Really dumb caliber question

[Irrelevant]

So I feel completely inept when it comes to tinkering with rifles, or even just how a rifle actually works. I grew up under the assumption that each rifle was made specifically for a certain caliber. So like it you bought a tikka 270, that rifle was always going to be a a 270. But the more time I'm spent on here, I keep reading about guys re-barreling, and have sorta come an understanding that maybe there are a range of calibers that each action could work for and that the barrels alone ends up dictating the specific caliber within that range. I assume the range is based on base diam (so the bolt can grip it) and length (?). If this if wrong, set me straight. If I've somehow understood it, how does someone know what other calibers could be used on a particular action but just swapping the barrel?

 

[TOGIE]

i'm inept at tinkering with rifles too. i think i like it that way.

already hard enough to find time to hunt

 

[BackofBeyond]

Mostly it's effected by the bolt face. Your .270 for example, long action, standard bolt face. By just swapping the barrel you could change it to any cartridge that is based off a .30-06 parent. If you can get it to feed, even a short action cartridge like .308 would work. Likewise with a magnum bolt face - your .300 WM - could easily become a .338 RM, 7mm RM, 7 PRC, on and on and on.

Tikka's are cool because they only have 1 size action (where most others have short/long/magnum) so totally possible to take a .308 to a .30-06.

I'm just dipping my toe into the water on this as well. I'm sure people like @brockel @Wind Gypsy @p_ham who REALLY know what they're doing will be along soon.

 

[jryoung]

There's a great detailed list here which combines bolt face size with action length.

Like noted above Tikka only makes a long action, Remington and others couple action length to cartridge.....but you can almost always put a short action cartridge in a long action.

Bolt Face & Action Database - LoadDevelopment.com

Our bolt face diameter database helps to determine which new caliber or cartridge will work with the bolt face diameter and action length.

www.loaddevelopment.com

 

[andrew11]

I would agree with what @Backofbeyond said. As well as with the selection of the barrel you are deciding on twist rate, contour, materials, length etc.. A lot of it would depend on what bullet diameter you want, and how heavy, this would determine your twist rate.
Then you can also open the door with wild cat cartridges that are not saami spec.... can quickly turn into a rabbit hole. But it is a fun process building a rifle the way you want.

 

[winmag]

Reusing the factory barrel without modifying the bolt face: you can rechamber to something else with that bolt face and bore diameter. So 270 Win to 270 Win Ackley Improved [cartridges are relatively limited in .277 bore so using Ackley for the example].

Reusing the factory barrel with modifying the bolt face: go from 270 Win to 27 Nosler.

New barrel without modifying bolt face: go from 270 to 30-06.

New barrel and modify bolt face: go from 270 to 300 Win Mag.

There will be a limitation for OAL. You wouldn’t be happy going from a 308 Win to a 338 Lapua because you couldn’t eject that long case in that short action. You can always shoot a shorter case in a longer action but not the other way around.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

good luck @neffa3

 

[brockel]

Are you wanting to build something off a tikka or was the tikka just an example?

 

[Dakotakid]

Most gunsmith will say money is the only limitation.
But action length does dictate as stated above.

A tikka long action could be converted with a new barrel to: just off my head
22-250
243
6mm
25-06
6.5 creedmoor
6.5 06
6.5x 55
6.5x 57
260
6.5x284
6.8 westerner I think
That new weatherby
280
284
7mm 08
7x57
30-06
300 savage
308
Tc
8x57
8mm 06
338-08?
338-06

 

[Irrelevant]

Are you wanting to build something off a tikka or was the tikka just an example?

So @nhenry has a sweet 25-06 barrel for sale. I've always regretted not getting one of those instead of my .270. But I have no idea if that would even be an option.

 

[BackofBeyond]

So @nhenry has a sweet 25-06 barrel for sale. I've always regretted not getting one of those instead of my .270. But I have no idea if that would even be an option.

If it's a tikka barrel and a tikka action you are golden.

.25-06 and .270 are both based on a .30-06

 

[Buckbrush]

What everyone else's said is correct about bolt face and length. Also some times it's not worth the money to change it. It would be more costly than buying a rifle already chambered in the caliber you want. Like my Kimber 270wsm I put on a barrel with a faster twist to shoot heavy bullets but I'll never be able to sell it for what I have spent in time and money on it. I could have just bought a used 7mm mag. But l like to tinker with things.

 

[rjthehunter]

Most gunsmith will say money is the only limitation.
But action length does dictate as stated above.

A tikka long action could be converted with a new barrel to: just off my head
22-250
243
6mm
25-06
6.5 creedmoor
6.5 06
6.5x 55
6.5x 57
260
6.5x284
6.8 westerner I think
That new weatherby
280
284
7mm 08
7x57
30-06
300 savage
308
Tc
8x57
8mm 06
338-08?
338-06

My dad bought a Stainless Tikka T3x 7mm rem mag. For the price, it's a hell of a shooter for the price (only .6 MOA with more than half the handloads I ran through it). I might have to pick one up and start playing with them!

 

[Salmonchaser]

I would, being far wiser than I was when young, put the 270 in the safe and buy a 25/06, cause you never know. I actually took a box of shells to the range the other day I had loaded in 1992. I think I recognized the rifle that went with it. she shot well for being so neglected and clearly I need to do more prairie dog hunting.

 

[nhenry]

So @nhenry has a sweet 25-06 barrel for sale. I've always regretted not getting one of those instead of my .270. But I have no idea if that would even be an option.

I actually used a 270 Tikka as a donor for the original build. You’d be golden.

 

[nhenry]

Most gunsmith will say money is the only limitation.
But action length does dictate as stated above.

A tikka long action could be converted with a new barrel to: just off my head
22-250
243
6mm
25-06
6.5 creedmoor
6.5 06
6.5x 55
6.5x 57
260
6.5x284
6.8 westerner I think
That new weatherby
280
284
7mm 08
7x57
30-06
300 savage
308
Tc
8x57
8mm 06
338-08?
338-06

338 federal is the 08

 

[Irrelevant]

How hard is it to change barrels? Do you have to take it to a smith? could you swap back and forth or it is something that's a set it and forget it type of thing?

 

[p_ham]

So @nhenry has a sweet 25-06 barrel for sale. I've always regretted not getting one of those instead of my .270. But I have no idea if that would even be an option.

Screw it on, double check headspace, shoot. Tikkas are one of the few you can do that on.

Some of the factory barrels are slathered in threadlocker and can be a bugger to get off. You need an action wrench and barrel vise.

 

[Irrelevant]

Screw it on, double check headspace, shoot. Tikkas are one of the few you can do that on.

No idea what that means...

 

[p_ham]

No idea what that means...

So headspace gauges are made for cartridge families. 25-06 you would use 30-06 gauges for.
You're measuring the distance between the bolt face and a predefined point in the chamber (shoulder for bottleneck cartridges). Too tight and your cartridge won't fit. Too loose and you're looking at catastrophic case seperation/ high speed come apart.

Bolt should close on the "GO" and and shouldn't close on "NOGO"