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Bolt Face & Action Database

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With new calibers and cartridges popping up almost weekly, as so many gunsmiths and precision rifle builders want to improve on designs, re-barreling and chamber change of rifles is becoming much more common. The main question for shooters that want to re-barrel and re chamber their rifles to a new caliber or cartridge, is firstly if the new cartridge base will fit in and extract with the current bolt face, secondly if the new cartridge will fit in the action and cycle out of the magazine, and lastly what other if any custom work needs to be done either to the bolt or the action.

We have found quite a few smaller fragmented resources showing pieces of the information needed in various forums and chat groups on the internet and social networks, but decided to compile a larger database or type of bolt face diameter database in one spot, for all to see and learn from, and will periodically update the database as we learn of new calibers and cartridges becoming available and popular. One resource showing all the bolt face diameter sizes for the different calibers and cartridges.

bolt face database

If you disagree with anything listed in this database, or want to add anything new to it, please do go ahead and contact us with your recommendations for changes or additions as we are also still in the ongoing learning process and appreciate any feedback and information we can find.

The first database or bolt face diameter chart, is of the Various cartridges that can work with the same bolt faces and action lengths. There are basically four main bolt face diameters and two action lengths that cover most cartridges, with just a few falling outside of those. Generally short-action would be suitable for cartridges with a COAL of 2.3 – 2.8 inches, long-action would be suitable for cartridges with a COAL of 2.8 – 3.34 inches and magnum-action would be suitable for cartridges with a COAL of 3.34 inches and longer.

Bolt Face Database

Bolt Face Diameter (inches)CaliberAction Length
.318 +/-5.7×28Short Action
.384 +/-17 RemShort Action
.384 +/-204 RugerShort Action
.384 +/-222 RemShort Action
.384 +/-223 RemShort Action
.384 +/- 350 LegendShort Action
.384 +/-20 NoslerShort Action
.384 +/-22 NoslerShort Action
.384 +/-24 NoslerShort Action
.4456mm PPCShort Action
.470 +/-220 SwiftShort Action
.470 +/-225 WinShort Action
.470 +/-22-250 RemShort Action
.470 +/-22 CreedmoorShort Action
.470 +/-22XCShort Action
.470 +/-22 GTShort Action
.470 +/-22×47 LapuaShort Action
.470 +/-243 WinShort Action
.470 +/-250 SavageShort Action
.470 +/-260 RemShort Action
.470 +/-6mm Norma BRShort Action
.470 +/-6mm CreedmoorShort Action
.470 +/-6mm XCShort Action
.470 +/-6mm GTShort Action
.470 +/-6×47 LapuaShort Action
.470 +/-6mm Super LRShort Action
.470 +/-6mm-284Short Action
.470 +/-6.5/284 NormaShort Action
.470 +/-6.5mm CreedmoorShort Action
.470 +/-6.5×47 LapuaShort Action
.470 +/-7mm-08 RemShort Action
.470 +/-270-08Short Action
.470 +/-270 ReddingShort Action
.470 +/-270 Sig FuryShort Action
.470 +/-284 winShort Action
.470 +/-300 SavageShort Action
.470 +/-308 WinShort Action
.470 +/-338 FederalShort Action
.470 +/-35 RemShort Action
.470 +/-358 WinchesterShort Action
.540+/-223 WSSMShort Action
.540+/-243 WSSMShort Action
.540+/-25 WSSMShort Action
.540+/-270 WSMShort Action
.540+/-6.5 x 300 WeatherbyShort Action
.540+/-6.5 PRCShort Action
.540+/-6.5mm GAP 4S (SAUM)Short Action
.540+/-7mm Rem saumShort Action
.540+/-7mm WSMShort Action
.540+/-300 Rem saumShort Action
.540+/-300 WSMShort Action
.540+/-325 WSMShort Action
.540+/-350 Rem MagShort Action
.470 +/-6mm RemLong Action
.470 +/-240 Weatherby MagLong Action
.470 +/-257 RobertsLong Action
.470 +/-25-06 RemLong Action
.470 +/-6.5×55 SwedishLong Action
.470 +/-6.5-06 A-SquareLong Action
.470 +/-270 WinLong Action
.470 +/-7×57 MauserLong Action
.470 +/-7×64 BrennekeLong Action
.470 +/-280 RemLong Action
.470 +/-30-06 SpringfieldLong Action
.470 +/-8mm MauserLong Action
.470 +/-338/06 A SquareLong Action
.470 +/-35 WhelenLong Action
.540 +/-257 WeatherbyLong Action
.540 +/-26 NoslerLong Action
.540 +/-264 Win MagLong Action
.540 +/-270 Weatherby MagLong Action
.540 +/-7mm Rem MagLong Action
.540 +/-7mm Weatherby MagLong Action
.540 +/-7 STWLong Action
.540 +/-28 NoslerLong Action
.540 +/-28 Sherman MagnumLong Action
.540 +/-7mm Rem Ultra MagLong Action
.540 +/-300 H & HLong Action
.540 +/-300 Win MagLong Action
.540 +/-300 PRCLong Action
.540 +/-30 Sherman MagnumLong Action
.540 +/-300 Weatherby MagLong Action
.540 +/-300 RUMLong Action
.540 +/-303 BritLong Action
.540 +/-8mm Rem MagLong Action
.540 +/-338 Win MagLong Action
.540 +/-338 EDGELong Action
.540 +/-340 Weatherby MagLong Action
.540 +/-338 RUMLong Action
.540 +/-375 H & HLong Action
.540 +/-375 WeatherbyLong Action
.540 +/-375 RUMLong Action
.540 +/-416 Rem MagLong Action
.540 +/-458 Win MagLong Action
.540 +/-458 LottLong Action
.585 +/-300 Norma MagLong Action
.585 +/-338 Norma MagLong Action
.585 +/-30/378 WeatherbyLong Action
.585 +/-338 LapuaLong Action
.585 +/-33XCLong Action
.585 +/-338/378 WeatherbyLong Action
.585 +/-378 Weatherby magLong Action
.585 +/-37XCLong Action
.585 +/-416 RigbyLong Action
.585 +/-416 Weatherby MagLong Action
.585 +/-460 Weatherby MagLong Action
.585 +/-470 Nitro ExpressLong Action
.640375 CheyTacMagnum Action
.640408 CheyTacMagnum Action
.640505 GibbsMagnum Action

