.243 rifle change to 7mm mag
Hey everybody-
while my user name is an old pool playing nickname - Big Julie, my name is John.
I have always dreamed of making my “best” rifle. Back in the mid 70’s I found a nice blank walnut rifle stock for a Mauser at Herter’s in Glenwood, Mn. I really should have spent the extra $50 for a really, really super looking one... oh well.
Around 1980, I found a rifle on consignment. It was a Mauser FN action with a Douglas premium barrel on a kinda junky stock. It had a weatherby 2-12 scope. Based on the stock and scope, i estimated that it was put together in the 50’s.
in the mid 80;s I became friends with a gunsmith- Al. We talked about the gun and I had him put the stock on the gun. I had spent lots of time learning about putting together and accurizing a rifle. I had Al make everything the shape etc. that i dreamed of. He glass bedded the action and free floated the barrel. It shot fair.
i also had a good friend Lee who was a gun enthusiast. He took his .45-70 Sharps out to Montana and shot the 10 shots in 10” at 1000 yards. He loved guns and was ultra precise.
He played with reloading a good round for my rifle playing with various bullets, powders and powder weights. We ended up with 3 “best” rounds; 1 shooting .224” C to C at 100 yards.
i spent a lot of time at the range having a blast.
Fast forward to today I am wanting to rebarrel the gun for 7mm mag. Douglas will replicate my exact barrel dimensions for $500 and open up the bolt face for the 7mm for an additional $50.
For the sake of discussion, if I shot .224” groups, what might i hope to shoot at 400?
Sorry, but I’m retired and have nothing better to do... 🤔
while my user name is an old pool playing nickname - Big Julie, my name is John.
I have always dreamed of making my “best” rifle. Back in the mid 70’s I found a nice blank walnut rifle stock for a Mauser at Herter’s in Glenwood, Mn. I really should have spent the extra $50 for a really, really super looking one... oh well.
Around 1980, I found a rifle on consignment. It was a Mauser FN action with a Douglas premium barrel on a kinda junky stock. It had a weatherby 2-12 scope. Based on the stock and scope, i estimated that it was put together in the 50’s.
in the mid 80;s I became friends with a gunsmith- Al. We talked about the gun and I had him put the stock on the gun. I had spent lots of time learning about putting together and accurizing a rifle. I had Al make everything the shape etc. that i dreamed of. He glass bedded the action and free floated the barrel. It shot fair.
i also had a good friend Lee who was a gun enthusiast. He took his .45-70 Sharps out to Montana and shot the 10 shots in 10” at 1000 yards. He loved guns and was ultra precise.
He played with reloading a good round for my rifle playing with various bullets, powders and powder weights. We ended up with 3 “best” rounds; 1 shooting .224” C to C at 100 yards.
i spent a lot of time at the range having a blast.
Fast forward to today I am wanting to rebarrel the gun for 7mm mag. Douglas will replicate my exact barrel dimensions for $500 and open up the bolt face for the 7mm for an additional $50.
For the sake of discussion, if I shot .224” groups, what might i hope to shoot at 400?
Sorry, but I’m retired and have nothing better to do... 🤔
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Is the action long enough? I would think a FN Mauser action would be fine to do that.
My only question is why a 7mm Mag. That is a big jump from a 243 in power and recoil. The 280 Rem will do just about anything the 7mm Mag will do with less recoil and cost in ammo plus it will be more inherently accurate IMO. Nothing against the 7mm Mag.............
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Forgoy to add- Timney trigger adjustable for weight and travel set around 2.5#. Sweet! 0 -
Welcome to the forums Big Julie/John.
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Sam- thx for the comment. I am not locked into the 7 mag, but its fun to consider the possibilities. How about the 280 Akley Improved? 0 -
John,
Welcome to the GB forums!
Here’s a brief list of work necessary to get the 7mm Rem Mag to feed from the rifles current state:
- New barrel, chamber, thread and crown.
- Open the feed rails and feed ramp to accommodate the longer, fatter cartridge.
- Open the bolt face AND the extractor for the magnum rim diameter.
- Fix or replace the magazine box and bottom metal (trigger guard) with the longer box for 7mm.
- Tune for feeding and extraction. The ejector blade will need to be shortened.
Best.3 -
Wonderful insights! Thank you. 0 -
why not just make a new rifle in the caliber you want
and leave your old rifle like it is ?
