6.5x284 to 308

[7sixty2]

First off, I'll ask for some leeway for my ignorance. I'm not very familiar with the 6.5x284 other than it is essentially a wildcat hand load (except for a few manufacturers), one of several that have grown out of the .284 Winchester tree trunk. I recently traded for a model 11 Trophy which is NIB and I don't have a great deal of money in it. Everything else I own is .308 or 7.62x51. I don't want to invest in the loading equipment to hand load for this one rifle and I don't want to spend $3 every time I pull the trigger. Where I live, it is rare to find anywhere to shoot over 200 yards so I don't really have a need for this cartridge from what I have read of its long distance abilities. Can this gun be reasonably changed to .308 or should I just move it and find a .308? I am fairly well equipped and knowledgeable to do the work but would let a smith do any precision machining operations. Thanks for any help.

[RustyShackle]

Yep, easy, just swap the bbl.

what you doing with the one you take off?

[7sixty2]

Excellent, I had hoped that was the case. I will likely place the barrel in the classifieds to help pay for the new barrel. Thanks for the info.

[surfinsd]

That will actually be a 111, long action.

[JASmith]

Lots of options, especially if that is indeed a 111 action.

Examples of .308 Length cartridges with the same head diameter are .243 win, .260 Rem, 7mm-08, and .338 Federal.

The 111 action can also accept 30-06 length cartriges, so one go with cartridges like the 25-06, .270 Win, 30-06, 35 Whelen, and so on.

[7sixty2]

It is a 111, the box actually says 11/111 and it is a combo, came with the Nikon glass on top. I wasn't sure when I traded for it if I could change it easily but I made a good trade and have less in it than the scope is probably worth. I knew the 6.5x284 Norma was a longer cartridge and I wasn't sure about feeding from the magazine of the shorter 308. 30-06 is a good option as well. Please feel free to educate me on these, this is my first new Savage so I am on the curve trying to catch up with it. I've had other bolt guns in the past but primarily they have been shoot, clean, put away kinds of guns so this is my first efforts at making any significant changes. Pistols I have done a lot with, rifles, not so much. Thanks for all the help. It is appreciated.

I initially was moved to 308, that is the primary stuff I have now including ammo on hand and is my preference to shoot. I try really hard to keep my assortments to a few calibers so I don't have to buy many different calibers of ammo but I also have a 30-06 so that is doable if the action is better suited to that round.

Correction: Box says 111, I guess I have seen the 11/111 thing on so many ads and such I neglected to go look at MY box.

[RustyShackle]

You should be able to feed 308 length cartridges out of it no problem. 30-06 is still a great round even if it's old as the hills, and can be safely loaded to launch heavy projectiles at higher velocities than the 308 can manage. Either one a good choice! If you're set up for the 308 it's probably the wiser decision.

[Robinhood]

As an added bonus the in between cartridges work too. Like all the mauser stuff and the 284 based cartridges.

[7sixty2]

You should be able to feed 308 length cartridges out of it no problem. 30-06 is still a great round even if it's old as the hills, and can be safely loaded to launch heavy projectiles at higher velocities than the 308 can manage. Either one a good choice! If you're set up for the 308 it's probably the wiser decision.

Nothing wrong with being old as the hills, that's why I carry a 1911 and when I really want a bruising, my 45-70 will help jog my memory why I don't shoot it too often or the Stevens 12ga SxS coach has a tendency to leave a mark too.

Thanks for all the input and advice. I'm contemplating at this point between the 308 and the 30-06.