Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing .223 bolt face to 6.8 SPC

I've got a chance at a 700 short action with .223 bolt face. I have no need for another .223, but would like to have a bolt action 6.8 SPC. I know they do not use the same bolt face, so...is it possible to open the .223 bolt face just enough to use the 6.8 case? Will 6.8 feed without modifications? Another option is something along the lines of a .25 Copperhead (25/222)or TCU. Planning on making a very light rifle, along the lines of a Ti or Mountain Guide, but in a light, yet deer capable caliber. What can I build on this action?

What can I build on this action?

6x45, 6x47, any of the TCUs, should be plenty more.

A competent gunsmith can open the bolt face and install a sako style extractor for a good PPC dimension. it will require some skill on the part of the smith but there are lots of them out there up to the challange. Ask the guy for references on having done this work before going ahead. If He gets huffy walk out and find someone else.

Converting bolts is VERY dangerous!

I think it's going to be a 6x45....

Are you kidding me,JHC Have any facts to back up that.

Settle down. Boxer is just a beginner and has a a lot to learn.

Then he should listen and read until he knows what he is talking about

There you go.

Boxer sounds a lot like "BigStick" to me.

I forgot to mention another option. Remington has sold guns set up for the 6.8 SPC. I have seen one that another member of the club was sighting in a year ago or so. It shot very accurately and seemd like a good set up for medium sized game.

A 6-204R would be a winner. Or a 25-204R.

Dies would be simple, case capacity is big enough to drive a deer-ish weight bullet to decent velocities, brass is available and of decent qiality and it should feed w/o issues.

Good shootin'. -Al

Do not do the Sako extractor, it's dangerous. No good gunsmith will do it.

I sort of hate to se this thread mutated into the discussion of converting a Remington bolt to a Sako style extractor. But I stuck my foot into it to begin with. Here is my final comment. If this conversion is dangerous does that mean my 2 Tikka rifles and all the other Sako and Tikka rifles in the world are dangerous to shoot. Help me understand your reasoning and data. If you are right, I have 2 rifles I should have destroyed.

If I recall, the Remington 6.8 was heavier than what the OP is looking for. I looked into converting a 600 I have laying around and discovered that PT&G can make you a bolt with the proper bolt face.

Before I could do that though, I traded into a new Ruger compact 6.8. It's not shooting as well as I'd like, but shows potential. I've killed three gobblers with it so far but no deer.