Convert Large Shank Magnum Control Feed to .473 Bolt Face Swap?

[mattri]

Presuppose the following:

Factory 7mmWSM donor, large shank, control feed stagger feed internal mag well.

If one were to rebarrel this action with a standard .473 cartridge what would be needed?

Boltface, just remove the control feed standing ejector? Leave it?

[Robinhood]

Get rid of the standing ejector. There is no provision for it in the new bolt head. Check the pin hole to the firing pin diameter. I cant remember if there will be a firing pin protrusion issue or not. Possibly adjust the old pin for protrusion but might need a new pin. Hopefully someone will refresh my memory.

[458MinMag]

Be sure to compare the lug length on your existing .532 bolt head to the new .473 bolt head that you plan to get. I have two large shank, WSM rifles and they have different lug lengths.

[mattri]

Good to know thanks.

[Robinhood]

That is why I was uncertain of the compatibility of the firing pin. Some of the magnums had a 9/16ths and I believe some are 1/2"

[Tokimini]

I converted a 270WSM to a 6 BR Norma a while back. In addition to the new bolt head you will have to replace the WSM firing pin and firing pin spring with the standard ones.

[sharpshooter]

If it's a CRF bolt head it will be 1/2 lugs. There is enough adjustment in the fp assembly to use a short action 7/16 bolthead. Of course you will have to change the magazine and leave the ejector out. And by the way......it's NOT a standing ejector, it's a V spring ejector. The standing ejectors were only used on the rifles made prior to 1966.

[458MinMag]

I must have gotten an odd ball 300WSM model 11, because it has a CRF head with 9/16 lugs. The 270WSM model 11 I bought has 1/2inch lugs, as you stated.

[bootsmcguire]

Ok, wsm heads are 9/16 and thus require the use of a longer firing pin. To use a standard .473 head, u must change the pin to a standard one and remove V spring ejector as stated above.


Only reason I am not concurring with sharpshooter (Fred is the guru of all that is Savage) is I am currently starring at 2 crf factory heads that are 9/16 and that's all I've ever had. Perhaps Savage had 2 variants?

[sharpshooter]

Must be an oddball, since the introduction of the centerfeed magazines, all of the WSM's went to a push feed bolt head. I've never seen a CRF with 9/16" lugs.

[bootsmcguire]

I dunno there Fred, I have em sitting here in the parts box for at least 2 yrs from donor guns. I dunno but sounds like your assessment may be the proper one as usual.

Maybe there were done right before the change over to the PF heads?

[sharpshooter]

The first WSM's were stagger feed, and had to use a CRF bolt head to feed properly. When Savage changed over to the center feed mags in 2006, that cured the feeding issue, so they went back to the standard push feed magnum bolt head with 1/2" lugs. The "heavy" magnum bolt heads (9/16" lugs)didn't come out until 2008. They were initialy made for, and put on all the WSM's, and later a long action version on the 110 BA's.
I really don't know why they would make a CRF version of the heavy magnum bolt head, unless it was for a different feeding system other than a standard Savage magazine. But who knows....nothing that company does surprises me anymore.

[Robinhood]

I am currently starring at 2 crf factory heads that are 9/16 and that's all I've ever had. Perhaps Savage had 2 variants?

That's been my experience.