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Posted: 4/11/2009 10:04:17 AM EDT
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What does it take to convert from 30-06 to 308? Is it a difficult process($$$)? Do the rifles function reliably after conversion? Reliability is really very key.
P.S. - Who has a lot of experience doing this and is good at it? What does it cost? |
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Quoted:
What does it take to convert from 30-06 to 308? Is it a difficult process($$$)? Do the rifles function reliably after conversion? Reliability is really very key. P.S. - Who has a lot of experience doing this and is good at it? What does it cost? A barrel swap and final chamber reaming to set head space. Some folks put a block in the magazine well to prevent 30-06 ammo from being loaded, but it isn't necessary. If you use milsurp 7.62 ammo or equivalent commercial ammo , it will be as reliable as it is with 30-06 ammo. I can't help you with your other questions. I am sure that some one will come along shortly and address them for you. |
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I bought a Springfield Garand about 4 years ago....turned out to be a very bad purchase on my part. I bought the "story" instead of the gun. The barrel was trashed, the finish wasn't all that great either. I contacted Dean at Dean's Gun Restoration
http://www.dgrguns.com/ He converted the rifle to .308, reparked and put an awesome Wenig stock on it. It's been a while and he did more than just rebarrel and rechamber. Give Dean a call, he's a good guy and you will be very satisfied with his work. |
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As John Arbuckle would say, "you get what you pay for". Rolland Beaver, Bald Knob, Ark. I recommend him.
Before you go and do it, ask yourself some questions like: 1. What is the difference between using 30-06 vs. .308? The general answer is that the 30-06 is a 600 yard cartridge and the .308 is an 800 cartridge. 2. Am I really going to be shooting 600 and 800 yards? 3. Do I have the ability to be able to range 600 and 800 yards or do I need to have targets at marked distances? 4. Will I really study ballistics to the point like - you have the rifle sighted for 300 yard zero and someone asks you to tell him the hold over for 700 yards? The 30-06 garand, .308 M14, .30 carbine, 30-06 1903a3 have the following in common. The military acceptance standard is 3 inch patterns at 100 yards with iron sights. Let this information sink in for a moment. This means that changing the caliber doesn't yield "accuracy". Accuracy in the equipment comes from things like glass bedding, better barrels. Accuracy in shooting is also a function of skill acquisition - and the last thing that the average guy does is to pay for competent instruction. When I did up some garands in .308, the ammo was running half the price of 30-06 US military surplus. Now the situation is reversed. |
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Good points, all, bcochran. None touch on my reason for considering a 308 conversion - see the post just above yours.
Not that it bears on my reason, but my range has a 600 yard line and will soon have a 1,000 yard line, as well. Camp Pendleton just opened a 1,000 yard line to match use. |
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Quoted:
In my situation, I already reload .308 and do not want to add another caliber to the roster. That is why I went with an M1 in .308. I use to think that way...........until ammo prices took off. There was a time when CMP ammo (HXP) was cheaper then re-loading. I'm glad I bought "enough." 
OK, actually I'm still buying. 
Aloha, Mark PS.........that brand new .308 M1 barrel I bought, never did get put on. Oh well............ |
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Nine or so years ago (before I discovered the CMP), I purchased my first Garand for the expressed purpose of converting it to 7.62x51. I found a beater with a pretty decent barrel and shipped it off to Champion's Choice for conversion. At the time, surplus ammo was cheap and plentiful (God, I wish I'd bought more).
Now I am thinking about rebarreling it again in ..30'06. Decisions, decisions. Either way, it's time to start reloading. |
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I did a few on the armory van at Fleet, All Navy, Interservice and Nationals under Dobber's tutelage. It's quite simple, if you have the short-chambered barrel, a barrel vise and receiver wrench, and the pull-thru reamer.
As stated above, Roland Beaver, Hook Boutin or Don McCoy would be my recommendations. You can shoot rings around an M14 at the 600 with a 308 Garand. |
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Quoted:
1. What is the difference between using 30-06 vs. .308? The general answer is that the 30-06 is a 600 yard cartridge and the .308 is an 800 cartridge. That ranking seems backwards to me and just off a bit, overall. I think of the 308 as a 1,000 yard cartridge. Other than the 223, it is the only catridge allowed in Palma cometition which are fired at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards. Admittedly, the Palma dudes have to push it to its limits to get there but it definitely works at 1,000 yards. The 30-06 used to be The Palma cartridge and is easier to load to reach 1,000 yards than the 308. No matter, it is not intended as an argument. |
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