed for accuracy and not worry about mag length. Do you all think that the 6mm AI has enough advantage over 6mm rem to make it worth the effort of fire forming?
Re: What calibers will work?
I chose the .260 as a replacement for .308 because I felt it made most efficient use of the case capacity. I recently acquired a pair of .280's (R77 and R77V), and am beginning to think the .280 uses the .30-'06 case capacity to about the same degree of efficiency as the .260 does for the .308. But I also note that the .30-'06 already shares a similar expansion ratio with the .260 all by itself.
For a short action cartridge, I'd use the .260 if I handloaded and the 7mm-08 if I didn't, and go with either the .280 or the .30-'06 if I chose a long action cartridge.
I like SAAMI chambers and popular cartridges because these allow off-the-shelf ammo to be readily obtained and used without undue concern.
Greg
I chose the .260 as a replacement for .308 because I felt it made most efficient use of the case capacity. I recently acquired a pair of .280's (R77 and R77V), and am beginning to think the .280 uses the .30-'06 case capacity to about the same degree of efficiency as the .260 does for the .308. But I also note that the .30-'06 already shares a similar expansion ratio with the .260 all by itself.
For a short action cartridge, I'd use the .260 if I handloaded and the 7mm-08 if I didn't, and go with either the .280 or the .30-'06 if I chose a long action cartridge.
I like SAAMI chambers and popular cartridges because these allow off-the-shelf ammo to be readily obtained and used without undue concern.
Greg
Re: What calibers will work?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Actually been looking at the 6mm Ackely Improved to hopefully increase barrel life over the 6mm-06 or at least I think it would. I know that any large case small caliber cartridge is going to eat up barrel life but I am thinking that might be a happy medium between an overbore 6-06 and a regular ol' 243. The only downside is losing barrel life to fire forming brass. I think with the long action this would work well with the heavy 6mm such as 115 vld or dtac so I can push into the lands as far as needed for accuracy and not worry about mag length. Do you all think that the 6mm AI has enough advantage over 6mm rem to make it worth the effort of fire forming? </div></div>
Sierra's edition 5 loading manual says "that of all the improved cartridges, the 6mmAI is one of the better ones."
And in my opinion fire forming isn't bad, but everyone feels differently about that.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gilly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Actually been looking at the 6mm Ackely Improved to hopefully increase barrel life over the 6mm-06 or at least I think it would. I know that any large case small caliber cartridge is going to eat up barrel life but I am thinking that might be a happy medium between an overbore 6-06 and a regular ol' 243. The only downside is losing barrel life to fire forming brass. I think with the long action this would work well with the heavy 6mm such as 115 vld or dtac so I can push into the lands as far as needed for accuracy and not worry about mag length. Do you all think that the 6mm AI has enough advantage over 6mm rem to make it worth the effort of fire forming? </div></div>
Sierra's edition 5 loading manual says "that of all the improved cartridges, the 6mmAI is one of the better ones."
And in my opinion fire forming isn't bad, but everyone feels differently about that.
