What Chamber for 1903 Action

[RicinYakima]

Rebarreling for 35 Whelen might require some tweaking of the feed rails as the necks are wider than the original 30-06 caliber chambering that it was originally designed for. I have a .358 Winchester barrelled Mauser 98. It's a great cast bullet cartridge but I had to tweak the Mauser's feed rails for that cartridge's 51mm shorter length and wider neck than the original 8x57 cartridge that the receiver was designed for before it would feed smoothly.
I don't have any experience with a 40 Whelen cartridge but I feel you might have same problem in feeding from the magazine as I did with my .358Win.

Bruce

Having done two 35 Whelen's on Springfield actions, neither required any magazine work if you didn't try to load 38 WC bullets. The 200 grains RCBS seated to the crimp groove will work just fine. My friend wanted a 358 Win and he did have some slight issues with short cast bullets. It seems the short case doesn't rotate up soon enough to get the bullet into the cone breach.

I solved the same issue with a 7.62X39 conversion by cutting off the follower and using a plug on the back of the magazine well. A Remington 700 short action magazine spring worked perfectly.

 

[Missionary]

We have a Mauser Mark X action waiting to get a .338 barrel screwed on it. Going to start as a 338 Fed. for a while then get chambered for the .338-06. Should make a fine Elk or Mule Deer rifle in the thicker stuff in AZ.
The 257 Bob would be another fine cartridge but you will need a liner. Some re-liners I have talked to will not re-line for "high intensity cartridges". They will only re-barrel. We have a 03A1 action waiting for a .257 barrel to become a Roberts for antelope out in AZ.

 

[RBHarter]

You could do it in 250 Savage and shoot until the throat starts to get long the ream to 257 Roberts , then 25-06' when the Bob starts slacking off .

Of course 6.5 CM , 6.5×55/7 , and 6.5-06' .
22-250 , 220 Swift .
243 , 6mm Rem .
7-08 , 275 Rigby , 280 Rem .
300 Sav/308 , 7.65-55 , 06' .
8×57 and 06'
338 FC , 8.5 57 , 338-06 .
358 , 9x57 , 35 Whelen.
9.3 08/57/06'
I'm sure there's 375s between the Win , H&H and Ruger .
40/10mm come up short on shoulders and can be a challenge.
44s want for a rim , but might HS on the mouth like the 44 AM .
45s have data from GAP through 460 and you almost certainly have moulds for them.
22-24-25-26-28-30-33/34,35, 36,37/38, 40/41, 44 , 45 ......27 and 31 are the only ones missing from the .473 rim family with 2 or more more or less standard chambers or readily converted to rimless .

 

[richhodg66]

I just can't get my head aroung a Springfield in anything but .30-06, God's cartridge.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Is the 400 Whelen a .406?

 

[StrawHat]

My brother just had Andy Horvath build a 1903 Sprinfield into a 22 Long Rifle! The easy way is to use a Springfield Model 1922 barrel and bolt.

If it were me, 22 HORNET!!!!!

kevin

 

[todd]

Is the 400 Whelen a .406?

.411"

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

.411"

Youza I was way off!! ‍‍

 

[L Ross]

My brother just had Andy Horvath build a 1903 Sprinfield into a 22 Long Rifle! The easy way is to use a Springfield Model 1922 barrel and bolt.

If it were me, 22 HORNET!!!!!

kevin

Well I have two friends that went that route plus I recently saw an original. Capital idea! .22 l.r.!

 

[Josh]

As I sat and thought about it, I'm missing only one thing in my rifle collection. A banjo string flat to 400 yd deer rifle.

I sat in my deer stand all day Saturday looking at the field that's a 475 yd shot and wondered what I'd use to shoot them. I've got plenty of rifles that reach out there, but all would take fiddling with turret adjustments.

I've contacted my barrel manufacturer and I am having a simple wildcat made up. It'll basically be an 06 based 6mm with the case capacity of a 6-284. I plan on shooting a 90ish gr bullet in the mid 3,000's. Barrel life will be horrible, but, a new one will spin on easy enough.

Thanks for your ideas gents!

 

[StrawHat]

Well I have two friends that went that route plus I recently saw an original. Capital idea! .22 l.r.!

I have a Springfield Model 1922. At some point, it was converted to 22 Hornet. Good shooter.

Kevin

 

[obssd1958]

Left to right: 30-06 military ball, .240 Gibbs, 6mm Rocket, 284 Winchester.
The others have info out there, but as far as I can tell, the 6mm Rocket is a one-off for a gentleman who has passed and can't answer any questions about it. I got 40 loaded cartridges with the rifle and have not run them across the chronograph them yet, but they should be close to the 6mm-06, but maybe just a little slower. Very accurate rifle and cartridge so far.

 

[Bret4207]

I have a Springfield Model 1922. At some point, it was converted to 22 Hornet. Good shooter.

Kevin

There were several companies specializing in converting Springfield 22's into Hornets back in the day. Old copies of the rifleman are full of ad's for such work.