Enfield Conversions... What to do?

Blastattack

Blastattack

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We were talking a lot about bubba measures, so I might as well dive right into this.

I have three No. 4 Enfields I have purchased for projects. All were bought fairly cheap with the intention of converting them into something cool.

I have

1. Enfield No4. MKI Sporter. Custom, supreme, Monte-Carlo stock, checkering, drilled, and tapped for a weaver TO mount. Nice gun.
2. Enfield No4. MKI Sporterized. Typical hack and slash, but has a full-length 2-groove barrel that's in good shape. The receiver is functional but F'd with scope holes and a crude dovetail(?) on the front ring for some junk sight. One aperture of the rear flip sight has been made into a crude and crap v-notch. The front blade is inexplicably welded to the sight base. Too stupid to figure out what the screw was for? Also two tapped holes in the left side.
3. Enfield No4. MK2 Sporter. Excellent shape. Typical hacked stock, but great 5 groove barrel, front sight protector, etc. However, no or no-longer visible markings on the left side. Technically she is fully restorable, but wouldn't be matching in any way. Bought for cheap because no bolt, magazine, or rear sight (though still has the plunger and spring, but no shaft or aperture)

I also have:
A .308 2A1 reproduction magazine. Yummy for some sort of conversion. Maybe a .308/7.62, 6.5 Creedmore or 7-08. Maybe use for an Envoy/Enforcer/L42/L39 "clone".
Complete No. 7 .22 bolt. A .22 Conversion would be cool.
Spare, stripped No. 4 MKI receiver that is relatively unmolested. Maybe donor the parts from Rifle 2 and build something cool.
A hankering to make some goofy PCC. 9mm, .45, .357 or .44 (using 1911 or Desert Eagle mags), maybe 7.62x25 or .30 Luger. Maybe something else. I have a couple 20" 9mm barrels. Green Mountains are pretty cheap.
A bucket of barrels; regular steel and stainless, a couple SS 6.5s, an SS 7mm, a variety of CRMO .30 cals, and some .22 LRs.

I already have a fully restored early 6C###x Savage No. 4 MKI that is "all matching" with entirely Savage marked or unmarked parts (including the early button style striker), so I don't really need another one.

What should I do with these old girls?
 
Go the envoy/enforcer route. Makes sense to go with the n4mark 2 for this. Unmarked is fine as you are not trying to pretend it is authentic. Now you would need the scope pads and a repro scope along with a cheek riser.
 
I have a hankering for a No 4 or SMLE in .38 Special. Just a single shot, full wood, and fitted up with a P-H 5C or 6A sight.
This way I could shoot it on all ranges at the Sudbury Revolver Club.
I just need a proper length barrel blank.
 
I have in my project bin an EAL that some ham fisted bubba drilled the receiver for a scope mount and drilled all the through in to the chamber, and then tapped the holes off center.

other then that its in great shape :(

I have a 24" .431" barrel blank and intend to make that EAL into a 44 Magnum.

But I have a few other projects lined up before I get to that one.
 
Leave the first one as is. Sounds like a decent sporter conversion.

Beware high pressure conversions. 7.62x51 works, don't know that I would go to any others with this head size and high pressure.

If you are going to rebarrel, keep in mind that full length barrels with sharp bores are very saleable, and would go a long ways toward funding a project.

.22 conversions are fun.
 
tiriaq said:
Leave the first one as is. Sounds like a decent sporter conversion.

Beware high pressure conversions. 7.62x51 works, don't know that I would go to any others with this head size and high pressure.

If you are going to rebarrel, keep in mind that full length barrels with sharp bores are very saleable, and would go a long ways toward funding a project.

.22 conversions are fun.
Click to expand...

thats another one I have kicking around, have the NOS C No7 receiver, and a proper .22RF enfield barrel, C No7 take off, in my project bin along with a few other parts. The barrel came with a Mk III Martini Action but not installed with the extractor cut outs, someone's project that never got off the ground.


But what is interesting me is a .223" heavy profile barrel I have that was originally chambered in 222Rem, that I think is going to get mated with an enfield receiver, reprofiled to a medium weight profile and chambered to 22Hornet
 
Sherlock Gnomes said:
Go the envoy/enforcer route. Makes sense to go with the n4mark 2 for this. Unmarked is fine as you are not trying to pretend it is authentic. Now you would need the scope pads and a repro scope along with a cheek riser.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it definitely would not be authentic, but it would look the part, and the MK2 trigger mechanism brightens that up quite a bit. It was a very happy surprise when I removed the stock.

slug said:
I have a hankering for a No 4 or SMLE in .38 Special. Just a single shot, full wood, and fitted up with a P-H 5C or 6A sight.
This way I could shoot it on all ranges at the Sudbury Revolver Club.
I just need a proper length barrel blank.
Click to expand...

Bah, repeater or nothing! Either way, would be un. I have a PH5C attached to the Savage currently.

woodchopper said:
I have in my project bin an EAL that some ham fisted bubba drilled the receiver for a scope mount and drilled all the through in to the chamber, and then tapped the holes off center.

other then that its in great shape :(

I have a 24" .431" barrel blank and intend to make that EAL into a 44 Magnum.

But I have a few other projects lined up before I get to that one.
Click to expand...

Other than being trash, it's great! Kinda like my rifle #2. All there except somebody swissed the receiver.

wannabe said:
444 marlin?
Click to expand...