Next up is a database showing the more precise diameters of the case heads of the difference cartridges, and the COAL (cartridge overall length) most common on those cartridges.

Case Head & COAL Database

CaliberCase HeadCOAL
17 Rem.378″2.17″
17 Mach4.378″1.77″
204 Ruger.378″2.26″
22 RemJet.439″1.66″
22 Hornet.35″1.8″
22 KHornet.35″1.75″
22 Spitfire.356″1.65″
218 Bee.408″1.63″
218 Mashburn.408″1.63″
221 Fireball.378″1.84″
222 Rem.378″2.2″
222 RemMag.378″2.33″
223 Rem.378″2.3″
223 RemAI.378″2.3″
350 Legend.378″2.26″
220 Russian.441″2.07″
22 PPC.44″2.07″
219 Zipper.506″2.4″
22 BR.473″2″
225 Win473″2.43″
224 WeatherbyMag.43″2.38″
22-250 Rem.472″2.35″
22 XC.471″2.75″
22 Creedmoor.473″2.825″
22 GT.473″2.6″
220 Swift.473″2.7″
22×47 Lapua.473″2.795″
220 Redline.534″2.8″
224 Clark.473″3.08″
22 CheetahMkI.473″2.5″
223 WSSM.535″2.36″
22 SavHiPower.492″2.51″
6mm-223 Rem.378″2.26″
6mm PPC.441″2.19″
6mm BR.473″2.2″
6mm XC.471″2.75″
6mm GT.473″2.6″
6×47 Lapua.473″2.795″
6mm Creedmoor.473″2.825″
6mm Super LR.473″2.8″
6mm TCU.378″2.5″
6mm-284 Win.473″ (rebated)2.83″
243 Win.473″2.65″
6mm Rem.473″2.83″
240 WbyMag.473″3.08″
6.17 Spitfire.53″2.8″
243 WSSM.535″2.36″
240 Apex (BeltedNE).475″3.21″
256 WinMag.44″1.78″
25-21 Stevens.376″2.3″
25-25 Stevens.376″2.63″
25 Rem.421″2.53″
250 Sav.472″2.4″
257 Roberts.467″2.99″
25-’06 Rem.473″3.25″
25-284 Win.473″ (rebated)2.93″
257 WbyMag.53″3.3″
6.3 Scramjet.53″3.58″
6.5 Japanese.466″2.85″
6.5 Carcano.449″2.94″
6.5×54 Mann-Schoen.453″2.99″
6.5mm-257 Bob.467″2.75″
6.5×47 Lapua.473″2.795″
260 Rem.473″2.84″
6.5mm Creedmoor.473″2.825″
6.5mm GAP 4S (SAUM).534″2.85″
6.5 PRC.532″2.955″
6.5×55 Swede.476″3.03″
6.5mm-284 Win.5″2.95″
6.71 Phantom.53″2.8″
6.5mm-’06 A-Square.473″3.2″
6.5 RemMag.532″3.05″
264 WinMag.532″3.35″
26 Nosler.534″3.34″
270 Win.473″3.35″
270 WSM.535″2.86″
270 WbyMag.53″3.28″
270-08.473″2.8″
270 Redding.473″2.8″
270 Sig Fury.472″2.8″
7×33 Sako.394″1.73″
7mm TCU.378″2.68″
7mm BR.473″2.33″
7-30 Waters.506″2.55″
7mm-08 Rem.473″2.8″
7×57.473″3.02″
284 Win.473″(rebated)2.95″
7×64 Brenneke.473″3.3″
280 Rem.473″3.33″
7.21 Tomahawk.577″2.8″
7mm SAUM.534″2.84″
7mm WSM.535″2.86″
7mm RemMag.532″3.29″
7mm WbyMag.53″3.26″
28 Nosler.534″3.34″
28 Sherman Magnum.532″3.7″
7mm STW.532″3.6″
7mm-300 WbyMag.532″3.72″
