Lee Enfield 7.62x39 Bolt Head

gerard488

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I have converted my already Bubbaed No1 MkIII to a 7.62x39. Fired about 150 rounds so far and love it. Works great and lots of fun as a single shot but I want it to feed from a mag and eject.
Instead of soldering a collar on the bolt head, I cut a recess in another bolt head for the case rim to fit into. Now I can just set the barrel back farther to get proper headspace, tighten the lock nut and work on a new shorter extractor. The big question now is, do I have to re temper or case harden the bolt head since I have cut in past the hard surface.
I have a mag that I can fit inside the LE mag when I get to that point.
Here are pics:
No1 MkIII with No4 front sight and bands, forestock made fron junk parts and one piece top wood. Rear sight moved back to give more sight radius with 18.5 inch barrel
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2RhQXIw.jpg

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I have converted my already Bubbaed No1 MkIII to a 7.62x39. Fired about 150 rounds so far and love it. Works great and lots of fun as a single shot but I want it to feed from a mag and eject.
Instead of soldering a collar on the bolt head, I cut a recess in another bolt head for the case rim to fit into. Now I can just set the barrel back farther to get proper headspace, tighten the lock nut and work on a new shorter extractor. The big question now is, do I have to re temper or case harden the bolt head since I have cut in past the hard surface.
I have a mag that I can fit inside the LE mag when I get to that point.

How about some pics ? Sounds like quite the project.

Grizz
 
Just a thought..
Did cutting material from the bolt head face weaken it any significant amount?
I suspect the LE designers tried to minimize the material in their rifles.......
 
Good point but 7.62x39 has less back pressure on the bolt due to smaller base diameter and lower chamber pressure
 
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It is my understanding that M marked SMLE bolt heads are malleable iron, and were casehardened. Probably wouldn't do any harm to re-caseharden it, but don't know that it would be necessary.
How are you going to arrange an ejector? Plunger in the bolthead? If so, do the ejector before any hardening.
 
I wonder if Numrich might have a 2A or 2A1 bolt head??? It should screw right onto your existing bolt and come complete with proper extractor. Then it's just a question of setting the bbl back for headspace.
 
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