win 1895 rebarrelling question

[wannabe]

I know it was fairly popular at one time but has anyone had any recent experience having a 303 british military barrel fitted to an old 1895?

 

[tiriaq]

I adapted a No. 4 barrel to a '95 a while back. Certainly doable.

 

[wannabe]

what would something like that cost? I have a nice longbranch 6 groove

 

[Mike Webb]

From what i can learn the rimmed cartridge chambering use same extractor and ejector. The 30/06 and 30/03 use a different type and the 7.62 Russian use another type again. So if your rifle was originally 303, 30/40 krag etc should be just threading barrel shank and headspace. Someone may correct me if I'm mistaken.

 

[slug]

Long ago, a local smith would rebarrel 1895's with 7.62 Mosin Nagant barrels.

 

[tiriaq]

what would something like that cost? I have a nice longbranch 6 groove

If you have a nice LB 6 groove in issue configuration, it would be a shame to use it for this project.
There are other LE barrels to be had that are worth less, are less desireable.

As mentioned, a .303 or .30-40 would be the best choice, based on the bolt face and extractor. A .30-40 mgazine isn't quite right for the .303.
In addition to the machining at the breech end of the barrel, mounting the forend is a consideration, as are sight mounting and finishing.

Cost? Isn't going to be cheap. More fiddling around than rebarreling many other rifles.

 

[Mike Webb]

Forearm mounts with a 3/8 dovetail nut installed in a dovetail in the bottom of the barrel. Simple matter to cut after machining the rear sight dovetail. Same set up just rotate barrel after cutting sight dovetail.