Lining a SMLE Barrel to .22

[tiriaq]

This barrel came off a '42 Lithgow which had a damaged receiver. Externally, it isn't bad; internally the bore was rusty.
The barrel was set up in the lathe, and an extended drill was run through. The liner is nominally 5/16" in diameter. The drill more or less cleans out the rifling. The liner drill has a pilot for .22 bores. The pilot is irrelevant for this job
A chamber insert, duplicating the dimensions of a fired .303 case was machined from a scrap of .30 barrel. It was pushed into the chamber and the drill was run through it from the muzzle end.
The liner will now slide through from end to end.
The chamber and insert were degreased, and were coated with epoxy. The liner was driven into the chamber.
After the epoxy has cured, the excess steel will be cut off the insert, and the breech of the barrel will be machined. Note that the chamber insert will be machined so that it projects back into the bolt way, taking up the space where the .303 rim would have resided.



Test assembly, insert in chamber, liner pushed through.



Closeup of the chamber insert. An alternative method is to drill out the chamber and install a plain cylindrical insert. When Parker Hale was lining Lee Enfields, they used a larger diameter liner, and the bore was drilled through from end-to-end.



Insert permanently assembled. Epoxy coated and driven into place. Removal of excess material, installation of the liner and final shaping of barrel face come next. The liner will be epoxied in place. Bore and liner degreased, epoxy liberally applied, liner pushed through. Liner will be plugged for this operation, to keep epoxy out of the bore. Once installed on a receiver, final fitting will involve adjusting clearance to the bolt face and chambering. The receiver will be a 1940 BSA dispersal unit.

 

[Evanguy]

Nice work. Looks good. I find my self using the PH method just for ease.(I didn't know it was their until right now) I was also using old 22 barrels off rifles so they were bigger then 5/16, I'd usually go 1/2" down the barrel and 5/8 at the chamber end

 

[tiriaq]

Here is a poor shot of the barrel after having the chamber insert faced to length and to the correct diameter. I measured the receiver depth to the bolt face, set up the barrel in the lathe, adjusted the micrometer carriage stop, and faced the insert back. I can feel the bolt contact the barrel face. Bit too tight. I'll correct that after the liner is in and the bolt head is converted to rimfire. I do that by annealing the bolt head, drilling out the centerfire firing pin hole and soldering in a plug. Then the location of the rimfire pin is determined and a two diameter hole drilled for it. Make a firing pin. Cut off the centerfire firing pin to turn it into a striker. A .22 extractor is needed, and the barrel face must be notched appropriately. Haven't decided if I'll ream a standard or match chamber.

 

[bearhunter]

If you're going to shoot it as a single shot, then go with the match reamer. If you intend to go with magazine fed repeater, then stick with the standard SAAMI spec reamer.

Just IMHO of course.

 

[tiriaq]

If I take this to completion, it will be a single shot, so will likely use the Match reamer. Lots of camming in the action, closing and opening.

 

[bearhunter]

If I take this to completion, it will be a single shot, so will likely use the Match reamer. Lots of camming in the action, closing and opening.

From your pics, it looks and sounds like it will be a very accurate rifle.

I have a heavy wall Martini, with the dovetail back of the receiver for the diopter sight, that will be getting a similar face lift, if it doesn't beg to be a 22K Hornet or?????

 

[tiriaq]

Liner bonded in. It will be cured by tomorrow, will trim and face off then.

 

[woodchopper]

From your pics, it looks and sounds like it will be a very accurate rifle.

I have a heavy wall Martini, with the dovetail back of the receiver for the diopter sight, that will be getting a similar face lift, if it doesn't beg to be a 22K Hornet or?????

I keep looking at the ammo on my shelf and keep thinking I have way too much 22 Hornet ammo for just one gun in 22 Hornet.

and having a 22 K hornet would solve the problem of mixing up the ammo

 

[bearhunter]

tiraq, you do very commendable work.

