Did it, a .303 to 7.62 x 39

mkrainc

mkrainc

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I finally got after the project that I had sitting in the gun case for awhile. A Lee Enfield No.4 Mk1 that had a damaged chamber.

A short history on the rifle. It was given to me by a friend. I mounted a scope, and tried to sight it in. It wouldn't sight in. I had looked at the cases, but failed to look at the shoulder. After 55 rounds I noticed the shoulder was expanded about 3 mm longer.

I considered it being an Ackly or Epps improved, but the dimentions were wrong and the angle wasn't correct on the shoulder. Plus there was a ridge where the old shoulder was. So I'm guessing a previous owner removed a broken case with a drill, and went too far.

So this was a perfect donor for changing it to shoot the 7.62 x 39. I got some good advice from fellow CGN'ers who had done this also, and tackled the job.

Took it to the range today. After a test fire, and inspection, aimed at a 4" swinger at 100 yards, and nailed first shot. A second shot at it was a miss, but the third was also a hit.

All in all, I'm very happy with the end result. A few more tweeks, and she'll be good to go.
 
I'm going to use the original magazine for the No.4. I didn't have it done for today's shoot, but I have a good start on it. I disected the back half of a factory SKS magazine, which slides inside. I will silver solder it in place. I will use a shortened mag spring from an 858, and I shortened the LE pusher (?) to fit inside.

As per request, I will post pics when I take them. :)

Yes, I did use the same barrel. After I removed it from the action, I turned the chamber end down to the correct diameter and length, threaded it, then cut off the excess. There was alot of measuring involved as it all had to be indexed, as the sight and bayonette lugs had to be exactly in proper relation to the receiver because of the peep sight being on the action.

The part that helped with reaming the chamber, is that the 7.62 casing is close in dimentions to the .303 British, at the end of the case.
 
i've been accumulating parts to build one of these , it looks like a person could easily turn the shoulder of the barrel down and run the threads up the barrel , then use a barrel nut similar to the savage bolt rifles .

mkrainc ;

did you leave the 303 bolt head stock ?

how far did you have the cartridge head stick out of the chamber ?

any idea how much distance you have between the bolt face and the end of the barrel ?
 
Thanks for the info , post some pics and info about the mag changes when you can.
I have a mark 3 - that has a bulged chamber and this sounds like the way to fix it .
I would get a gunsmith to rechamber it...any idea what it may cost at a gunsmith ?
 
mkrainc said:
I'm going to use the original magazine for the No.4. I didn't have it done for today's shoot, but I have a good start on it. I disected the back half of a factory SKS magazine, which slides inside. I will silver solder it in place. I will use a shortened mag spring from an 858, and I shortened the LE pusher (?) to fit inside.

As per request, I will post pics when I take them. :)

Yes, I did use the same barrel. After I removed it from the action, I turned the chamber end down to the correct diameter and length, threaded it, then cut off the excess. There was alot of measuring involved as it all had to be indexed, as the sight and bayonette lugs had to be exactly in proper relation to the receiver because of the peep sight being on the action.

The part that helped with reaming the chamber, is that the 7.62 casing is close in dimentions to the .303 British, at the end of the case.
Click to expand...

That sounds like an awful lot of work.:(

I'm wondering how hard it would be to adapt it to accept a 5 round AK-47 mag?:confused:
 
You must post pics!

This is an easy conversion as conversions go, so far as the chamber aspects, but mag solutions is where it gets challenging. I have a No III MkI converted as such by someone else, and it simply involved removing 0.600" from the chamber end of the barrel, cutting an extractor groove in the chamber, and extending the threads the same 0.600". The extractor pulls my fired brass out with consistency, and I simply have the brass fall into a magazine with its "guts" removed, like is done with 22 LR conversions.

I am working on afixing a Mini 30 mag into the Lee Enfield magazine body as it seems the best way forward, but won't get to it for some time.
 
I revamped the bolt head a bit. Didn't have to do anything with the extractor, it works fine. I silver soldered a ring on the face. The bolt wouldn't push home easily, so I ground away the ring on the bottom. Now when the bolt picks up the next round, the rim slides up behind the extractor.

I ground a tapered groove in the bolt head oposite the extractor, then put a spring loaded pin on the receiver. When the bolt is pulled back, the pin hooks behind the spent case, and flips it out. Works slick, but I'm going to try something else as it marks up the case. Not an issue with milsurp ammo, but with reloadable brass it is an issue. When I do this again, I will use a spring loaded pin on the bolt head itself.

The cartridge head sticks out the same distance as it does on the SKS or the CZ 858. I used those rifles as a guide. I reamed the chamber while the barrel was in the lathe till it was close. I didn't finish reaming it until the barrel was on the action. I put in a dummy round and kept reaming it by hand bit by bit until the bolt would just close on the case.

I have no idea what a gunsmith charges to rechamber a rifle barrel. I bought my reamer from brownells for a hundred bucks. I plan on doing more than one gun though, and after letting one of my shooting partners try it out, I'm guessing probably another one.

I thought about adapting a different magazine to the rifle, but when I post a picture of what I came up with, you'll see it's a much simpler solution.

Pictures are forthcoming.
 
I am building one using an old 308 match rifle barrel on a rem 788. At 19" it will be handy and very stiff. Extractor will by Sako.

The chamber will be a standard 7.62x39. Throat will be moved forward a bit to facilitate 308 match bullets seated out a bit and to reduce pressure on milsrp ammo.

I am hoping a 22-250 magazine would be about right for the commie round.
 
Have a No4 in 7.62x39. They set the barrel back and rechambered.
Other mods were to the trigger housing so it uses Roumanian single stack magazines
Of course moving the ejector screw, modifying the bolt face and moving the front sight back
No Enfields were harmed in the process since It was a Bubba to start with.
 
Here are a couple of pictures for now. Been having troubles with the magazine, but once I get it sorted out, I'll post the pics. I need to take better pictures of the bolt face.

DummyRoundDepth.jpg


th_LeeEnfieldConversion032.jpgt=1319001183
 
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