Rebarreling - table of all the compatible options

[Apthorpe]

I'm looking at a couple of rifles (being left-handed the selection is small) and wondering if I needed to rebarrel them, what cartridges would be possible to switch to. I have a very limited understanding of what is involved, but think that it's a matter of being restricted by the bolt head needing to have the same dimensions - or at least the new cartridge should not have a smaller rim/base diameter?

Does anyone know if there's a table out there laying out the compatibility of all the cartridges for rebarreling?

 

[Brave Echo Niner]

Found this which I suspect is what you're looking for.

Short Action - Small
".17 Rem, .204 Ruger, .222 Rem, .223 Rem, .223 Ackley Imp, 222 Rem Mag Ackley Imp, .223 Wylde, 5.56 NATO, 6mm-.204 Ruger, 6x45, 6x47, .300 Whisper"

Short Action - Standard
".224 WBY, .22 BR, .22-250 Ackley, .220 Swift, 6mm BR, .243 Win, 6mm Rem, .250 Savage, .257 Ackley Imp, .260 Rem, 6.5-08, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Rem, .284 Win, .308 Win, .338 Federal"

Short Action - Magnum
".223 WSSM, .243 WSSM, 6mm WSM, .257 WSM, 6.5 WSM, 6.5 Rem Mag, .270 WSM, 7mm SAUM, 7mm WSM, .300 SAUM, .300 WSM, .300 RCM, .325 WSM, .350 Rem Mag"

Long Action - Standard
".240 WBY, 6mm-06, .25-06, 6.5-284 Norma, 6.5-06, 6.5x55, 6.5x57, .270 Win, .280 Ackley Imp, .30-06, .338-06, .35 Whelen, .375 Whelen"

Long Action Magnum
".257 WBY, .257 Ultra, .264 Win Mag, .26 Nosler, .270 WBY, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm STW, 7mm RUM, .300 Win Mag, .300 WBY, .300 H&H Mag, .308 Norma, .30-338, .300 RUM, 8mm Rem Mag, .338 Win Mag, .340 WBY, .338 RUM, .375 Ruger, .375 RUM, .416 Rem Mag, .416 Ruger"

Long Action Magnum XL
".30-.378 WBY, .338 Lapua, .378 WBY, .416 Rigby, .460 WBY"


Source - Suggested Bolt Action Cartridge Conversions With A New Barrel

 

[finnbear270]

Might be worth a sticky?

 

[Apthorpe]

Thank you @brave echo niner . That's helpful, but I understand there's an issue with the diameter of bolt faces as well?
I'm not looking particularly at this choice but e.g. 6.5x55 has a rim diameter of .480 and 7x64 has rim of .470. So would that change not present a problem?
I understand there are cartridges all derived from the same parent case which are easily interchangeable - e.g 243 and 308.
I'd have thought there would be a table of these. Perhaps a project for me on a different rainy day?

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Thank you @brave echo niner . That's helpful, but I understand there's an issue with the diameter of bolt faces as well?
I'm not looking particularly at this choice but e.g. 6.5x55 has a rim diameter of .480 and 7x64 has rim of .470. So would that change not present a problem?
I understand there are cartridges all derived from the same parent case which are easily interchangeable - e.g 243 and 308.
I'd have thought there would be a table of these. Perhaps a project for me on a different rainy day?

The highlighted cartridges will work with most bolt faces that have a nominal capacity of .473 inches (308 Win etc). I think you are over thinking this one.
Regards
JCS

 

[Dan Newcombe]

Just buy the 6.5x47 cack hander in the classified.

 

[Rusty Gate]

Might be worth a sticky?

Definately wirth a sticky
+1 to that finbear

 

[Rusty Gate]

I'm looking at a couple of rifles (being left-handed the selection is small) and wondering if I needed to rebarrel them, what cartridges would be possible to switch to. I have a very limited understanding of what is involved, but think that it's a matter of being restricted by the bolt head needing to have the same dimensions - or at least the new cartridge should not have a smaller rim/base diameter?

Does anyone know if there's a table out there laying out the compatibility of all the cartridges for rebarreling?

Belive Tikka's are all long action fitted with a stop for the short. May be others like that, opens up more options.

