Converting a No. 4 to .223/7.62x39

happydude

happydude

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After reading the article on surplusrifle.com, http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/no4223/index.asp , I began wondering if this is actually something that could be relatively easily done. I've always wanted a No 4. but the cost of .303 would prevent me from shooting it much as I don't reload. Has anybody heard of anyone doing this in Canada? The 7.62x39 conversion seems to be the easier choice as the article says you could re-use the barrel, I may not know much but isn't it a bad idea to put 7.62 bullets down a 7.7 bore?? And where might one get the parts to do this conversion ie the collar for the bolt head or the magazine springs/spacers? Any thoughts??
 
7.62x39 bullets are .311, not .308 so it will be fine. Good idea to slug the bore though as there were some differences in diameter during war time manufacturing.
 
"...relatively easily..." Easy? No. The differences in case length, rimmed to rimless case, the mag, extraction and ejection plus headspace issues wouldn't make it easy.
 
"...Slug the bore..." You hammer a cast .30 calibre bullet through the barrel and measure it with a vernier caliper or micrometer. Tells you the actual diameter of the bore. Enfield barrels can measure from .311" to .315" and still be considered ok. The Brits measured from land to land, not groove to groove the way it's done in North America. That's why it's called a .303. The bullet diameter is actually supposed to be .311", but there are .312" and .313" bullets available.
It's not a wartime manufacturing thing though. It's wear from 50 to 60 years of shooting.
I suspect this conversion would cost more to do than buying reloading equipment.
 
So it would appear....what about a different misurp, gasp, say converting a mauser or heck even a carcano. The Israelis converted mauser k98's to 7.62x51 which isn't rimmed, correct? Perhaps a mauser might be a better conversion option??
 
I've got a sporterized # 1 in .222 I'll sell you.
It's a .22 rimfire rechambered and converted back to centrefire.
I have not seriously tried to work up a load, so far it appears to run 3-4 inch groups at 100.
 
It has been done in Australia, oddly enough because .303 is getting expensive. There is a company south of the boirder doing the conversions using Romanian single stack AK mags, but dammit! I had deleted it from my favourites, Had one rifle done by them. Barrel set back, bolt altered, and cast insert for the mag housing to insert the AK mags. Works quite well.

Oh, the rifle was a Bubba to start with, so nothing lost.
 
sunray said:
"...Slug the bore..." You hammer a cast .30 calibre bullet through the barrel and measure it with a vernier caliper or micrometer. Tells you the actual diameter of the bore. Enfield barrels can measure from .311" to .315" and still be considered ok. The Brits measured from land to land, not groove to groove the way it's done in North America. That's why it's called a .303. The bullet diameter is actually supposed to be .311", but there are .312" and .313" bullets available.
It's not a wartime manufacturing thing though. It's wear from 50 to 60 years of shooting.
I suspect this conversion would cost more to do than buying reloading equipment.
Click to expand...

The important word here is CAST, as in lead. Don't try to pound an FMJ (full metal jacket, copper-nickel bullet) down the tube.
 
John Sukey said:
It has been done in Australia, oddly enough because .303 is getting expensive. There is a company south of the boirder doing the conversions using Romanian single stack AK mags, but dammit! I had deleted it from my favourites, Had one rifle done by them. Barrel set back, bolt altered, and cast insert for the mag housing to insert the AK mags. Works quite well.

Oh, the rifle was a Bubba to start with, so nothing lost.
Click to expand...

Here's a link from Australia:

http://www.lawranceordnance.com/new/rifle-m10.html

Remember Aussie $$$ are worth less than Canadian...
 
Well,

A shooter I once met converted a .303 No4 Mk 1* to .223 Remington. He obviously re-barreled it, but what impressed me was the recessing of the bolt head for the cartridge case (like on an AR15/M16/C7 bolt. Considering that the .303 bolt head is quite hard, he did a good job.

He used a 30 rnd M-16 mag that is permanently modified to fit only on his .223/.303 bolt-action rifle. Quite an interesting piece of work.

So, yes it can be done.
 
RR on this site has a #4 in .223 ask him how he did it.
i have a nice full wood, full millitary #4 done up in .220 swift.i love it, it shoots great. had a bit of tinkering to get it to feed, but its all good now
 
Fremen said:
Now, would you have to pin the mag to 5 or has the mag been altered in such a way that it cannot be used in and AK, or SKS-D???
Click to expand...

You can't get more than 5 in a Romanian single stack. though they also made a 10 round one.
 
Working on this....slowly.....myself.

Not a high-priority job for me just now, but I've got bits and pieces onhand for the project, and have had some machning work done.

NS
 
I'd found that link a few days ago actually, I suppose I could get a kit imported. Anyone think that a kit might be tricky to get into Canada? The only problem I currently see is getting the 5 round mag here, customs might see the word AK-47 magazine and freak out! I think I'll give them a call, see what I can find out.
 
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