Help! What about changing the barrels of a couple of safe queens?

[deerhunter61]

Guys,

I have two rifles that are safe queens and I'm thinking about changing the barrels on them. If I change the barrels then I'm thinking they will go from safe queens to shooters! CZ Model 3 300 WSM and Browning BBR 270.

Thinking about changing the barrel on the .270 to a .260

Thinking about changing the 300 WSM to 7mm-08

Recommendation?

Feedback please!

 

[FiveInADime]

Well, if you went with 7mm-08 and .260 you would have two very, very similar cartridges with no significant difference in application. I would leave the 300 WSM alone and play around with working up some fun new loads with it. The .270 to .260 switch would net you a short action cartridge in a long-action gun which would actually be nice if you wanted to shoot super-long 140gr.+ bullets in it. For hunting, .260<.270 IMHO.

 

[deerhunter61]

Thank you, but I do understand that they would be somewhat similar. If I don't sell the 300WSM I'm definitely going to re barrel it. Neck surgery and continued problems. I'm just not willing to take the recoil it delivers. As for the .270 I'm playing around with the idea although I might just add a recoil pad which should take care of recoil issue.

 

[FiveInADime]

Well, the .260Rem is a reloaders dream and will have recoil just north of a .243Win. I say go for it on that nice BBR action. I'm going to be placing an order for a .260 barrel here shortly. Probably a Shilen at this time. I would sell the 300WSM and get something not so close to the .260Rem.

 

[rcmodel]

Thinking about changing the 300 WSM to 7mm-08

You can't.

The cartridge head size on the WSM is 535".

The 7mm-08 is .473".

You would have to get a new bolt to do that deal.
And I don't think you can get one from Browning.

And it would be very cost prohibitive if you could!!

I also don't think the .300 WSM magazine would work with the smaller cartridges either.

rc

 

[redneck2]

I'm in with RC. Changing something on a factory rifle to non-standard usually costs (relatively) a lot of money and you usually end up with something worth less than the original.

You might get lucky and find a take off barrel, Otherwise, unless you're going to a custom barrel for some kind of accuracy gain, or the original is shot out, I'd sell/swap guns.

 

[Manny]

I would think you'll run into difficulties trying to do as you plan with the CZ WSM. IIRC the short, fat .300 requires a larger bolt face and special attention to the feed rails to get it to work properly, which would increase the complexity quite a bit to convert it to work properly with a standard short action cartridges.

I think your options may be limited to rebarreling to a smaller WSM round like the .7mm WSM or the .270 WSM or possibly some type of wildcat based on that case. IIRC there is a .25 WSM wildcat that will get you up to .257 Weatherby performance and which shouldn't be too bad on recoil.

Have you thought of maybe trying a muzzle brake on either gun to attenuate the recoil?