Boys/Boyes Anti Tank Rifle - Am I doing the right thing?

A

agentcq

Regular
Rating - 100%
69   0   0
I posted about this years ago and finally I am sending it off to Ellwoods.

The current barrel on my Boys Rifle requires replacement.

I have a replacement barrel in 55 Boys and the Gun Smith I am sending it off to does the 50 BMG Conversion (only modification is a modified M2 barrel).

Therefore I am stuck with 2x options:

1. Originally I wanted to keep it in 55 Boys, but after 2+ years and a massed collection of 5x rounds and 1x 22cal Conversion round - my hopes of ever having enough ammo to fire it are fading. I could reload, but I would have to re-size the woodleigh bullets and order a custom set of dies (~$350-600) and get a 50 BMG loading set (~$800-1500). I had some rounds from Australia lined up but at $30-50 round - it didn't make sense. Minimum cost - $2000

2. About 1K will get me my 50 BMG barrel and I will still have the 55 barrel to convert the rifle back. I can get 50 BMG rounds for only $5-10 each - so yes - I could shoot the rifle.

I plan on mailing the rifle off by next Thursday - so I am interested in any input that you ladies and gentlemen might have.

Regards
 
If the .50 barrel can be installed without any alteration whatsoever to the basic rifle, go for it. The .55 barrel can always be reinstalled. Collector value would not be affected.
 
Where you getting .50 BMG for $5 a shot? Just curious.
The whole thing is about how much you want to shoot it. There isn't any .55 Boys ammo readily available. Or dies to reload it. If you had enough brass, solid copper bullets could be turned, but no for cheap. There is .50 BMG.
 
I had one in 55 and other than one major purchase of 48 rounds, I was lucky to find 2 to 4 rounds a year, and usually at $25 a round. So I had it converted by Prairie Gun works. I supplied a brand new M2HB barrel for that one, but it turned out it was chrome lined so it ruined the reamer that they were using. Ouch....that cut into their profit margin.

I eventually sold it with both barrels.

A few years later I decided to import one from the US, and managed to do so just as the eport doors were closing for that kind of thing. It came with a demilled 55 barrel, along with a brand new Kreiger 50 cal barrel blank. I had that barrel installed and while the opportunity has come up to buy the 55 barrel, I haven't bothered. 50 BMG ammo is under $5 a round these days, and at times even lower. ( https://www.irunguns.us/product.php...-m33-federal-fmj-649-grain-linked-in-ammo-can ) I have fired these rifles in both calibers, and you can't tel the difference. If your gunsmith knows what he is doing, you can get the 50 barrel profiled exactly like the 55 barrel, so externally they are also the same.

I found on my latest rifle, there were two changes that had to be made to magazine feed the 50 BMG. The front of the mag has to be milled inside to accept the point of the 50 BMG, which is slightly longer than the 55 ammo. Boys mags, while not common, aren't rare either. You can get them anytime at $150 USD, but if you keep your eyes open, they do show up for $50-$75 each. At that price, you don't have to worry that you are modifying a magazine.

I did have to remove the slightest bit of metal from inside the receiver so it would feed properly with the BMG. It took less that a minute with a dremel, and I don't think it would effect the rifle if it was converted back to 55.

So my advise to you: Do the conversion. The rifle really draws a bit of attention at the range, and deserves to be shot once in a while. No doubt a few dreamers will now appear and tell you how easy it is to fire form 50 BMG cases and then buy bullets from someone in Australia, and then reload your own. They will never have done it, but will have read about it on the internet. If you are liek me, you will want to be firing your rifle, and not experimenting with reloading on a cartridge as powerful as the boys.

Word of warning: wear long pants and a short or jacket with full sleeves when firing the boys rifle. The recoil can cause abrasions on the knees and elbows. You won't notice at first, but then the adrenaline will wear off.......
 
Last edited:
I had mine rebarreled this year. My work in progress was an Inglis Boys MkI with the rare carry handle, harmonica muzzle brake and bipod. I too used a M2 .50 barrel and it turned out great. I know that Ellwood Epps can do the barrel conversion but not to discredit his work but he may not taper the barrel and you may not get the full proper length as his lathe can not accomodate that length. Like Sten collector said, to top off the conversion, you also need to get a magazine converted so that you can load up five rounds of .50 BMG into it and then proceed to load, fire and repeat until empty. I've fired mine a few times since the conversion, around 40 rounds now. I seriously need to get into reloading for it.


Barrel in the white on the rifle.


Restored without the bipod.


Conpleted! Just needs a original or repro but pad!


Top view of rifle.
 
Last edited:
stencollector said:
I had one in 55 and other than one major purchase of 48 rounds, I was lucky to find 2 to 4 rounds a year, and usually at $25 a round. So I had it converted by Prairie Gun works. I supplied a brand new M2HB barrel for that one, but it turned out it was chrome lined so it ruined the reamer that they were using. Ouch....that cut into their profit margin.

I eventually sold it with both barrels.

A few years later I decided to import one from the US, and managed to do so just as the eport doors were closing for that kind of thing. It came with a demilled 55 barrel, along with a brand new Kreiger 50 cal barrel blank. I had that barrel installed and while the opportunity has come up to bu the 55 barrel, I haven't bothered. 55 ammo is under $5 a round these days, and at times even lower. ( https://www.irunguns.us/product.php...-m33-federal-fmj-649-grain-linked-in-ammo-can ) I have fired these rifles in both calibers, and you can't tel the difference. If your gunsmith knows what he is doing, you can get the 50 barrel profiled exactly like the 55 barrel, so externally they are also the same.

I found on my latest rifle, there were two changes that had to be made to magazine feed the 50 BMG. The front of the mag has to be milled inside to accept the point of the 50 BMG, which is slightly longer than the 55 ammo. Boys mags, while not common, aren't rare either. You can get them anytime at $150 USD, but if you keep your eyes open, they do show up for $50-$75 each. At that price, you don't have to worry that you are modifying a magazine.

I did have to remove the slightest bit of metal from inside the receiver so it would feed properly with the BMG. It took less that a minute with a dremel, and I don't think it would effect the rifle if it was converted back to 55.

So my advise to you: Do the conversion. The rifle really draws a bit of attention at the range, and deserves to be shot once in a while. No doubt a few dreamers will now appear and tell you how easy it is to fire form 50 BMG cases and then buy bullets from someone in Australia, and then reload your own. They will never have done it, but will have read about it on the internet. If you are liek me, you will want to be firing your rifle, and not experimenting with reloading on a cartridge as powerful as the boys.

Word of warning: wear long pants and a short or jacket with full sleeves when firing the boys rifle. The recoil can cause abrasions on the knees and elbows. You won't notice at first, but then the adrenaline will wear off.......
Click to expand...

something that just occurred to me, could you have the chamber cut with a .55 boyes shoulder and overall length, but no belt and a .50 bore? still use resized .50 bmg brass, and .50 bullets, but no modification other than the barrel change.
 
scott585,

Interesting idea. It wouldn't be a .55 Boys or a .50 BMG. It'd be a necked down Boys to .50 if I'm hearing you right. I think the issue with that is reloading ammo for it as it's neither a .50 or a .55. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom