P14 make over, who works on these in Canada?

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45ACPKING

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A friend dropped off an ERA P14 the other day and I'd like to make a winter project out of it.

I know only the basics and history behind the rifle but from a smithing standpoint, I'd like some advice.

I'd like to either rechamber or rebarrel to a magnum short barrel. Nothing extreme, maybe 7mm rm ?

Who's done this, or who can do this for me... OR, should I even bother LoL
**I'll add, for the "bubba" haters, the rifles rear sight has been milled off, destroying milsurp collector value. Weaver bases installed, and who ever took the front sight off had a party with a cold chisel or somethin :( stocks been sporterized and is cracked anyways. Action is smooth as silk and in fantastic condition. Very nice trigger.
 
I wouldn't recommend doing anything to an Eddystone action, very hard, almost brittle actions. The Winchester and Remington made ones are far superior in the steel and the heat treating.
 
guntech said:
I wouldn't recommend doing anything to an Eddystone action, very hard, almost brittle actions. The Winchester and Remington made ones are far superior in the steel and the heat treating.
Click to expand...

Thanx for the reply Dennis.
Overall the rifle is in fine shooting condition, excellent bore and such. Are these ERA actions known to fail? As in , not a worthy rifle to keep handy for a spare deer rifle?
I figure in the least, I might cut and crown the barrel at 19" and make a new stock for her.
Or throw her in the locker with the guns I never shoot LOL
 
It is my understanding that ERA barrels were attached and torqued to the actions using a hydraulic device rather than by hand and, as a result many were grossly overtorqued. It was this, rather than defective receivers that would then cause the cracks you sometimes hear of on this and some other boards. If you have the barrel replaced have the smith make a relief cut on the barrel to reduce the torque necessary to remove the original and you should be OK. This assumes that the receiver is not already cracked.
 
Cool, thx for the input guys.
I'm gonna research a bit.
I just hate seeing a potentially useful hunting tool go to waste.
I'm just finishing putting together, from the bare Lithgow receiver up, another excellent deer rifle. All the parts purchased here from the "left overs" from guys refurbing/restoring collector enfields. Maybe I'll throw up a pic or two when she's ready.

As for the P14, I dunno, my time is of no concern, and I have all the tools and equipment but I don't want to try and turn potential junk into gold either LOL
I'll do some research on the eddystones and decide what I'm gonna do with her.
 
The money spent trying to make this into a nice hunting rifle will never be regained and will probably cost more than buying a new rifle. There is nothing particularity attractive about an old P14 to start with... all original rifles have some collectible value. The beaters should be made into anchors as far as I am concerned.
 
If there is any concern about the receiver, pour alcohole on it, and wipe it off, if there are any cracks that can't be seen by the eye, they will show up as wet lines. A labour of love always costs more than buying off of the rack :)
ivor
 
I've had my 303 Epps based on the Eddystone P14 action since the early 80's , it's hasn't self destructed on me yet.
Sounds like a lot of the work is done. Sight ears gone and the action drilled and tapped. The mag box and floor plate on mine were straightened to remove the belly, but isn't really necessary.
The bolt handle can be changed but functions fine the way it is. Mine has a Timney trigger. It was built at Epps shop.
Not everyone wants a Rem700.
 
303EppsFan said:
I've had my 303 Epps based on the Eddystone P14 action since the early 80's , it's hasn't self destructed on me yet.
Sounds like a lot of the work is done. Sight ears gone and the action drilled and tapped. The mag box and floor plate on mine were straightened to remove the belly, but isn't really necessary.
The bolt handle can be changed but functions fine the way it is. Mine has a Timney trigger. It was built at Epps shop.
Not everyone wants a Rem700.
Click to expand...

While I do have a Guntech tuned rem700 .338 stainless coming to me, I have a bit of a thing for hunting with reborn milsurps. Rememberance day for me, is "always without fail" , spent solo, in the woods, with my BSA shtle III* and a poppy, on foot, hunting the 4pt or better mulie season ;)
And over the years, these days get more special to me.

Anyhow, I've read that ol man Epps made up a 303 magnum? Based off the P14.
No cracks in this one. In fact, other than a cracked stock and finish wear, the rifle is in fine shooting condition.
Gonna check headspace tomorrow, put her back together and feed her some 303 SP. I'll start making a new stock for her and probably bob the barrel after I see how she shoots.
Maybe I'll wear my face shield :D
Perhaps I'll take some pics tomorrow so if I clean her up and give her a new life, I can show a before n after
I'm retired and can't go fishin every day... Spending quality time wwith this ol girl won't be wastin time at all :D
 
My late Brother built a 404 Jeffery on a BSA P14 for my 60th b/day and it is by far one of the finest working and shooting rifles I have ever had.
He was working full time as a millwright so everything including stock work and barrel making was done in his spare time, apparently the build took three years. It shot so well that he eventually built an identical rifle for his own use...
 
