I picked up a decent 1950's 30-06 standard rifle for cheap that has a pitted bore probably from mil surplus corrosive ammo. My idea was to get it rebored to 35 Whelen.
Does anyone have any experience with this and recommendations for a gunsmith to perform the work?
Thanks

I've had JES do a rebore for me. Went from 338 Win Mag to 35 Newton. Did great work and a very good turnaround on the rifle. Price is very reasonable as well.

Had these guys rebore my M98 .25-06 out to 9.3x62. I'm more than satisfied.

http://www.deltagunshop.com/clearwater_reboring/index.html

I did the same thing about 20yrs ago, Randall Redman did the rebore/rechamber. I understand Randall is not accepting any rebore work at this time. I have heard good things about JES and their work. My Redman rebore shoots great, it is my favorite deer rifle. You will like the .35 Whelen, there are lots of options when it comes to bullets. Jacketed, cast and .357 pistol bullets just to name a few, my favorite plinking load is a cast bullet 200-225gr. over 15 gr. Unique. Easy on the rifle and the shoulder and shoots into tight groups @ 100yds.

I had Danny Pedersen at Classic Barrel do one for me that turned out well.

http://www.cutrifle.com/about-us.html

JES

I would clean the bore and see how it shoots first. If that does not do it then recut it's crown and tweak the bedding.

I clean rifle bores with a brush and then a compound. I use JB's for like new barrels and Stoegers Barrel Restorer compound for rough ones.

You can't see how it shoots as is now, original, if you have it bored out.

Also the 30-06 is a more useful, all around and popular chamber than those big ones.

If the barrel is toast/pitted, have it re-bored. I would do a 9.3x62mm personally. But a 35 Whelen would be cool as well..

I have cleaned it, the lands are still sharp and it will hold under 2" at 100 yards however bore is ugly. Rifle has no collector value and I like 35 Whelen, very easy to load for so I was looking at cleaning up the bore and increasing potential accuracy

Any others observed pre 64 Model 70 30-06's with badly corroded bores? This is the second one I have seen in 6 months. Only thing I can figure is previous owners used corrosive Military surplus ammo and did not clean.

Augie
If you've got your heart set on reboring, my suggestion will be useless. If not, however, since the 30-06 was relatively plentiful, I think you could probably pick up an original barrel in 30-06 with a good bore for $50-75. Usually they will index right up and away you go.
Phil

I had my pre 64 model 70 rebored to 35 Whelen by Cliff LaBounty. He's retired now but I had JES do a Sedgley Springfield to 375 Whelen. He does excellent work and a very fast turn around. He also has great prices. It was $225 to have mine done last year.

You'll not be disappointed with the 35 Whelen. Very useful cartridge for all of North America. The 30-06 is a great cartridge and made even better when it's opened up to 35 caliber.

Recut the crown first on that 30-06 M70!. It may shoot even better.

I have all the cartridges I want after 60 years of it.

I have .358 Wins, 375's 38-55's etc.

The 30-06 is far more useful and all around than the larger bores for my hunting and target shooting.

It's marked 30-06 Springfield on a pre-64 M70 barrel is it not?

You can't do that over, where would a rebore be marked as to the cartridge?

Tweak the bedding then first. Then if necessary recut the crown first.

Amen to JES and the 35 Whelen!

It strikes me that the man wants a 35 Whelen. Pre 64 model 70's are not sacred, especially in 30-06. They are all over and turning one into a 35 Whelen is no sin.

As far as marking the barrel you just stamp the new caliber on the barrel. In the case of my 35 Whelen, Cliff milled a small flat right over the original marking and stamped 35 Whelen there.

Like I said before the 30-06 is a good cartridge. But if he wants a 35 Whelen that's certainly one of the finest choices one could make in a cartridge.

No going back. Big deal. Pristine model 70 barrels are not too tough to come up with if he wanted to go back to original.

I agree Mart..

"As far as marking the barrel you just stamp the new caliber on the barrel.
In the case of my 35 Whelen, Cliff milled a small flat right over the original marking and stamped 35 Whelen there."

Here's how Clearwater did mine. Just milled out the .25-06: