Any R.B. Boys MK1 .55 Anti Tank Rifle for sale somewhere?

I picked one up last month. Purchased from a fellow in Maryland. Converted to .50 BMG. Even Walmart carries 10 rd packs of .50 bmg down here.

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the .50 bmg conversions are really interesting to me id pay a about $3000 for one in decent shape but id most likely rebarrel it back to .55 boys(without the belt maybe)
 
stencollector said:
1990 called and they want their prices back.
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they are worth more to me in .55 boys if I wanted a .50 I could get one for about that price(canstar arms). brass for the .55 can be made from .50 bmg bullets can be had from Woodleigh(new production are .562") or turned(I have a drawing sent to me by Peter Meyer for his solid copper bullet)
 
antiqueguy said:
they are worth more to me in .55 boys if I wanted a .50 I could get one for about that price(canstar arms). brass for the .55 can be made from .50 bmg bullets can be had from Woodleigh(new production are .562") or turned(I have a drawing sent to me by Peter Meyer for his solid copper bullet)
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You can get a historic piece like a boys rifle for $3,000 from Canstar? Or do you mean some basic single shot 50 cal rifle? That would be like saying 75 stingray vette with a 350 is the same as a 93 chev pick up with the same motor. There is no comparison.

As to the slight difference in caliber, I can tell you I have owned both and the difference is indiscernible.
 
stencollector said:
You can get a historic piece like a boys rifle for $3,000 from Canstar? Or do you mean some basic single shot 50 cal rifle? That would be like saying 75 stingray vette with a 350 is the same as a 93 chev pick up with the same motor. There is no comparison.

As to the slight difference in caliber, I can tell you I have owned both and the difference is indiscernible.
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once its converted its lost all historical value
 
That's not what the prices of them say. If that were the case, then any of them converted to 50 here would be going for that $3K you quote.

The caliber change only requires a change in barrel and no real modifications to the frame or other parts of the rifle. You modify the front nose of the magazine as well if you want magazine feed.

Anyway, when you find that Boys rifle convert and it is not at your hopeful price of 3K, let us all know so real buyers can get in on it.
 
Rebarrelling to .50 does not affect collector value, if the barrelled action is unaltered, and the .55 barrel retained. The rifle can always be returned to its original configuration.
 
tiriaq said:
Rebarrelling to .50 does not affect collector value, if the barrelled action is unaltered, and the .55 barrel retained. The rifle can always be returned to its original configuration.
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this is true but how many have you seen with the .55 barrel I understand that there is no alterations needed to the action for a .50 conversion but once the .55 barrel is lost there is no return
 
antiqueguy said:
this is true but how many have you seen with the .55 barrel I understand that there is no alterations needed to the action for a .50 conversion but once the .55 barrel is lost there is no return
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This will be my last post to this thread, as it is like arguing with a brick wall. There are those who pay to play, then there are those who make excuses why they are not in the game. I think I know which one I am talking to.

I sold my first Boys rifle with both barrels, and this one is strictly in 50. I have had opportunities to pick up 55 barrels and passed. I have enough wall hangers now, and don't wish to add the boys rifle to that segment of the collection.
 
why would a .55 boys be a wall hanger when brass can be formed from .50 bmg and bullet can be bought or machined .55 could be loaded for almost the same cast per round as .50 bmg idk if you noticed lately but there is no "cheap" surplus .50 bmg anymore. I don't care what other people do to their guns but just don't expect full price for it from me once its been converted and btw I had the money in cash to buy one for over a year the opportunity never knocked and it was spent on other things frankly I just want it so I can destroy import cars and owning things bigger a .50 bmg is a bit different
 
antiqueguy

Get educated!!! I know where you are going with your last comment but think before you speak.

1. .55 is a Dangerous Device in the US - so most people convert them for legal reasons.
2. The were US marked 50 BMG Boys rifles out there - so technically a conversion is just a variation.
3. The only thing you are changing out in the conversion is the barrel - you can always refit the original barrel and often converted rifles are sold with both barrels. There is also a Canadian Gunsmith who contours the barrel so you can fit on all the proper fittings but due to the size of lathe the rifle is a few inches shorter - last time I saw a Boys - I never took a tape to it....
4. You are forgetting that you can get 50BMG ammo for as low as $5.00/rnd - .55 you would have to cast bullets or size Woodleigh bullets (not quite right), you would also have to get a 50 BMG press and a custom set of Boys Dies for loading ($300-800 for dies alone). So lets do some math...my time to resize brass...minimum $800 loading equipment or a conversion and then I can get over the counter brass....Hmmmm...last time I checked my taxes my time is worth more than minimum wage - so the conversion sounds financially tempting....