7mm RUM.534″3.6″
7.21 Firebird.577″3.6″
7mm Dakota.545″3.33″
28-30 Stevens.412″2.82″
7mm H&H.532″3.22″
7mm Rigby.528″3.25″
300 Sherwood.37″2.2″
7.35 Carcano.449″2.9″
300 Whisper.378″2.26″
303 Sav.503″2.52″
300 Sav.473″2.6″
308 Win.473″2.8″
7.5×54 MAS.482″2.99″
7.5 Schmidt-Rubin.495″3.03″
30-’06 Springfield.473″3.34″
30 Gibbs.471″3.34″
300 SAUM.534″2.83″
7.82 Patriot.577″2.8″
300 WSM.535″2.86″
30-338 WinMag.532″3.34″
308 NormaMag.532″3.28″
300 H&H.532″3.65″
300 WinMag.532″3.34″
300 PRC.532″3.7″
30 Sherman Magnum.532″3.775″
300 WbyMag.53″3.56″
300 RUM.534″3.6″
300 Dakota.545″3.43″
7.82 Warbird.577″3.6″
30-378 WbyMag.603″3.67″
7.62×45 Czech.441″2.45″
7.62×39 Russian.443″2.19″
303 Brit.525″3.08″
7.7mm Japanese.471″3.17″
7.65 ArgentineMauser.473″2.95″
310 Cadet.405″1.59″
8×57 Mauser.473″2.99″
8mm-’06 Spr.473″3.18″
8×60 S.473″3.1″
8×64 Brenneke.52″3.65″
8×64 Sauer.499″3.2″
8×68 SMag.524″3.4″
8mm RemMag.532″3.6″
318 WestleyRichards.465″3.35″
33 Jeffrey.534″3.45″
338 Federal.473″2.75″
338-’06 A-Square.473″3.34″
8.59 Galaxy.577″2.8″
338 Win Mag.532″3.34″
340 Weatherby Magnum.53″3.68″
338 RUM.534″3.6″
338 Norma.588″3.60″
338 EDGE.534″3.80″
330 Dakota.545″3.33″
8.59 Titan.577″3.6″
338 Lapua Mag.588″3.68″
33XC.580″4.6″
338-378 WbyMag.603″3.76″
36 NitroExpress.48″2.98″
400-350 NE-Rigby.52″3.55″
350 RigbyMag.525″3.57″
35 Rem.46″2.51″
358 Win.473″2.78″
35 Whelen.473″3.26″
350 RemMag.532″2.93″
358 NormaMag.532″3.28″
37XC.580″4.8″
9.3×57 Mauser.469″3.23″
9.3×62 Mauser.473″3.29″
400-375 BeltedNE.466″3″
375 H&H.532″3.6″
375 Ruger.532″3.34″
376 Steyr.504″3.11″
375 WbyMag.53″3.69″
375 Rum.535″3.6″
375 Dakota.545″3.33″
378 WbyMag.603″3.65″
375 RimlessNE2-1/4.473″2.94″
10.15×61 Jarmann.615″3.06″
404 Basic.542″3.6″
416 Taylor.532″3.38″
416 RemMag.532″3.6″
10.57Meteor.577″3.62″
416 Dakota.545″3.65″
500-416 RimlessNE.59″3.91″
416 WbyMag.603″3.75″
416 Rigby.59″3.75″
404 Jeffreys.537″3.53″
10.75×68 Mauser.492″3.16″
425 WestleyRichards.467″3.3″
11.2×72 Schuler.536″3.85″
11.75×36 Montenegrin.555″1.73″
43 Mauser.586″3″
458 WinMag.532″3.3″
458 Lott.532″3.6″
450 Dakota.582″3.74″
460 WbyMag.603″3.71″
461 Gibbs.626″3.85″
470 Capstick.532″3.6″
50 Beowulf.445″2.24″
505 Gibbs.64″3.75″
500 Jeffrey.615″3.5″
50 BMG.804″5.45″
585 Nyati.66″3.53″
600-577 Rewa.66″3.7″

