M-24

[airplanejoe]

For those folks familiar with the M-24 rifle, I understand it's a long action based but chambered for 7.62X51. The reason for this, I was told was that the US Army wanted to be able to eventually re-chamber it for .300 mag or 30-06. Anyone familiar with what would be required (besides a barrel) to make that change happen?
aj

[Kennebago]

My understanding is that the Army's deep thinkers originally wanted it in .30-06 (M72 Match) and, in their infinite wisdom, changed their minds too late in the process (due to logistics problems with M72 loads) for Remington to use short-action receivers and still make the sample submission deadline. Changing to .300 Win Mag years later for the XM2010 overhaul was unintended, but fortunate.

Rebarrelling and opening up the bolt face to .540 should be all that's necessary, to answer the question. The XM2010 upgrade involved more than that, obviously, but just switching cartridges is pretty straightforward.