If you went to all that trouble and expense to update it to the newer style bolt you would also have to replace the stock as the early stocks were shorter (top to bottom) in the trigger area. If you put a modern trigger in that gun with that stock you wouldn't be able to get it back together because the trigger would be hitting the trigger guard before the action seated in the stock.
Any reasonably good gunsmith that does barrel work should have no problem making a barrel for you with the old bolt or setting back the exiting barrel if it has any life left in it.
As for what to do with it and dealing with the weight, with the stock being wood it can always be whittled down to something lighter and more hunting oriented if that's what you want. A good rasp, a DA sander and an assortment of sandpaper grits and you can make it anything you want - just takes a little vision and elbow grease.
Bookmarks