 

[Kalahari]

Just buy the 6.5x47 cack hander in the classified.

+1 on that. That rifle is a beauty.

David.

 

[JamesDeere]

Might be something useful in this

Bolt face diameter and calibers - for easy barrel swaps

Found this elsewhere and from looking at my shell holder reference chart it appears to be correct. Only difference is the shell holder chart doesn't state long or short action. Bolt face diameters cheat sheet Short actions with a bolt face .Dia of .384 +/- 17 Remington 204 Ruger 222 Remington...

www.theoutdoorstrader.com

 

[MAH]

Does anyone know if there's a table out there laying out the compatibility of all the cartridges for rebarreling?

That's an interesting table B.E.N provided, matching ammunition to action length.
It's a good starting point. But it's just part of the issue. The case head needs to match the bolt face too.
There are some listed in the same group that are not compaterble, e.g 22/250 and 22 Swift have different head dimensions. Base diameter .470 and .445 respectively .

 

[Selous]

The highlighted cartridges will work with most bolt faces that have a nominal capacity of .473 inches (308 Win etc). I think you are over thinking this one.
Regards
JCS

Agreed, we have built a 308 on a 6.5x55 action without issues. I have measured the recess on a number of Tikka bolts and found no difference between the 6.5x55 and 308 bolt faces despite the nominal cartridge head dimensions

 

[Apthorpe]

The highlighted cartridges will work with most bolt faces that have a nominal capacity of .473 inches (308 Win etc). I think you are over thinking this one.
Regards
JCS

Thank you very much for your help. So it doesn't matter if the cartridge dimensions are smaller than the bolt head by e.g. 10 thousandths? Is there a safe limit to the discrepancy?

I'd imagined there might be a safety problem if the case head was not tight fitting in the bolt head. Although on further reflection, if the rim doesn't get distorted......

I think you're probably right, but I prefer over-thinking to under-thinking where something expensive or potentially dangerous is concerned.

 

[Apthorpe]

Just buy the 6.5x47 cack hander in the classified.

The thought has crossed my mind, although a 6.5x47 wasn't quite what I wanted. Maybe I should think some more until it is what I want. Slightly out of this year's budget anyway.

 

[takbok]

That's an interesting table B.E.N provided, matching ammunition to action length.
It's a good starting point. But it's just part of the issue. The case head needs to match the bolt face too.
There are some listed in the same group that are not compaterble, e.g 22/250 and 22 Swift have different head dimensions. Base diameter .470 and .445 respectively .

Base diameter is a different thing. Both 22-250 & Swift have the same case head diameter so can be built on a standard short action.

 

[25 Sharps]

The highlighted cartridges will work with most bolt faces that have a nominal capacity of .473 inches (308 Win etc). I think you are over thinking this one.
Regards
JCS

No they won’t, neither or my creedmoors will take a 6.5x55 rim, possibly if I went down the Remington brass route I may get away with it but that would be hard work

 

[25 Sharps]

Belive Tikka's are all long action fitted with a stop for the short. May be others like that, opens up more options.

Not if the bolt face is wrong, a .223 is built on the same action but bolt gave us smaller so won’t work for .308, though you could go .308 to 30-06 for example

 

[25 Sharps]

Base diameter is a different thing. Both 22-250 & Swift have the same case head diameter so can be built on a standard short action.

The case Head encompasses the rim, extractor groove and base of the case at the web so head diameter is not the correct thing to refer to, rim diameter is, rebates rim case can have different diameters for different sections of the case head.

An Introduction to Rifle Cases

The basics of rifle cases for precision shooters

bisonballistics.com

 

[25 Sharps]

The thought has crossed my mind, although a 6.5x47 wasn't quite what I wanted. Maybe I should think some more until it is what I want. Slightly out of this year's budget anyway.

Maybe if you let us know what you want. I.e ‘rebarrel x to y, or buy z to potentially rebarrel to A in the future’ we could make some suggestions?

 

[takbok]

The case Head encompasses the rim, extractor groove and base of the case at the web so head diameter is not the correct thing to refer to, rim diameter is, rebates rim case can have different diameters for different sections of the case head.

An Introduction to Rifle Cases

The basics of rifle cases for precision shooters

bisonballistics.com

Thanks, was meaning rim dia.