Epps .303/Enfield Wildcat Conversions

[Andy]

Anyone with a reamer can do the conversion.

The 303 Brit round is one of the better rounds for "improving" and the conversion will give it a capacity between the 308 and 30-06, and add about 100 fps to your MV if you keep the pressures the same as before conversion. In a Lee Enfield you'd be wise to do just that.

Anyone "getting" anywhere close to 300 Win Mag velocities out of a 303 Epps is working at an exceptionally high pressure.

[burnt_servo]

.

Anyone "getting" anywhere close to 300 Win Mag velocities out of a 303 Epps is working at an exceptionally high pressure.

you need to think in terms of a 300 winmag case necked up to 303 diameter ( 303 epps mag ) , not a 303 case with a sharp shoulder ( 303 british improved ) .

there was a thread a couple months ago about this .

[Andy]

you need to think in terms of a 300 winmag case necked up to 303 diameter ( 303 epps mag ) , not a 303 case with a sharp shoulder ( 303 british improved ) .

there was a thread a couple months ago about this .

There have been several threads over the years on running a 300 Win Mag reamer into a P14 chamber, but it was always called a "303 Win Mag" - until recently apparently. Elwood Epps never did such a conversion, so I don't know how his name got attached to it, but when someone does, the distinction between a real Epps conversion (from 303 Brit) and that one (from 300 Win Mag) gets lost and the confusion could result in too high expectations, i.e. 300 Win Mag velocities from a 303 Brit conversion.

The 303 Win Mag conversion is simple: aside from the reaming, the neck of the brass will need to be reduced by up to 5 thou to provide adequate clearance.

A more common conversion is to ream a P17 (Enfield Model of 1917) to 300 Win Mag and use a P14 bolt - I have one.

[Steve.30-06]

Just a question, can the .303 Win Mag conversion be done to a SMLE No 4 Mk 2? Or is the action not strong enough?

[Andy]

Just a question, can the .303 Win Mag conversion be done to a SMLE No 4 Mk 2? Or is the action not strong enough?

This is actually a trick question. You can do the conversion if you then limit the 303 Win mag loads to 40K psi, not the 60K+ psi that you will find in factory loads.

Since that won't happen, the answer is NO.

[Tyroma]

I had a Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.I that was built by Ellwood Epps (...yup - same as the store in Orillia...that was his place). It was chambered in 25/303. What a varmint destroyer that was! Shouldn't have sold it, but was tricky to make the ammo...

TY

[sbound]

Rob Wise, of Wise Choice Gunsmithing, is Ellwood Epps grandson. His shop is located just a couple of miles north of the Epps store and he currently operates as a gunsmith.

If anyone knows about this stuff, I would think it would be him.

[Steve.30-06]

This is actually a trick question. You can do the conversion if you then limit the 303 Win mag loads to 40K psi, not the 60K+ psi that you will find in factory loads.

Since that won't happen, the answer is NO.

What about the .303 Epps in a No 4 Mk 2? or is this another trick question?

[Andy]

What about the .303 Epps in a No 4 Mk 2? or is this another trick question?

No - many were done and it will show a major improvement in velocity over the 303 Brit. Like with any gun, you will still need to respect its pressure limitations after the rechambering. You will likely see a 100 fps increase in MV with 174 gr bullets, and some improvement in brass life. It's up to you if that's worth it - you'll certainly never recoup the cost of rechambering and dies, but you'll have a cool chambering.

[stevejones]

I had a Ross that Epps had converted to 358/03. The cartridge was comparable to 358 Winchester. I had a gunsmith inspect it and he noticed that the original barrel had been re-bored. I'm no gunsmith but I am sure that was a notable piece of work. I recall a caliber that was brought out in the 80's (?) called the 303 Imperial magnum. I'm not sure but it was probably a 300 Winchester case that was used.

Cheers. Steve.