300 win mag to.308

[Boondoggle]

Is there any other swap needed than the bolt head to swap a L/A 300 win mag back to .308?




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[squirrel_slayer]

depending on the age of the rifle you may need the firing pin as well. I have recently learned that all (I want to say post 2006???) savages all have the small firing pin. earlier models had a larger pin than the magnums. you will also need a 30-06 family magazine (or mag body/follower if stagger feed)

[Boondoggle]

That's great info. Thanks!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[big honkin jeep]

Or you can just load with H4895 and shoot a load that mimics the .308 out of your win mag.
No I'm not kidding. It's a great powder and reduced loads using it are very often shockingly accurate as well as being very easy on equipment and shooting cool there's less muzzle blast recoil and reduced charges are very economical on powder. It can be loaded down to about the recoil of a .243 (10 ft/# or so) and even a kid can shoot it comfortably if you wish or to full .308 velocity 30-06 velocity or even full 300 win mag velocity. Being .308 diameter the component choices are almost endless from 100gr plinking bullets to 240gr match bullets available.
More than one way to skin a cat and you keep the option of shooting full power win mag loads if you ever want or need to.
Hodgdons H4895 is the best thing since sliced bread.

[squirrel_slayer]

I too have done this with success. H4895 is one of those powders every handloader should own.

my first savage was a 110 thumbhole in 300WM, this was the first bolt action rifle I owned(aside from 22's), needless to say I bit off more than I could chew as it would knock the snot out of me with factory 180gr loads.

I bought some H4895 and 130gr barnes ttsx's and loaded them down around 2600 ft/sec (was before I owned a chrony) I was able to obtain a MOA load with them and was much more enjoyable to shoot. like a dummy I traded it for a tacticool rifle and have regretted it ever since.

I once told myself the 300wm is the perfect hunting rifle that does it all, and I still feel that way even though I don't currently own one (sort of ;) ) one day I may revisit this philosophy again.

[Boondoggle]

So that's a super interesting concept. The original thought and question came from wanting to sell/trade a Howa HB .308 for a Savage in 300 win Mag for a potential elk hunt next year. That would leave me without a .308 (my other Savages are either .223 or 6.5 Creedmoor) for a SHTF situation. I have .308 barrels for the 6.5s so I wanted to be sure I could do the same for the win Mag.

But, the thought of having a full win mag, 06 and .308 is very interesting. That could make a big difference in my hunting rifle inventory.

As always I appreciate the sage advice.


Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

[squirrel_slayer]

Truth be told I would feel pretty confident with a .223, 6.5 creed and 300wm. thats actually a pretty sweet combo. I assume your thoughts on the .308 during SHTF is availability? I know my .308 barrel is going to collect dust in the safe once I put my .260 together and part of me wants to sell it but it's such a nice barrel i'm not sure I can do that.

i'm a firm believer of you have what you have if the SHTF. the 6.5 creed will outperform the .308 in almost every aspect so why not lay in for a decent amount of components and/or ammo and rock that? truth be told a .223 will handle most of what you may come across during a shtf event. a semi auto would also be more oriented to the task in my opinion.

if you make the trade see how the winnie shoot's. if its a good shooter then maybe just leave it as is and roll with it. aside from having to change zero's the 300wm can do alot. you can run the 185-215gr berger's for way out there shots (dependent on stability with the 215gr) then you have bonded 180's for bone crushing power for big game, then the 130-150's for laser beam flatness for light skinned game and if you really wanted to get crazy you could run some 110's and vaporize varmints and predatory/nuisance animals.

[Staggering Bird]

I'm new here... New to bolt actions but have a similar question but in reverse... Can a new Savage in .308 be turned into a .300 win mag down the road? I don't know the situation of going from a short action cartridge to a long.

[RustyShackle]

Going to a long action caliber from a short action is possible, but single feed only. The magazine doesn't have the room for the longer cartridges

[squirrel_slayer]

I'm new here... New to bolt actions but have a similar question but in reverse... Can a new Savage in .308 be turned into a .300 win mag down the road? I don't know the situation of going from a short action cartridge to a long.

as a repeater no. if you want a single shot yes. however by doing this if you chamber a live round you either have to shoot it, or you have to remove the bolt with the live round on the bolt to unload it.

[Staggering Bird]

...

[Staggering Bird]

Sorta what I was thinking. That it'd either be a no without major re-working, or a yes but with big downsides. I wish the 10 fcp-sr came in .300 win mag instead of just .308.

[squirrel_slayer]

there's always the 300 short mag...

[Staggering Bird]

Yeah that was my first thought but ammunition seems to be even more for the .300 short. Still in consideration though.

[Staggering Bird]

In .300 win mag or wsm which Savage do you all think is nearest to the 10 fcp-sr? I can't decide.

[RC20]

Was it a 308 in the first place?


Is there any other swap needed than the bolt head to swap a L/A 300 win mag "BACK" to .308?

[squirrel_slayer]

In .300 win mag or wsm which Savage do you all think is nearest to the 10 fcp-sr? I can't decide.

The stealth option wise would be the closest or possibly better if you into chassis's. the next closest would be the fcp HS precision