Is it possible to have a gun reworked to shoot a larger caliber?
Posted by False_Atmosphere485@reddit | Firearms | View on Reddit | 16 comments
I have a friend who has a 1954 Savage model 99 lever action that he got from his uncle a few years back. He claimed his uncle told him the barrel had been re-worked to shoot a different caliber than it was originally chambered in (not sure the original caliber or what it's chambered for now, just that it's a bigger caliber).. I was wondering how safe it is to do that & how safe the gun would be in general? I'm just worried they might have took it to a top large of a caliber & maybe took too much material out of the barrel or something. Any help is appreciated
TacTurtle@reddit
Depends on what it is chambered for, a .308 Win can have the barrel swapped for a .358 Win... basically a .308 with the neck expanded from 30 cal to 35 cal. Perfectly safe, as the operating pressure is the same.
gunsforevery1@reddit
Yes within limits.
Kr04704n@reddit
It is totally possible but very dependent on bolt face. If the larger cartridge requires a bolt face change it is much more work than just swapping and headspacing a new barrel.
The barrel would typically be replaced for the larger caliber. No one is reaming then redoing rifling except if they absolutely need to.
In a savage 99 they were originally in 300 savage. They likely changed to 308 or another short action caliber that could use the same bolt face.
False_Atmosphere485@reddit (OP)
He's supposed to be getting me more information cause I assumed nobody would ream a barrel & rerifle it unless they just shot the piss out of it & shot the riflings out but I figured it was a barrel swap too but he swears it was reworked. He may be misunderstanding him too cause he's not much of a gun guy like I am.. Is there any way you can tell just by looking at it if the barrel had been swapped with a different one? Hypothetically let's say it wasn't swapped & they did ream out the original barrel, would you consider it safe to shoot? I've never ran into someone with a gun they claim the barrel had been redone on to chamber a larger caliber other than like somebody who is building a gun & using different actions & barrels but nothing like this. Thank you for your answer BTW
loki993@reddit
Yeah...you cant assume that. Never underestimate the power of Bubba.
Kr04704n@reddit
You know what, you're right. I was looking at it through the lens of everyone being careful with their bubbaing but I should have been more conservative in my advice. I change out bolt action barrels all the time so I tend to assume that other folks have the same level of knowledge. That's a dangerous assumption on my part.
Username7239@reddit
Taking a non collectable gun and having it professionally rechambered is not a bubba
loki993@reddit
You're right but what evidence is there that its been professionally done? Unless one knows the history of a gun or there are receipts for the work done, my statement is sound.
Kr04704n@reddit
Look at the barrel markings on other pictures of savage 99s, see if the same markings exist on the barrel that's on the gun. If they don't exist, it is a barrel swap. If they do it was likely rechambered with an insert to a different 30 cal.
If they changed to a different 30 cal, there'd be no reaming necessary. The barrel would use the existing rifling with a chamber insert perhaps. Thats a ghetto fix though. Best way is to slug the barrel and then measure it.
3006mv@reddit
Sometime the new barrel will at least be stamped with the matching new caliber designation
Kromulent@reddit
depends entirely on the new caliber
sixgunner505@reddit
You mentioned your friend isn't much of a gun guy; is it possible by 'larger caliber' he just means 'more powerful'? Even gun guys misuse 'caliber' all the time. I see three possibilities here:
Option 1 was really popular in that timeframe, and I suspect more than a few 99s in 250 Savage were rechambered to 250 Ackley Improved (250 AI). Ackley's improved cartridges were based on existing cartridges with the taper reduced and shoulder angle increased. The improved cartridge offered a moderate performance increase, and you could still shoot factory ammo (which would "fireform" the brass to match the new chamber).
Option 2 is by far the more common way to achieve an actual caliber change A 250 Savage could be rebarreled to 300 Savage (or vice versa).
Option 3 requires specialized equipment and is uncommon. It's usually reserved for unique situations like a complicated barrel profile (like a fancy Mauser sporter with an octagon-to-round profile and an integral rib) that would be difficult to reproduce.
To answer your question, none of these processes are inherently unsafe. As to whether this particular gun is safe, you haven't provided nearly enough information for anyone to determine that.
sirbassist83@reddit
not uncommon or particularly worrisome.
loki993@reddit
Possible yes but there are factors. you are on the right track, depends of if they had to ream the chamber and how much they took out.
I wouldnt touch one unless I knew exactly what was done to it.
Special-Steel@reddit
Ammunition cost and availability is a reason to rechamber.
Kr04704n@reddit
If they changed to a different 30 cal, there'd be no reaming necessary. The barrel would use the existing rifling with a chamber insert perhaps. Thats a ghetto fix though. Best way is to slug the barrel and then measure it.