I have a chance to pick up a #3 in excellent shape. Nice wood. I think the asking is a very good price. It is presently chambered in 375 Win. From what I've read about the 375 it is a respectable cartridge with some range limitations -
like 150 yds. realistically. My thought is that I will putter with the 375 for a while and then rebarrel in 6.5x55 or 7x57. The ideal, if affordable, would be a 22" sporter taper octagonal barrel. If the mood strikes me I might consider a 257 R. chambering. I'm wondering about how to deal with the barrel band fitting a different contour without creating an ugly rifle. I may decide to stay with the original contour so everything fits. I also don't know what issues there might be in dealing with this particular rifle. I would welcome input from those of you who have had a #3 rebarreled. Rooster

Probably most common to switch to No. 1 or custom wood when rebarreling to a different contour.

Also common is reshaping the No. 3 forend to remove the barrel band step. The band is non-functional.


Bruce

Rooster,

I have rebarreled or rebored nearly every #3 I've ever owned except a couple. (My .30-40 and .375 remain stock, except both have #1 wood...)

Unless you are emotionally attached to the barrel band, I'd have a gunsmith cut off the area where the barrel band fits and fit a constrasting fore-end tip. I have one #3 fore-end that this has been done to and it looks very good.

I also have a #1 in 9.3x74R that was rebarreled to a tapered octagon barrel with custom fore-end with schable tip. I like that a lot.

I'm in the process of having another #1 rebarreled to either .25 Krag or 6.5 Krag. (Haven't decideded which as yet...) This one will have a 1/2 octagon barrel with custom fore-end. HTH... GH

I rebarreled a #3 in 45-70 to 222 Remington. I put on fajen wood for a #1 Ruger and didn't have to mess with the barrel band at all. The #3 wood wasn't work keeping.

I rechambered my .223 Remington #3 to .220 Swift. Develops 3,750 fps out of that 20" tube. Also reshaped the forend and eliminated the barrel band. Added a barrel tension screw to the forend hanger. It will shoot 3/4" - 7/8" at 100 yards and is handy for swatting ground squirrels.

Pac-Nor Barreling in Brookings, Oregon rebarrels the #3 to anything you want, and can exactly duplicate the contour to retain the factory wood.

I had m #3 .223 Rem rebarreled and restocked as a 6.5x55 Swede. The barrel is a Shilen specifcally chambered and twisted to use 120-140 gr modern ammo instead of the longer, rounder-nosed, military issue ammo that most barrels are cut for. (The chamber range from SAAMI for the round allows for a much tighter chamber and still be within spec.) It came out as a 21 inch standard -- not UL -- profile that still weighs in scoped under 7.5 lbs. Barrel band, custom made mounts; and a non glare satin finish.

I can send you a pict direct via e-mail but can't post here.

Regards,
1B

Thanks all for the good information. Rooster