Even Jesse James converted his Dangerous Devise Browning 1918 to 308 so he so he could shoot cheaper ammo and he has quite a bit of coin and again the conversion back to 30-06 is pretty minimalist.

I usually wouldn't harp but with this and some nonsense about M3 Sten Guns...sheesh!!!
 
thealchemist said:
antiqueguy

Get educated!!! I know where you are going with your last comment but think before you speak.

1. .55 is a Dangerous Device in the US - so most people convert them for legal reasons.
2. The were US marked 50 BMG Boys rifles out there - so technically a conversion is just a variation.
3. The only thing you are changing out in the conversion is the barrel - you can always refit the original barrel and often converted rifles are sold with both barrels. There is also a Canadian Gunsmith who contours the barrel so you can fit on all the proper fittings but due to the size of lathe the rifle is a few inches shorter - last time I saw a Boys - I never took a tape to it....
4. You are forgetting that you can get 50BMG ammo for as low as $5.00/rnd - .55 you would have to cast bullets or size Woodleigh bullets (not quite right), you would also have to get a 50 BMG press and a custom set of Boys Dies for loading ($300-800 for dies alone). So lets do some math...my time to resize brass...minimum $800 loading equipment or a conversion and then I can get over the counter brass....Hmmmm...last time I checked my taxes my time is worth more than minimum wage - so the conversion sounds financially tempting....

Even Jesse James converted his Dangerous Devise Browning 1918 to 308 so he so he could shoot cheaper ammo and he has quite a bit of coin and again the conversion back to 30-06 is pretty minimalist.

I usually wouldn't harp but with this and some nonsense about M3 Sten Guns...sheesh!!!
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im not in the US and every .50 conversion I have seen for sale has not come with the .55 barrel(normally long gone) the whole point of owning a boys ATR is because its a boys ATR the original caliber is what I would prefer for my collection I was just offering my opinion im into collecting history its not like im going to drag it out every weekend and blast away but shooting it a couple times a year it would be a non issue to reload for it

BTW DD stands for destructive device the 1918 is not its full auto a destructive device is a large caliber firearm or explosive device that is meant to be a weapon
 
I Just got,a box of old Ross parts at a gun show, as I was going though it I found a few pieces that were not Ross. One in particular, is what looks like a firing pin, after a lucky Google search I think I have 3 strikers for the Boys anti tank rifle. Maybe I should look around for a rifle, to use them in, or find someone that needs them more than I do. I can email pics to some that can positively identify them.
 
thealchemist said:
antiqueguy

3. The only thing you are changing out in the conversion is the barrel - you can always refit the original barrel and often converted rifles are sold with both barrels. There is also a Canadian Gunsmith who contours the barrel so you can fit on all the proper fittings but due to the size of lathe the rifle is a few inches shorter - last time I saw a Boys - I never took a tape to it....
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Could you please elaborate about the barrel change - is the new .50 barrel a little bit shorter? How hard is to put original barrel back? l I think I share same concern as many other - I'm fine with conversion provided it leaves the way to have the rifle in original configuration.
 
Horilka said:
Could you please elaborate about the barrel change - is the new .50 barrel a little bit shorter? How hard is to put original barrel back? l I think I share same concern as many other - I'm fine with conversion provided it leaves the way to have the rifle in original configuration.
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the barrel is shorter because the lathe wont fut a full length one, to return to original, you unscrew the barrel and remove the various fittings, then screw the original back on and return the fittings to there original place. if done right, noone would ever know it had a different barrel on it
 
I think the question next is if someone want to sell theirs, what is a respectable price? I saw in the US when I went to Knob Creeks Machine Gun Shoot a few for sale. They were the British ones and not the Inglis ones.


.50 barrel in the white and all mated up to the rifle.


Finally restored without the bipod.


All ready to go, Just needs an orginal or repro butt pad.
 
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