These sorts of projects are the FUN part of doing what we do.

Woodchopper, I really like the 22 Hornet, but there is just something about the 22K Hornet's siren's call that pulls me to the "just gotta have one" moment.

If I come across a set of reasonably priced dies at the upcoming Chiliwack, two day gun show in mid march, it will be a go and the 22 liner I have will go to complete another C7 on one of those NOS actions that I purchased for the purpose last year.

 

[tiriaq]

Thanks.

A Hornet on one of those CNo.7 receivers would avoid a rimfire bolt.

I've thought that making up .22 training rifles in different military style rifles would be fun.

Years ago there was a flurry of interest in setting up No. 4 based target rifles to shoot 5.56 NATO ball. Apparently these rifles shot really well. The 5.56 cartridge didn't cause action springing.
I have a 7.62/.308 TR set up on a CNo.7 receiver converted to one piece assembled in an older Robertson synthetic stock.

 

[bearhunter]

Thanks.

A Hornet on one of those CNo.7 receivers would avoid a rimfire bolt.

I've thought that making up .22 training rifles in different military style rifles would be fun.

Years ago there was a flurry of interest in setting up No. 4 based target rifles to shoot 5.56 NATO ball. Apparently these rifles shot really well. The 5.56 cartridge didn't cause action springing.
I have a 7.62/.308 TR set up on a CNo.7 receiver converted to one piece assembled in an older Robertson synthetic stock.

I was one of those folks that just had to convert a No4 to 5.56Nato. The rifle did shoot very well and with a lot of patience/fiddling, managed to get the rifle to feed well from a No4 magazine, modified by fitting an AR mag inside and later epoxying it in place.

The biggest issue I had was modifying an extractor with a long claw to properly grip the rimless case. The tips kept breaking off, because I was having issues getting the temper right.

IMHO, I learned a lot from the build but not something I would want to do again. To my knowledge, that rifle is still out there. I sold it close to 25 years ago.

 

[woodchopper]

well of interest I have a 1912 Royal Navy trainer, rifle sht 22 or something like that that was converted to 22 Hornet

the mag is a little finicky and takes some messing around to make it feed

 

[tiriaq]

Years ago (1960s?), there was a batch of .22 trainers sporterized, reamed to Hornet, and fitted with cast aluminum trigger guards which accepted a Hornet magazine. First one I saw was at Epps in Clinton, ON.
There may have been Lee Enfield based Hornets made in Australia.
I recall expressions of concern that the liners used in the training rifles were on the soft side for jacketed bullets. And that .224 bullets might not be the best idea in bores originally intended for .22 rimfire.
The liners I've used are nominally 5/16" diameter. Don't know if that diameter is adequate for a Hornet chamber. The training rifles with liners (some didn't use liners) used a larger diameter tube.
CNo.7 barrels have been reamed to Hornet. Given that these are now like hen's teeth, this would be a sacrilege.

 

[bearhunter]

I didn't use a liner for my rifle. I used a a take off barrel from a Remington 700, cut off the tenon and re threaded a new one, then cut a new chamber for the 5.56

I will do the same with the small Martini action, for the K Hornet. I intend to keep the Varmint profile, so it should shoot. The take off barrel I have is blessed with a 1-14 twist rate, which should be just fine for the 40-45 grain bullets I have on hand.

 

[tiriaq]

That would work just fine.

 

[tiriaq]

Got a bit more done on the barrel.

Breech faced off.



Muzzle crowned. Used my Brownells 11 degree crowning tool, broke the edge of the rifling with the 45 degree cutter.



One of those Indian DP rifles might be the way to go. Get all the parts at once.

 

[jamesharrison]

Now don't forget to scrub the receiver strap to mark it correctly!

No.2 Mk IV* or ENFIELD SHT .22 IV

;-)

 

[tiriaq]

The receiver I have on hand is a 1940 dispersal piece. Nice condition, barrel fits and indexes. The bolt is one from the bin.