Caliber Conversion

[rcathey714]

Hello all!

Has anyone ever done or seen a caliber conversion done on a 8 or 81? The rim diameter is .460" which is conceivably modifiably close to the 30-06 rim of .473". If possible to shave off that extra .013", that opens the bolt face up to a huge range of different calibers.

Thoughts?

[Hardrada55]

I always thought I would like a Remington Autoloader in .401. Rim diameter is .457.

[Phyrbird]

Check your rim diameter for 300Sav, Veerrlly Interesting
Wanna make a small wager the 300S has a different bolt face than 35R or 25,30,32 Rem? I have a 300S bare bolt, it;s larger ID in the face than all the rest. 308 can be resized to 300S. HHHMMM, Vellrryy INteresting

[81police]

I've seen a few caliber conversions. Off the top of my head...

250-3000 Savage
308 Winchester

[rcathey714]

Very interesting about the bolt head size on the 300 Savage. I own an 81 in 300 savage that's currently sporting a 35 Rem bolt head . Shoots just fine though haha. I'll have to do some measuring on that.

The main reason I bring this up is that I would really like to shoot my Model 8 more but that 35 Rem is a tricky booger to track down these days!!

[rcathey714]

What about a handgun round? Anyone know of one that might work?

Since the 81 I mentioned before is clearly a Franken-Gun, I wouldn't be opposed to a little experimentation -instert mad scientist laugh here-

[81police]

The '35' marking denotes the extractor not the bolt. 300sav & 35rem used the same extractors

[Phyrbird]

10-4

[rcathey714]

That's good to know about the extractor. Thanks for the tip! Does anyone have a link to one of these that has been converted into .308? I would like to read more about that.

[81police]

I'd be very leery of any 308 conversions. The 300 Sav is the hottest round ever offered in the 8/81 operating at a maximum of 46,000 CUP. Compare that with the 308 Win which operates at 52,000 CUP and you could be pushing the limitations of the 8/81 long-recoil action into dangerous territory. Maybe the dangers of higher pressures are offset by lighter bullets I don't know, but not something I'd be willing to experiment with...nor trust someone else's conversion. My 2 cents ONLY!

[Hardrada55]

I'm an oddball, but I've always thought it would be interesting to chamber a Model 8 in one of the Niedner cartridges, either .22 Rimless Niedner Magnum or, my fav, 6mm Rimless Niedner Magnum. Both based on the .25 Remington case. A barrel would be the problem.

https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/ ... artial.pdf

[81police]

Hardrada55, those calibers sound pretty cool...I've never heard of them before!

[norm]

There is also the Lindahl chucker. A 22 based on the 25 Remington case. A few years ago Gun Digest had an article about Leslie Lindahl and his wildcat. Also had a picture of Townsend Whelan shooting prairie dogs with one. When I get home I'll look it up and post more information.