"...who works on these in Canada..." I seriously doubt there is anybody professionally working on milsurps these days. Far too time consuming.
"...at 19"..." Too short. To much velocity loss.
"...all original rifles have some collectible value...." This one isn't. Expect for parts, it has no collector value.
 
Century used to do them over as sporters into the mid 90s, 7mm Mag and 300wm, as well as a quick overhaul for the rifles in 3006 and 303 brit.. The price they sold them at was unbeatable when you consider the work involved when going to a magnum. You will need to rebarrel (though they used to just ream the 300wm guns, its not recommended any more by most folks), bolt face work possibly, then mag work to get them to hold magnums and feed right etc. Then there is cosmetic work. If its an ERA you can do a hardness test, easily enough done in major centers, or have it reheat treated ($). A-square used to build rifles on old P14/17s, right up until recently. They are a nice enough starting point, especially if going to a big round, but the cost will add up big time. That said if money is no issue, try Dave Jennings, or google.
 
well....... this one was my hobby for the past couple years off and on......... I just finished her yesterday, not a P14 , but a 1920 A star Lithgow .303



 
Heres one i built up (no i never cut up a perfectly correct P17 it was cut down by Bubba back in the 60s) Used a Boyds Prairie hunter stock was perfect fit outa box , Leupold rifleman 3x9 scope clears factory bolt handle, did some bedding and mounted a weaver rail and rings. Still might buy a Timney trigger but this damn thing shoots so darn good i might just leave it , I was getting 5 shot groups the size of a golf ball at 100m with Remington 180 gr 30.06 factory ammo more than good enough for hunting , still have not tried high end ammo or reloads yet ..

DSC01440_zpsb3745500.jpg
 
boss351cleveland said:
Heres one i built up (no i never cut up a perfectly correct P17 it was cut down by Bubba back in the 60s) Used a Boyds Prairie hunter stock was perfect fit outa box , Leupold rifleman 3x9 scope clears factory bolt handle, did some bedding and mounted a weaver rail and rings. Still might buy a Timney trigger but this damn thing shoots so darn good i might just leave it , I was getting 5 shot groups the size of a golf ball at 100m with Remington 180 gr 30.06 factory ammo more than good enough for hunting , still have not tried high end ammo or reloads yet ..

DSC01440_zpsb3745500.jpg
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very nice :rockOn:
I like that a lot!!
 
I have a couple barrelled actions as described by 45ACP and would like to do something with them as well. I understand your retired now, but please post up what you accomplish.

I've heard western gun parts has some commercial barrels for P-14's or M-17's on the cheap. One of mine has a 308 Norma chambered barrel and the other .303 Brit but I would like to change caliber a and build a couple stocks for them one day.

That Boyd's stock looks excellent BTW.
 
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People have no idea what great rifle Enfield action is, due to the thousands of butchard P-14/17 actions out there!
I bought a Remington model 30 Express, now this is a well put together factory P-17 sporter done in the later 1920's till pre WW2. Also A-Square tuned out the most reliable big bores in the African content , that most African game department still use this as there issue firearm!
Everyone is right that it cost is prohibitive to convert the millsurp Enfield, but the Remington model 30 are still out there ready to be worked on into a nice medium bore rifle that will hold its value.
My next project is a 9.3x62 Express on a clean Rem 30 !
Hurrah to those that value the Enfield, the strongest , most reliable feeding bolt action. rates up there with the BRNO 602 in my opinion!
Cheers Dale Z!
 
I think clean Rem 30 rifles would have more collectible value at this point in time. I have a 30 Express carbine in 30-06, very nice gun. I also have a few sporters built on the P14/M17 actions, and quite like them. Decades ago I saw a Burgess 416 Rigby built on one of these and it so enthralled me that I had to build myself a copy. My skills are nowhere near those of the late Mr. Burgess sadly, but I learned a lot in the attempt. I still have a P14 in 375 Wby, nice rifle , and two or three receivers sitting around waiting for yet another project. Art Alphin's A-Square rifles were a later inspiration, and though ugly as sin worked so well to soak up the recoil of real big bore cartridges (no, 375 H&H et al are not big bore cartridges , medium bore really). Right now I would like to find a 720 version of this rifle, but they are fairly thin on the ground, particularly in this country. Oh well, something to aspire to I suppose. - dan
 
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