Remington 700 30-06 to .308 conversion?

[scottie.harris]

What all would need to be changed in order to make it work? Every where I look say something different. Would a simple barrel change work since the 30-06 and .308 are so similar?

[ReconRat]

short action vs long action

[vf1000ride]

If you are going from .30-06 down to .308 in a long action gun it should just be a barrel change.   It is very possible that the same mag will even work.  What is the exact model# of the 700 you are looking at converting?  They make that gun in probably 25-30 different varieties and it could make a difference.

[scottie.harris]

Its an adl model with internal mag, a .308 fits in the mag and feeds properly(minus the barrel obviously)

[vf1000ride]

The barrel change and having the chamber cut for 308 is the easy part.  I would imagine the biggest problem is going to be feeding the shorter 308 cases from the fixed internal mag.  If the gun had a detachable mag I would say to find a magazine for the long action m-24 chambered in 308.  With the fixed mag you will run into problems with the bullets sliding front to back under recoil.  The misalignment could end up causing you feeding troubles.  Some guns can do it but I don't know about the Rem 700.

 

Why the change to 308 anyway?  By the time you buy a good barrel and have a gunsmith install it you are only maybe $100 short of a second new Rem 700 already in 308.  Cabelas has the ADL on sale right now with a 3-9 scope on it for $439.  I looked on Brownell's and the cheapest barrel they carry is $269, figure $100 for a gunsmith to install.  The new rifle looks like a better deal in my book.