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Daniel- you are very right but to make another gun like this would be many thousands of $. 3 -
I wouldn’t , to much, all kinds of custom rifles had on here or vintage rifles and now you have two. The 7 mag for me is a great round but you know it’s in front of you when you pull the trigger and as I age.
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If it shoots that good, LEAVE IT THE H... ALONE!
Build yourself another rifle and either sell this one or, better yet, give it a place of honor on your wall, holding it in reserve for when your 7mmmmm kicks your shoulder out of socket.
I'm finding many factory rifles are super accurate nowadays unless you just want to tinker with a build. Ruger and Savage, in particular, are producing extremely accurate rifles at very reasonable prices (< $500 in most cases).
I spent lots of time and money, in the old days searching for the right combination to produce < 1.5" groups.
More recently, I have shot factory ammo through several brand new rifles producing 3/4" or better groups.
You could have knocked me over with a feather.
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your money do with it as you please, but I agree with others. If you have a rifle that shoots that great, why convert it to one that may never be half as good??? either build one or by a cheap 7mm and convert it 9 -
Your rifle, your choice. I can't see taking a .243 that is shooting 1/4" groups and changing anything. Buy or build another rifle. 6 -
As others have said, I'd leave the .243 as is and start a new build. 3 -
".224 center to center, at 100 yards." Sorry John, I agree with the majority here. I'd leave it alone.
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Thanks so much for the wonderful comments everybody! You’re terrific.
the gun stays as is. It’s my dream gun.3 -
Well in that case I would tear it down and rebarrel it to .577 Snyder and make it a leaf gun. 15 -
, if I shot .224” groups, what might i hope to shoot at 400?Depends on Temp, Wind, elevation, ballistics of bullets... that is a wide open question.
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Yup. Things change a whole lot after 300 yards. At least that's what I have read on Al Gore's wonderful internet. 0 -
What about the magazine? Will it feed well? The round is wider.
Is a belted magnum the best choice for a rifle you want to tinker around with? It could be shot out before you even use it once.0 -
Ok John, I agree with everyone else about leaving a really good shooting rifle alone. You mention you are an old fart. I'm an old fart also. I can shoot a 243 all day long and twice on Sundays. I also have a 243 that shoots under 1/2 inch. So I know that I can still shoot a 243 just fine. I know I can still shoot a 7mm Rem Mag but I am honest, it is more recoil than I can comfortably handle. So unless you have a hunt coming up that requires reaching out past 243 ranges I wouldn't change a thing. 3 -
Here we go again .243.There are bullets now that will exceed your long range hunting needs. Berger and Barnes makes some way out there killers, but you must do your part. I have a 6/284 and in the right hands it is as 600 yard hammer to the head. 115gr. Berger VLD's at 3,000 fps.
Rate of twist might be a factor for the heavy bullets.
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The gun is perfect for me but I’m thinking of giving it to my son. I once asked him what would be his ideal caliber and he said 7mm mag. Hence the journey.
I can’t have enjoyed a gun more. It will stay .243.
I started way back when with a red field wide field 2-7. I recently upgraded to a Nikon 3-10.
I found a range an hour away where one can shoot crazy distances, I’d like to spend some at 200, 300 and just for kicks 400. (It goes to 1200.)
I have somewhere around 200 rounds of 50 and 70 grain sierras and 200 or so nobler 100 gr. Partitions that were matched for my gun that he will never shoot.
I realize that energy wise 300 yards is max on a deer.
It’s all fun!
i recently also bought a Walther PPK/S in a .380; and an H&K P9S in 9mm. Also 100 rounds of personal defense and 300 rounds of target ammo for each. And a few extra mags.
There might be one place in town where i can shoot them. Whatever happened to going out to the local gravel pit? The good old days. Sigh...
anyway sorry for the long post. I miss chatting with my peers.
Thanks
John0 -
Hey Butchdog- i envy you with your 6/284. It sounds like a blast!
i once had a book with all the wildcats. I would read it for hours.0 -
Custom rifle, I bought it second hand of of a gentleman near Richmond, Va. I can't remember the gunsmiths name right now but he was from that same area. Remington 40X action, Lilja barrel , 1 /7 twist. Topped with a Leupold 6.5x 25 boosted to 25x50 by Premier Reticle. Gives you a hint as to it age.Thinking about 7mm Ackney, stick with the plain ole 7mm magnum. Readily available ammo about anywhere. Ackney, it's roll your own.
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What an absolute classic! ❤️ 0
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