clandestine
AR-15 Savant
If it were me, I would not chamber a gun in a new caliber that was not safe given standard spec, someone buys it off the self and drops the round in the chamber, type round. So I would go with a 30-30 or keep in original caliber if it were me.
I tend not to like SBRs. That said, why not just get a 30-30 barrel blank and rechamber it and turn it back into a useful rifle. What are you going to do with a full size cartridge gun with a 16+" barrel? Not much. Goes from a wall hanger to a safe queen. If you chambered it in 30-30, that changes everything and its now a useful little rifle with a full size barrel and you can buy ammo off the shelf.
I am smart enough to know when to know not to do something. I have been avoiding loading for full size rifle rounds for this reason if none other. I have had no one to teach me how to reload. Now that I have done 10k rounds of 45ACP and 45LC, I feel like I learned enough to step up to full size rifle rounds. However some of the things people do is just scary! I would not want to start with a full size rifle round. Also reloading setups are pretty expensive if you do it right. Its a lot of money for a round you will never use again and loading light rounds for a gun you will rarely fire... I am guessing.
I would rather put the work in the front end and make a nice 30-30 out of it, than spend work every time to reload for it. Its historic value is already dead, so if it was me.... 30-30 it would be.
Just my thoughts...
Sometimes you wish you Grandparents just sold them rather then passed them down. I have a 48AL Franchi 12 Gauge that likes to go off when the bolt is closed. I can get a stronger firing pin spring but I can't get a factory one. Its just not something I am going to hand to someone else to use and I have a better gun for myself... and its my Grandad's gun, so I can't really sell it...
Well you just changed my mind. My apprehension about reloading on top of not so common brass is enough for me.
30-30 it is. I'm going to try and pull the barrel. If I can get it off without damaging the barrel or receiver then I'm certain that I'm good to go. From there I have to turn the barrel back at least one rotation if not 2 to set it back far enough to get a complete cut with the reamer. I can rent a 30-30 reamer.
If I can get it to headspace then I'm golden. Ill chop the barrel and add a permanent muzzle device if needed and then work on the extractor, ejector, feed geometry and magazine mods. Worst case ill put a sled in the mag and single load it. I know I can get the extractor and ejector to work without a problem.
From there its all wood repair and metal refinishing.