I need help

[Lee Enfield]

Similar problem with the US 1903 I suspect it was the same old guys who were heat treating Krag receivers and possibly even trapdoor’s by eye for years and it was fine for the pressures developed by 45-70 and even 30 army (.30-40) but had failures with the 30-06. Even still there’s only 1 documented case of a solder losing their life and 11 accounts of injuries due to raise heat treating 1903’s. I actually own a cracked low ser 1903 receiver. I think I’ll make a .22 trainer out of it.

I think that's a great idea, but with an eye to future less informed owners I would try to make the crack/repair obvious so it doesn't get converted back to .30 and have someone injured...

 

[Claven2]

I think that's a great idea, but with an eye to future less informed owners I would try to make the crack/repair obvious so it doesn't get converted back to .30 and have someone injured...

I get that perspective, but the crack seems obvious, the receiver is low serial, and the odds of reconversion are pretty low. I’d likely just make it look good and would likely get a thrashed military barrel with poor bore and re-line it.

 

[mmattockx]

I think that's a great idea, but with an eye to future less informed owners I would try to make the crack/repair obvious so it doesn't get converted back to .30 and have someone injured...

I'd wick some yellow brazing rod into that crack to fill it and make the defect obvious, then carry on with the .22lr conversion. Would be a super cool rifle to plink with.


Mark

 

[5five6]

Both of you have very good points about that receiver. My perspective, having recently spent 9 months looking for one that wasn’t $695 at Sarco for a “reconditioned” receiver is that 1903 receivers have become rather scarce. This may be a temporary bump but the trend is obvious.

It seem counterintuitive because stocks and barrels get cut so even with a vast resuvaure of spares, you’d think there’d be a shortage of everything else before a shortage of receivers as they are the most buba-durable part. I might blind wield the .22 barrel in place to make the conversion mor bubba-resistant.

 

[tiriaq]

What sort of .22 conversion were you contemplating? I note Numrich has M2 bolt handles and bolt heads.

A wide variety of centerfire service rifles have been set up in .22 for training purposes. Some were conversions, others purpose built rimfires.
Offhand, I can think of the Martinis, Lee Enfields, Israeli K98K Mausers, P'14 and M1917, Swedish 63s, US Springfields.
An important consideration is making the barrel breech face available for insertion of the diminutive .22 cartridge. The Martinis and Lee Enfields are easy from this standpoint. The Israeli conversions are painful. The rifles which use a two piece bolt with a dedicated rimfire front end may be the slickest. These would include the Springfield M1 and M2, the FN made Israelis, the Belgian P'14/M1917s, the Lee Enfield No. 8. I've done No. 4/No. 7 and SMLE .22s. Have been thinking about trying others. A Mosin Nagant would be fun.

 

[Claven2]

I think an m2 or m1922 clone would be cool if you can get the model-specific bolt parts.

 

[5five6]

I got a little time to fire it Saturday after a highpower match. I was having trouble with the rear sight so I don’t have a good target to post, in fact I didn’t even hit paper. I’ll have to start at 30 yards adn work my way out but I didn’t have time for that. Partly because I brought a pair of parts 1903’s I recently built. Great news, they all ran great! I’ll probably sneak away one day this week to get the sights straightened out. Here are photos of the 1903’s (never mind the CMP Garand)

 

[5five6]

If I wanted to trade one of my MK II’s for a MK III, AI said it would be an easier process to get it back to Canada through some sort of repatriation exemption. Is that true?

 

[tiriaq]

Never heard of such an exemption.
Importing a non-restricted firearm isn't that big a deal.

 

[5five6]

Got her out to the range and shot poorly. I had several guns to do and onece I had shot everything, I made it back to her and upon deciding to remove the sight hood to help my old eyes, I discovered that the front sight blade was loose, like I got lucky it didn’t fall in the dirt and got lost loose. First round fired after that was old S&B grass and the case head separated with my extractor safely in my tool box at home, I Gus’s that means I have to plan another range day. Oh, the humanity

Waterline is acceptable but windage is horrific.




Also, I’ve been running cycles of wipe out in the barrel and it’s looking dandy. I’ll post a boar-scope video soon or photos.


1903 did well as did trapdoor with new Bobby Hoyt barrel liner



1903 before and after sight adjustment