FAQ for Bolt Face Diameters

What Calibers Use a .308 Bolt Face?

As the .308 Winchester cartridge uses the .470 +/- bolt face, all of the other calibers and cartridges listed on the bolt face chart above, with the .470 +/- bolt face diameter, use the same bolt face as the .308 Winchester.

What Bolt Face is a 6.5 Creedmoor?

As can be seen on the bolt face database chart at the top op this page. The 6.5mm Creedmoor uses the same .470 +/- bolt face as the .308 Winchester cartridge.

What is the Bolt Face?

The bolt face is the surface of the rifle bolt, that makes contact with the cartridge case head. It also usually hold the cartridge in position inside a rifle action, and usually has a ejector pin that ejects the empty fired cartridge case, after the shot has been fired. In center fire rifles, the firing pin comes through a hole in the bolt face, to strike the primer in the cartridge case which sets of the propellant to fire the bullet.

Will a 308 Action Work for 6.5 Creedmoor?

As both the .308 Winchester and the 6.5mm Creedmoor cartridges work in short actions, and use the same .470 +/- bolt face, a .308 Winchester action or rifle will work with a barrel chambered for 6.5mm Creedmoor cartridges.

What Bolt Face is .22-250?

.22-250 Remington cartridge uses a .470 +/- bolt face.

What Bolt Face is 6.5 PRC?

The 6.5 PRC cartridge has a .532″ case head and uses the .540 +/- standard magnum bolt face.

What calibers can a 30-06 be converted to?

As the .30-06 Springfield has a .473″ case head and uses the .470 +/- bolt face, any cartridges list on the above two bolt face diameter and action length database charts above, that also use the .470 +/- bolt face, and have a COAL of 3.34″ or shorter, will work with .30-06 actions. However, it is a waste of space to use short action cartridges in long actions.

What calibers use a 308 case?

The .308 Winchester is the parent case to familiar cartridges like the .243 Winchester, .260 Remington, 7mm-08 Remington, .338 Federal, ..358 Winchester and all their associate wildcat cartridges and calibers developed from them.

Please do contact us if you have any new calibers or cartridges you think we should add to the bolt face diameter chart above, we love learning about and teaching others about bolt face sizes and which are compatible. There are many changes that are quite easily compatible, like changing from a 308 Winchester action and chamber, over to a 6.5mm Creedmoor, or 6mm Creedmoor or even .22 Creedmoor. You can even change a .22-250 over to a .22-250 Ackley Improved, or a 22XC or a 22GT and even the same .22 Creedmoor mentioned above. When studying the bolt face charts above, you will see the the possibilities are endless.

It makes sense when you are quite heavily into precision rifle shooting, and going to change your barrel to a custom or competition barrel in any case, to just buy the rifle or action you want in any compatible bolt face action, and then fit the new barrel and cartridge chamber onto it, instead of having to wait for the action or rifle manufacturers to first have to produce the caliber rifle you want.

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