I have no interest in re-arranging my face and I agree that the barrel may be too thin at the receiver. I think I'll start looking at the 8mm-06 or the AI version of that chambering. The 8x63 Swede is interesting. Sailormilan - did you ever look at the 9.3x62 case for resizing to the Swede? Its dimensions are closer than the 30-06 to the Swede. rim dia.... .470", base dia.... .476", shoulder dia.... .451", case length.... 2.441". The case is a little short, but it may grow when it is necked down to 8mm.
I cut the barrel down to 26in and recrowned it. I bought new FN commercial bottom metal and I have a new laminated stock fitted. I still need to glass bed the stock and then I'll use Tung oil for the finish.
I plan to shoot it in the original chambering just in case its a real good shooter. If not, then I may change it to 8mm-6. (I once bought a Winchester M70 in 338 WinMag because I was planning on rebarreling it to 358 Norma Mag. I took it to the range first and it put 5 250gr inside of 1". I didn't want to mess around with something that shot this good, so it is still a 338WM and I am looking for another action that I could convert to the Norma.)