A long & a short from two standards?

[Ray B]

I've seen short actions for cartridges such as the 250 Sav that were made from standard 98 Mauser actions by cutting a chunk out of the rails. I'm wondering if anyone ever took two actions, cut the rails, one close to the receiver, the other close to the bridge, then swapped sections so that one action had the two long rails and the other had the two short rails; thus providing a short action for a 250 Sav type cartridge and a long action that would need only slight modifications to take a long magnum cartridge. With factory long actions presently available, it wouldn't make much sense but back in the day when they weren't, it seems like a reasonable solution.

 

[stug]

Pretty sure I have heard of it being done.

 

[nztimb]

It was done often when there was little supply of the apropriate action lengths but the time = cost makes it a rarely done thing now when there are many excellent actions of all lengths being made again. A lot of work as the bolt, floorplate etc all has to be altered so there are many areas for a screw-ups to occur.

 

[GuttormG]

Shouldnt be any problem to do that.

 

[Shawn.54]

I know of a 8mm Remington Mag that was made by cutting two actions and asked the maker about using the short pcs to do a short action and he said his father did make a short action with the leftovers.
So it is possible.
Shawn

 

[IvW]

Personally I would not go that route. Just buy actions in the right length for whatever cartridge it is you need and save yourself a lot of hassle and you also know in the end the action is up to the task.

 

[Shawn.54]

Personally I would not go that route. Just buy actions in the right length for whatever cartridge it is you need and save yourself a lot of hassle and you also know in the end the action is up to the task.

To some people a project like this is not a hassle and more of a challenge of their skills.
And as far as soundness of the action as long as the work is where heat does not affect locking lugs there is no problem.
Shawn