Short cartridge in long action (22 or 6cm LA Origin)

[ddrrbb]

I built a 6.5 PRC in a long action thinking I may eventually need a bigger magnum also to hunt bigger game, and I could swap barrels on my Zermatt Origin action. I have the Hawkins hunter mag with the PRC spacer kit which works great.

Now that I've read the forums a bit, I don't think I'll need to size up but would now like the option to size down (6cm and 22cm are good candidates.)

I can swap bolt heads to standard 308, but looks like the 6 cm is about .15 less COAL than the 6.5 PRC and the 22 cm is about .25 shorter. Any potential problems with that?

If not, I can get a shouldered or barrel nut prefit and be on my way. Any experience with this would be appreciated.

 

[HGL]

Should be fine with a BDL set up, not sure on the DBM set up, that may take some tweaking. Gunsmith buddy has a .308 barrel on an old 700 LA that was a 30-06. It feeds fine with a standard follower plate, so you could go BDL worst case. There are a few options these days for BDL that fit an M5 inlet.

 

[khuber84]

An origin is 900$, plus the simplicity of have two rifles assembled at the same time beats the hell out of doing your frabkengun act and having to re-zero everytime. Personally I'd opt to build a new rig. That's just me. The origin can use tl3 prefits with a Hunts Long Range lug so buying a few used low Rd CT barrels, VS new, may save you enough to get the new origin.

 

[ddrrbb]

An origin is 900$, plus the simplicity of have two rifles assembled at the same time beats the hell out of doing your frabkengun act and having to re-zero everytime. Personally I'd opt to build a new rig. That's just me. The origin can use tl3 prefits with a Hunts Long Range lug so buying a few used low Rd CT barrels, VS new, may save you enough to get the new origin.

Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I have a Rem700 that I could also rebarrel, but I invested a lot into the Origin build components and I like the stock, scope, and trigger. I was hoping to get more out of those components with interchanging barrels, but I guess I have some decisions to make.

 

[khuber84]

Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I have a Rem700 that I could also rebarrel, but I invested a lot into the Origin build components and I like the stock, scope, and trigger. I was hoping to get more out of those components with interchanging barrels, but I guess I have some decisions to make.

I'd contact hawkins and see if their spacer sytem swaps into their aics hunter 30-06 mags so that you can run a creed case in it. It may work out. Just sounds like a lot of compromises to reparation that origin LA into a sa.

Here's the proplem with building off that old 700. To true the tenon threads, new recoil lug, time and tig bolt handle for proper extraction, install side bolt release, cut for wyatts/aics mag, you're gonna be into it for 600$ of machine work. Sell the 700 rifle and put it towards another origin sa, unless it has centimental value for you.

I have friends that built off their dad's 700, or their first rifle that was a 700, they see the machine bill then compare it to a high end custom action, and they feel like they wasted the money on pimping thir old action.

 

[ddrrbb]

I'd contact hawkins and see if their spacer sytem swaps into their aics hunter 30-06 mags so that you can run a creed case in it. It may work out. Just sounds like a lot of compromises to reparation that origin LA into a sa.

Here's the proplem with building off that old 700. To true the tenon threads, new recoil lug, time and rrg bolt handle for proper extraction, install side bolt release, cut for wyatts/aics mag, you're gonna be into it for 600$ of machine work. Sell the 700 rifle and put it towards another origin sa, unless it has centimental value for you.

I have friends that built off their dad's 700, or their first rifle that was a 700, they see the machine bill then compare it to a high end custom action, and they feel like they wasted the money on pimping thir old action.

Thanks for the info on the Rem700. It's a good gun and a 308 so the barrel should have plenty of life left (I just don't shoot it much anymore) so I don't mind selling it. I did email Hawkins for their input on using a standard mag with the spacer, so I'll see what they say.

 

[Wiscgunner]

Swapping barrels isn't super practical for a single range trip but much better if you have a scope setup for each barrel so much less tweaking each time. I have a short action and while I do not swap barrels at the range like some do, I do swap between a few times a year. Like the OP I like the components of my build, just want to change from my 7ss for hunting to my 6.5CM for practice and matches. After a while I got a second scope for the other barrel and recently picked up a chassis. Next up will be another action then more barrels to swap between 2 rifles!