35 Remington conversion--760 Remington

[gunnermarlin]

Have a 760 Remington in 35 Remington and am considering rechambering to a 35/284.  Seeking comments on whether the barrel is thick enough at the chamber to accomodate the larger diameter 284 body.  Am also wondering if 284-based ammo will work in narrow magazine of a 760.  I realize conversion to a 35 Whelen or 358 Winchester are simpler and proven conversions, but have an urge to experiment.

Thanks!

[stv]

Gunner,  I think your going a little too far. The 35 Win is the route to go.  There would be lots of issues on feeding the fat bodied 284 based cartidges from the magazine.  A test would be to get a magazine and try stuffing 284 cartridges into it and see how they push out using your thumb on the rearlike a bolt has to push it.  The second issue is thinning of the barrel walls in the area of the chamber.   I bought a 35 Rem in a 7600 with the express intent of rechambering but the rifle shoots so well that now I think it would be a mistake.  Every situation I hunt with using a 35 is well with in the range and power of the 35Rem.  I have resisted the temptation to monkey with it so far.   I almost bought a 760 that had been rechambered to 35 whelen once.  When I checked out the performance the chambered had been buggered up by whoever did it.  The brass was between 35 and 40 thousandths over size near the base and  would sieze in the chamber.  Accuracy was horrible.   I took it back to the guy with the brass and calipers and made him take it back.   The problem probably started with the fact that the 35 Rem chamber is too small.   The Whelen reamer got a bad start and either got off center or chattered due to having the bore pilot unsupported.   Make sure the smith has some experience and get some references from him about this conversion.  Gander Mountain catalogs the rechamber under their gunsmithing services so they are probably equipped to do it routinely.  Good luck  -stv

[gunnermarlin]

stv, Good advice.  Matter of fact, after I sent the post, I tried feeding 284 cartridges from a 6mm (760) clip.  The fat-bodied 284's were aligned nearly vertical (as opposed to staggered) in the narrow 760 magazine.  And although they fed vertically OK,  the sharp shoulder hung up on the leading edge of the magazine.   I also measured the thickness of the chamber walls.  You are correct in that the chamber walls would be quite thin, especially at the shoulder, where the barrel contour narrows.

So, I am going to rechamber to 358 Winchester.  My gunsmith said that cleaning up a 35 Remington chamber with a 358 reamer is easy and a 6mm (or comparable) clip will work nicely without feeding problems.

gunnermarlin