.308 sa dbm and 223 la blind mag options

[Hersh5317]

Sa is cf and i can get 223 mags as this is a factory (not CDI) DBM so a simple bolt-face / barrel swap and proper mags will transform this or is the la bolt face not going to work? Also I am guessing that simply getting the proper mag for the la will allow me to put the 308 barrel on and use it as such. Correct or just mostly correct?

[ellobo]

Your wording is a little confusing but I assume you want to rebarrel to a .308 in a Center feed DBM rifle currently in .223. Is that correct? in which case you are going from one short action cartridge to another so I assume all you need is a short action bolt head and a magazine change. If not I am sure someone will tell me the error of my ways.

El Lobo

[Hersh5317]

No, I have a sa cf DBM currently in .308. Also looking at a la sf blind mag currently in .223. If I buy it I want to swap calibers for action - making a sa DBM .223 and a la .308 (may go with DBM but for now keep it a blind mag).

[jhelmuth]

No, I have a sa cf DBM currently in .308. Also looking at a la sf blind mag currently in .223. If I buy it I want to swap calibers for action - making a sa DBM .223 and a la .308 (may go with DBM but for now keep it a blind mag).

AFAIK, you can't swap those mags as sf and cf are not interchangeable. Hope I'm wrong (for your sake) - but I think these are what they are...

[ellobo]

If the one you are antidcipating buying is a .223 on a long action then you have one of the first attempts by Savage to make an action that will take short action cartridges. It may have an action mtg screw distance of 5.062 or 4.522. Conversion can be done but it is a pain in the butt depending on what magazine it has.

El Lobo

[KRP]

You've got the magazine issue figured out. There is a difference in length between long and short action bolt heads though so that will be more than just a simple swap of the parts you have.

[Hersh5317]

It has the 5.062 spacing... I guess I will have to research more before pulling the trigger. My hope was to K.I.S.S., but may be a little more than I want to deal with. Unless I can swap for the parts I need or sell outright... Thanks for the info so far.

KRP, are you talking about in the lug thickness, or the length of the "doohicky" (actual name escapes me at the moment) that runs down the side of the bolt to limit length of the bolt cycle? Maybe even both so My understanding is that either way I will need different bolt heads too.

Then there is the fp hole size to think about and what that may mean if they aren't the same. It is a plan if it isn't going to cost too much. So far it is magazine(s) for each action, 2 new bolt heads, the barrel nut wrench, and go-gauges. Will the different bolt heads require ejector tweaking or are they the same from action to action? I'm trying to figure it out before I dive head first.

[ellobo]

Some yrs back I went through the same problems you will have with this conversion. I did not know the difference in Savage designs at the time and got all the same info you are getting here. Would I do it again? Hell no. I would start with a real short action if you can find one at a reasonable price. Call Jim Briggs at Northland Shooter Supplies and discuss the problem with him. He has gotten a lot of the guys here out of pickles and his advice is golden and his prices are reasonable.

El Lobo

[Hersh5317]

I just found a Howa :-[ with everything I want except DBM for one of those "can't walk away from" deals. Looking for DBM conversions now. Still have a model 11 .308 DBM functioning so no loss there. Down the road, I already know the Savage bug is going to kill me.

Thank you for the helpful information. It will be handy in the future and for others on the site.