So let's say you have a nice rifle that is chambered for 7mm Dakota. But you don't want a 7mm Dakota. And the rifle should really be more of a big bore anyway. Or at least a 9.3. What options are available given the current chambering.

Definitely wanting to avoid rebarelling.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Thinking 404 Jeffrey being the obvious. Any others?

IIRC the 7mm Dakota has a unique sized case head. It is not the same as our belted magnums.

You might be stuck with Dakota cartridges. I might be wrong on this but would look into it and consider this in making a decision.

Edited: Oops my bad. Same rim diameter as the 404 Jeffrey. .545.

Not enough details really. How heavy a barrel do you presently have? Heavy enough to rebore to 404? That's a jump.

How about a 330 Dakota?

.375 Dakota or maybe a .404 Dakota.

What flavor Dakota? I nearly bought a Model 10 in 7mm Dakota, several years ago.

Depends on a few things, mostly the action. If your rifle is a Dakota M76 then the action is likely "standard" length, which means magnum length cartridges with .545" head diameter such as the .404 Jeffery will not fit in the magazine box. You're limited to cartridges like the 300, 330, 375 Dakota. BTW, the 7mm Dakota is a great cartridge, one of my favorites - I like it better than the 7mm Mashburn (grin).

If, on the other hand your action is "magnum" length with a full length magazine box consider the .375/404 that the guys over on AR like so much.

My god I have never seen two cartridges more identical in performance in my life.


LJB if I ever get around to pulling the bullets from the 7mm Dakota rounds I have here,you can have it.

Deal! I'll pay the shipping if you ever get around to it. I have plenty stashed away, so no hurry and very, very low priority. But as they say in Econ 101, "More is better than less, everything else being equal."

LJB: They are YOURS!

It's a 76. I'll check it back at the office this next week. Ideally I can take it to a 404 Jef, but I doubt the barrel dimensions will allow it now that I start thinking about it. Action length now being the other issue.

Sell it as it is:

The existing barrel has it's highest value now plus it's already put together!

Start shopping for a new to you rifle now.

+1 what I was thinking while reading the thread, a rebore would cut the value big time.

You'll need 0.125" of meat around the rebored diameter. This may limit how big you can go. So, (existing barrel tip diameter) minus (new bore diameter) needs to be greater or equal to 0.250".

At least 0.125" barrel diameter, but from a pratical stand point of wanting a bit more barrel weight on the bigger kickers I'd want a .150" wall.

I'd go with a 338 or 375 if ther barrel allows.

I don't often agree with Don.

He makes sense with this advice.

You gonna hurt your equity, reboring. You'd be better off financially trading or selling. Those are expensive guns and have their own following. Your version of their gun won't be nearly as desirable as their version of their gun...

DF