Model 16 300 WSM to 243 AI technical difficulties

[Thunger]

To start off this is my 4th Savage build so I'm not really a newbie anymore but I didn't foresee this problem at all. I recently bought a model 16 chambered in 300 WSM with plans to convert it to a 243 AI Criterion barrel. The parts came in today including magazine box, follower, 308 bolt head. I had the action all set up in the Wheeler action wrench and screwed the barrel in. I placed the go gage into the chamber and screwed the barrel in until the gage touched what I thought was the bolt head. So I removed the go gage and replaced it with the no-go and the bolt closed on it. I found out that the barrel had just ran out of threads and that's why it stopped. Now I'm confused, so for the hell of it I put the WSM bolt head back on the same bolt and tried it and BINGO it works but obviously I can't use it. I had no idea that the CRF WSM bolt head was a little longer than the standard push feed 308 bolt head. A search on Midway USA found only the left and right hand push feed 308 bolt heads. The question is does the bolt head I require even exist or would I be better off putting the barrel on the PTA that it was originally ordered for? I wanted it to be a repeater for hunting woodchucks and use the PTA for a 7mm WSM bench gun but looks like that isn't happening.

Tim

[stangfish]

I know this is simple but try it without the barrel nut.

Is the scope base still installed? If so, is the forward screw impeding the barrel makeup?

[35Whelenshooter]

Tim,

I'm not and expert by any means. Buy chance did you check our recoil lugs width that you have on your 300WSM the case OAL is 2.100 and the case .243 WIN is 2.045 that is .55. It is possible that your recoil lug that you are using off your 300WSM is a hair wide which is keeping your barrel from head spacing correctly.

You should be able to change your 300WSM bolt face to your .308 Bolt face. Then be able to reinstall it on your action with out the barrel, then you should be able to close it. What I have found so far, is that short actions should interchange with other short actions. Long actions should interchange with other long actions. I hope this will help out.

Mike

[Thunger]

Thanks for the ideas guys I appreciate it. I didn't have the scope bases on the action yet and I would've had to take the front one off anyways to use the action wrench as it would have been in the way. I was thinking about changing the recoil lug until I saw that the barrel was screwed in until it ran out of threads inside the receiver not on the barrel shank like it might have sounded like in my original post.

When I compared the length of the controlled round feed bolt head for the 300 WSM and the push feed 308 bolt head the WSM bolt was clearly 3/32" or so longer which is why I couldn't set the headspace with the 308 bolt head. The shorter bolt head left a huge gap and the only way to use this action for any non WSM caliber would be to, I'm guessing, have a custom bolt head made. I've already installed the barrel on the target action for now because I'm too impatient to wait any longer.

All kinds of problems today with that and 2 Rifle Basix SAV-1 trigger installs that just didn't want to work. One on a Stevens and one on the pre-accutrigger WSM action. Main pin installed through trigger all screws backed off. trigger has no travel whatsoever. It appears that there needs to be metal removed from the trigger itself between where the safety slide is where the weight of pull spring/screw goes through.

[handirifle]

Tim,

I'm not and expert by any means. Buy chance did you check our recoil lugs width that you have on your 300WSM the case OAL is 2.100 and the case .243 WIN is 2.045 that is .55. It is possible that your recoil lug that you are using off your 300WSM is a hair wide which is keeping your barrel from head spacing correctly.

You should be able to change your 300WSM bolt face to your .308 Bolt face. Then be able to reinstall it on your action with out the barrel, then you should be able to close it. What I have found so far, is that short actions should interchange with other short actions. Long actions should interchange with other long actions. I hope this will help out.

Mike

I'm sure you meant ".055" right?

[stangfish]

I have one solution. You can purchase a 1.125-20 bottom tap from Rex Supply in Houston for around fifty dollars. You could stand the action verticle in a vise and use a large tapping handle to clean the threads up closer to the lugs. I would emagine that it would be easy job just a little extra cash.

[pdog06]

or you could take the barrel to a smith and have him thread the barrel a little longer... probably the easiest solution.

[Thunger]

Stangfish, That tap idea might just be the ticket. The barrel has plenty of threads but the receiver needs probably 3 to 5 more for the barrel to thread in enough.

[sinman]

Don't run a tap in your receiver to try and extend your threads. Does your barrel have a chamfer on the breech end?

[Carvera]

Was this an action with the CRF bolt head and standing ejector?

[stangfish]

Carlos, He mentioned that it had the 9/16ths thick bolt. I think that makes it a push feed.

[bootsmcguire]

When I compared the length of the controlled round feed bolt head for the 300 WSM and the push feed 308 bolt head the WSM bolt was clearly 3/32" or so longer which is why I couldn't set the headspace with the 308 bolt head.

Looks like he says he has the CRF.

[Thunger]

yes, I do have the Controlled round feed action. There is about 1/8 inch of non threaded area between the threads and where it steps up for the locking lug. I don't really see any reason why I wouldn't be able to add a few threads to be able to screw the barrel in another 1/16 to 3/32" to make it work. If that doesn't work for some reason I suppose I'll just have to make it a short mag caliber and call it a day. I've already installed the barrel on the target action for now and fired it this afternoon to zero the scope. I don't really want it on that action permanently as I'd rather have a repeater for hunting woodchucks.

[stangfish]

So I was confused. I have been looking for my CRF WSM bolt head to compare. I thought the only WSM head that was longer was the Push Feed at 9/16 rather than 1/2.

[Thunger]

Nope, the wsm bolt head is the longer one for sure. I don't see why Savage really had to make the bolt head longer in the first place. It looks like it would've worked fine with the standard length. I also don't see why a standard push feed set up wouldn't work for the wsm's but then again I'm not an engineer.

[bootsmcguire]

The thicker head was used to help with the possibility of lug set back due to the extra umph of the WSM's. The CRF system was used with the stagger feed magazines as they found that due to the larger case diameter wasn't feeding well with a push feed.

When they went to the center feed magazines it would feed fine with a push-feed head so the CRF was unnecessary.

I think with the WSM's they just were trying to make it all more "bullet proof" (excuse the pun) as they also went to the Large Shank for the WSM rounds and that really wasn't needed either. If they wanted more meat around the chamber in-front of the recoil lug area a simple change in contour would have been sufficient.

All are just my humble observations, but seem logical.

[stangfish]

Nope, the wsm bolt head is the longer one for sure.
I think the question for me is not if the WSM bolt head is thicker but if both the CRF and PF WSM boltheads are both the same thickness. I have had the push feed and I know that it is 9/16ths thick. I can't find my CRF WSM bolt head to measure but based on this article it looks like it is 1/2. Where the standard bolt head is 7/16ths.

http://www.savageshooters.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=635&d=1327369670

http://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?131-Savage-Bolt-Head-Configurations

[bootsmcguire]

Good question Stang. It must be safe to assume then that with the newer push feed style WSM heads, they thickened them up more due to possible lug set back with the shorter CRF WSM heads.

[Carvera]

The front baffle should be discussed a bit. I believe there are different types used with some of the WSM bolt heads.