I like the idea, but I am already pursuing something similar. I want to convert either a 71/84 or an 1886 Portuguese Kropatcheck to 45-70. 8-10 rounds of tube-fed goodness.

tiriaq said:
Leave the first one as is. Sounds like a decent sporter conversion.

Beware high pressure conversions. 7.62x51 works, don't know that I would go to any others with this head size and high pressure.

If you are going to rebarrel, keep in mind that full length barrels with sharp bores are very saleable, and would go a long ways toward funding a project.

.22 conversions are fun.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll probably leave the nice sporter. Might sell it to fund stuff as prices have really gone up as late.

I'm not too worried about the pressure thing. Bloke On The Range subjected a No. 4 to 15x .300 Win Mag cartridges, 5 of which were oiled, and it only failed because the bolt already had a crack/flaw in the small locking lug before the conversion took place.

I fully intend to salvage the barrels and pass them on if I end up removing them. I have plans for heavy-duty action wrenches that should get the job done without damage (hopefully)

Yeah, .22 would be sweet. Rifle #2 is a good candidate as I would strip the thing to nothing and move everything to the "new" receiver, sell the barrel and scrap receiver to someone who wants a project or desk ornament.
 
woodchopper said:
thats another one I have kicking around, have the NOS C No7 receiver, and a proper .22RF enfield barrel, C No7 take off, in my project bin along with a few other parts. The barrel came with a Mk III Martini Action but not installed with the extractor cut outs, someone's project that never got off the ground.


But what is interesting me is a .223" heavy profile barrel I have that was originally chambered in 222Rem, that I think is going to get mated with an enfield receiver, reprofiled to a medium weight profile and chambered to 22Hornet
Click to expand...

.223 is another one I considered. "High capacity" magazines are an issue though. The only ones I like are the LAR mags, and they pose some fitting problems. Every other magazine is unacceptably large, uncommon or expensive to find.
 
With respect to high pressures, apart from outright damage...
Lee Enfield actions flex when fired. More flex with higher pressure. No. 4 target rifles could get interesting in the rain, wet cartridges allowed more slip and back pressure on the bolt.
 
OP referred to his as "Enfield" - I recently received two P14 Enfield actions that had the rear sight ears milled off - so actual "Enfield" - not "Lee Enfield" - machining to remove the rear ears seems to have been done rather well. However, that funky square profile thread for the barrel tenon is over my head how to do that on my lathe - another CGN guy has mailed a .416" groove diameter barrel with those square threads already done - has what appears to be a filed extractor notch - is already chambered for something - a 338 Win Mag case nestles in there to the belt groove within that chamber - to be seen what that is actually chambered for - could be 416 Taylor or could be based off 375 H&H length case. Do not know yet - exterior of barrel very roughly done - not blued - as if having troubles with lathe cutter - barrel is 24" long from threaded chamber end to muzzle. Not sure if it has been crowned yet.

Will be like the 458 Win Mag - is nothing in the Manitoba bush around here that warrants such a thing - hoping I can eventually get circa 2200 or 2300 fps with jacketed 400 grain bullets from it. Is very possible that barrel may get shortened to 20" - again, to be seen. There is a Boyd's laminated stock, here, that is inlet for the Enfield action - so that one might get barrel channel scraped out for this one. Hoping that I can get maybe 3 rounds down in an M1917 magazine on that P14 action. Else I will have to try to form a sheet metal magazine to fit those cartridges. A P14 magazine is wider than one from an M1917 - but has "creases" in the side walls - I do not know if it is possible to "smoosh" out those creases without making that mag box too long for the action / stock.

As per reading on Internet - is suggested circa 11 pounds (5 kilograms) about desired weight for a "wanna be" 416 Rigby - at least if it intended to be fired, and to have the shooter survive, to discuss that experience.
 
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woodchopper said:
thats another one I have kicking around, have the NOS C No7 receiver, and a proper .22RF enfield barrel, C No7 take off, in my project bin along with a few other parts. The barrel came with a Mk III Martini Action but not installed with the extractor cut outs, someone's project that never got off the ground.


But what is interesting me is a .223" heavy profile barrel I have that was originally chambered in 222Rem, that I think is going to get mated with an enfield receiver, reprofiled to a medium weight profile and chambered to 22Hornet
Click to expand...

Make your life easier and do it up in the 225 Winchester instead. Rimmed and the right diameter so you don't have to fool with the extractor.

Just get a barrel made up and chambered.
 
bearhunter said:
Make your life easier and do it up in the 225 Winchester instead. Rimmed and the right diameter so you don't have to fool with the extractor.

Just get a barrel made up and chambered.
Click to expand...

yes the 225 Win would be easier, 220 swift would also make a good candidate, but I have an infatuation with 22 Hornet for some unknown reason.

Wee little centerfire good for varmints at reasonable ranges.
 
woodchopper said:
yes the 225 Win would be easier, 220 swift would also make a good candidate, but I have an infatuation with 22 Hornet for some unknown reason.

Wee little centerfire good for varmints at reasonable ranges.
Click to expand...

I also have a love affair with the 22 Hornet. I've built three Martini Cadet actions around the cartridge and have been talked out of all of them.

Now I'm down to a single Ruger M77R in that chambering. It's a great rifle and accurate enough but not nearly as precise as the Martini's.

I've been on the lookout for a quality single shot 22Hornet but haven't come across one I've had any special feelings for, other than a very sweet ''baby Sharps" which was so pretty I would never take it Rabbit hunting, where the 22 Hornet really shines.
 
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