lee enfield .45 conversion kits

[Kodiac400]

I was this one on another site. http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2505&PN=1

 

[heavenIsAlie]

yea that is much to tacticool for me

 

[Mudpuppy]

I think the delisle carbine also had the bolt cut back an 1'.

The bolt on the De Lisle was cut back to allow smooth feeding of the rifle from the modified 45 mags and to provide a shorter bolt throw.
When the modified mag was put into the rifle it latched with the original mag catch and the bolt could pick up a round and easily push it into the chamber that was closer because the barrel was recessed into the action.

The Enfield is not a controlled round feed design so you would have difficulty feeding the rifle if the smaller 45 mag remained at the rear of the magwell and the barrel was in it's original position.
This is why most of the 45 conversion kits use a magwell adapter that has it's own mag catch and puts the mag closer to the original barrel position, it's easier and cheaper to build this way.

Been researching this for some time.
what I am missing is the right twist rate and a source for the BBL

.444" bore, .452" groove, 1-16" twist.

 

[woodchopper]

The bolt on the De Lisle was cut back to allow smooth feeding of the rifle from the modified 45 mags and to provide a shorter bolt throw.
When the modified mag was put into the rifle it latched with the original mag catch and the bolt could pick up a round and easily push it into the chamber that was closer because the barrel was recessed into the action.

The Enfield is not a controlled round feed design so you would have difficulty feeding the rifle if the smaller 45 mag remained at the rear of the magwell and the barrel was in it's original position.
This is why most of the 45 conversion kits use a magwell adapter that has it's own mag catch and puts the mag closer to the original barrel position, it's easier and cheaper to build this way.

.444" bore, .452" groove, 1-16" twist.

excellent information,

As I have a No4 that is not only drilled and tapped, it has been poorly converted to 308 with a heavy but short barrel, the reciever has had the web cut out of it to facilitate the mounting of barrel and later a dremmel was used extensively on the mag well and feed ramps to try to get the mag to feed. further weakening the reciever.

Basically its a mess and I would not feal safe fireing full power 308 out of it.

therefore its an excellent project reciever for a lower power round.

So when I'm done with my ShtLE -> CL carbine (just call me bubba) I think I will look for a suitable barrel to do a conversion to 44Mag pistol. I just like the rimmed rounds. Finding and fitting a mag is going to be interesting.

Shortening the bolt is going to be interesting, going to have to shorten the fireing pin, re thread the bolt for the bolt head and fireing pin as well as rethread the fireing pin for the cocking piece.


Hey if I can't restore it nothing says I can't assemble all the junk parts into someting interesting.

 

[MarkdevCanada]

The bolt on the De Lisle was cut back to allow smooth feeding of the rifle from the modified 45 mags and to provide a shorter bolt throw.
When the modified mag was put into the rifle it latched with the original mag catch and the bolt could pick up a round and easily push it into the chamber that was closer because the barrel was recessed into the action.

The Enfield is not a controlled round feed design so you would have difficulty feeding the rifle if the smaller 45 mag remained at the rear of the magwell and the barrel was in it's original position.
This is why most of the 45 conversion kits use a magwell adapter that has it's own mag catch and puts the mag closer to the original barrel position, it's easier and cheaper to build this way.

QUOTE]

I’ve wanted to build a De Lisle since I saw and article on it in a gun magazine many many years ago. In fact I’m pretty sure I still have a photocopy of the article somewhere. Anyway your photo and drawing have peaked my curiosity, please do tell more.

 

[Fremen]

Thank you Mudpuppy
Now do you have a source for a BBL even a blank?

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

At the link below there have been various discussions on this particular form of conversion. One thing they had licked was this business of controlled feed of a mostly unsupported round. Their solution was to build a ring around the bolt face to retain the case base, and reshape the extractor.

w ww.homegunsmith.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi

 

[Mudpuppy]

So when I'm done with my ShtLE -> CL carbine (just call me bubba) I think I will look for a suitable barrel to do a conversion to 44Mag pistol. I just like the rimmed rounds. Finding and fitting a mag is going to be interesting.

Look for a Desert Eagle mag and build an "adapter" to put it into a regular Enfield mag, or modify the mag like the De Lisle and build a new magwell from scratch. You may have to modify the feed lips on the mag to get it to feed properly.

Shortening the bolt is going to be interesting, going to have to shorten the fireing pin, re thread the bolt for the bolt head and fireing pin as well as rethread the fireing pin for the cocking piece.

Shortening the bolt is the easy part, it's re-threading that gets interesting, some bolts are soft and cut easily while others like to destroy taps. Remember they are British threads too.
Sticking with the 44 Mag will also make the bolt head modifications easier.

Now do you have a source for a BBL even a blank?

Not in Canada, my source for barrels was in the US and all the new export controls have cut that source off. So I am trying to find a new source.

I’ve wanted to build a De Lisle since I saw and article on it in a gun magazine many many years ago. In fact I’m pretty sure I still have a photocopy of the article somewhere. Anyway your photo and drawing have peaked my curiosity, please do tell more.

I make a Canada legal version of them.

 

[Vimy Ridge]

I love those things Mudpuppy. Very cool.