Here is a simple, short filler type magazine article that has run in a gun magazine. It is an informational article that advises gun owners of what can be done with old guns that have shot out bores. It reveals that their classic rifle of yesteryear is not dead, but can be resurrected and live on as a more modern weapon while still keeping its original classic look. Many old guns are very pleasing to the eye and nicely balanced with slim, artistic lines. Saving one of these fine old weapons can bring a smile to the face of a gun owner that can be seen for a city block. Notice that the first paragraph is what we call a lead. The lead paragraph draws the interest of the reader and gives him or her enough information to "hook" their interest so that they will read the rest of the article.

If you have a prized old firearm with a worn bore, but the rest of the gun is sound, you might consider a rebore job from a competent gunsmith. That way you can keep the same sights, manufacturer's markings and original finish. Often, such a firearm can be "opened up" to a larger caliber, using the same case or one of the same family. This is true of a shot-out 25/06, .270 .284 or .30/06. Actually, these and most of the '98 Mauser family and spinoffs thereof, all use the same basic case trimmed to different lengths. So, a .25/06 or.270 can be rebored to a .284, 30/06, 8mm/06, 338/06, .35 Whelen, or 375/06 which is sometimes called a .375 Whelen. The .348, and .351 Winchesters can be opened up to .357 caliber, and the .358 Win can become a .375 Win. Even the Remington 760 in .270 can be opened up to .284, 30/06, 8mm/06, .338/06 or .35 Whelen. You can't go to .375 as the depth of the rear sight screws don't leave enough steel to be safe.

Other guns can benefit from a bit of reworking too. The 8mm JS Mauser (8X57 with .323 bore) can become an 8mm/06 by a simple chamber ream that will add a couple of hundred fps to its punch. A good, strong 98 Mauser action can be rebarreled to the .300 Win Mag, the .338 win mag, the wildcat .375 Win Mag and the ever popular.458 Winchester Magnum if you want. The 98 Mauser action is that strong. Just screw in a new barrel of the propper type, set the head space, do a little bolt face work and open up the magazine rails a tad. Actually, it's a pretty simple job. Of course, you will have to remove a bit of stock material, add a recoil lug and rebed the action too. The easy way is to just buy an appropriate stock that's ready to go. Even so, for no more than five or six hundred dollars, you could own a genuine safari gun if you keep it simple and buy right. Most of the big money spent on guns is for fancy finishes, cosmetics, checkering and accessories. On the realistic side, I've seen chambered .458 barrels for less than a $100.00 and composite stocks also around a $100.00. That's $200.00 plus gunsmithing fees and whatever sights you might want. See, the conversion is not impossible if you keep your senses.

Going the other way, many cartridges can be necked down by changing barrels and chambers within the same family. The .458 Win Mag based cartridge line goes all the way down to .300 Win Mag where the 30/06 case takes over down to 25/06. Of course, in the wildcat world, the two overlap quite a bit. The .458 mag can be necked down to the .416 or any other of the forty calibers too. So can the old 45/70. The 40/70 is a real game getter when set up right. This just scratches the surface of the possibilities available to the gun fancier who wants to keep and improve what he's got or acquire something unusual.

The author of this web site, William L. Lampe is available for
Business Communications, Technical and Copy Writing assignments
through his Editorial Services Consulting Agency,
The A-Company, established 1970.