.26 Nosler Build Help

Hello all...

Planning on doing a re-build in .26 Nosler (Yes, I know there are other 6.5's... have weighed and balanced and know what I want on the cartridge side of things lest I get dumped on by everyone) and am trying to figure out what I need. I found a potential donor rifle at a local pawn shop; older (pre accu-trigger/accu-stock) Model 110 in .300 win mag. Just wondering if I absolutely need the magnum length action or if a standard long action will work. Also, since the .26 nos. is a beltless I'm assuming I will need a new bolt face.. not sure which one. Comments from the peanut gallery greatly appreciated!

The only difference between the mag and non-mag actions is the bolt head. The actions themselves are the same.

You will use a magnum bolt head. Belted or not makes no difference. The Nosler uses the same rim diameter as the 300win.

There is no such thing as a "magnum length" action - just short or long actions. The actions on guns that were originally chambered for the RUM cartridges have a slightly longer magazine port, but that's the only variance. As for the bolt head, most every belted and non-belted magnum cartridge I've seen uses a 0.532" case head - including the .300 Win Mag, so if you got the aforementioned pawn shop 110 it would have the correct bolt head for your needs. As for which magazine/follower would work best with the .26 Nosler I have no clue.

Like Jim stated, there's no "Magnum" action. A long action is a long action is a long action.
If you're OK with having a single shot rifle, then 26 Nosler is a good choice.
High BC bullets stuffed deep into the cartridge might feed through a standard magazine box, but then you'd be handicapping yourself by filling part of your available powder space with copper and lead. At that point you'd be better off with a 264 Win Mag or a 6.5 WSM, either of which will feed and eject properly, and be able to use the magazine box for what it was intended. If I did my math right, a 140 VLD extends .643 from ogive to tip, add that to the 2.590 case length and you come up with 3.233. The long action mag box comes in at around 3.48" leaving you with .247" for throat length and bullet jump before you run out of magazine box. And that's with the ogive at the case mouth. There would be .745 extending into the case mouth. Add a little throat erosion over time and you've got yourself a single shot. Even Scope Eye has avoided the 26 Nosler thus far - that's gotta mean something.

Thanks for the information guys... fairly new to the "ground up" build... only experience thus far has been bedding a 111 trophy hunter package and repainting the stock. Seems like the .300 mag is looking like a good donor rifle; now just hope that its still on the shelf. Tons more questions to follow I'm sure!

"And", the Savage Long Action is about the "longest" Long Action out there! :-)

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Originally Posted by FW Conch

"And", the Savage Long Action is about the "longest" Long Action out there! :-)

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True, but the rear action screw makes it tough to use all the length.