M14 Re-barreling

kidbear68

kidbear68

Member
Rating - 100%
19   0   0
Location
Southern Ontario
Hey Guys,

I'm interested in picking up an M305 but I would like to change the caliber, preferably to .243. Has anyone attempted this? If so, I would be interested in talking to them. Be interested in barrel availability (where to get them and estimate cost) as well as general difficulty of undertaking such a project.

Kyle
 
never heard of this being done and i don't imagine it would be easy with this gun, you are talking new bolt, new barrel, new mags. basically you would be keeping the receiver and trigger group.
 
Cody1771 said:
never heard of this being done and i don't imagine it would be easy with this gun, you are talking new bolt, new barrel, new mags. basically you would be keeping the receiver and trigger group.
Click to expand...

I'll disagree hehehe
.243 has been done, in the U.S.
Actually finding a .243 barrel will be the stumbling block.
All the other parts remain the same. Some timkering with the gas system may be in order.
BUT, like my quest for a .338 federal M14 barrel.... 5 years now and I'm no closer to obtaining one.
 
I believe Ian at Herron Arms can build you a barrel in .243. I'm guessing it will cost around a $1000.00 as he does actually have to build the barrel from scratch. He doesn't just build it though you have to send him the gun and he installs it to make sure it all works.

Tom, what would would you see as the major advantage of .338 federal and has this been done before?
 
giwolf said:
Tom, what would would you see as the major advantage of .338 federal and has this been done before?
Click to expand...

I have a friend in South Dakota with one.
It's been done a few times. There's a guns n ammo article as well , titled the Border Ruffian, and lot's of forum discussions on US gun forums.
Bigger slower bullets for a shorter barrel for close up hunting work. I find what's currently suitable for grainweights in .308 tend to zip right thru deer under 50 yards.
Then there is the 7mm rem mag like ballistics that can be achieved with the standard 22" barrel length.
This part excites me a little more. :)
 
"....243 has been done..." Yep. The M1A came in .243, long ago. It came in .358 Win too.
"...talking new bolt, new barrel, new mags..." You're talking a new barrel only. Bolt and mags are the same.
"...barrel availability..." Virtually none. Mind you, a year or so ago, some ofthe U.S. forums were saying SA Inc still had a few .243 barrels laying around. Unconfirmed though.
 
I think this time, Sunray is bang on hehehehe but the lack of "quotes" can confuse those who aren't familiar with Sunray's style hehehe

Oh and if memory serves, she's been done in 260 R as well
Essentially we're working with cases that all share the same azz end as a .308 case.
It's just a matter of choosing a round that fits the mag, and some gas system/gas port VooDoo and Bob's yer Uncle as "they" say :D
 
Yeah 338 Federal is something I've considered for a long time, simply because it's a short action 338 that you can make with a 308win case. All of the components are readily available, and for deer here on the Island you have to up your caliber to something slower because you're just destroying the animals. I'm going to use the 7.62x54r 200grain this year, I shot one in the face a couple years back with this load, and I'm curious to see how it will work under normal circumstances. This weekend's black powder rendezvous in Victoria will tell me if I'm good enough with my 54cal flintlock to hunt with it haha
 
Why changing the caliber on a syteme that was designed for 7, 62x51? Wtf with people these day. If you want a 243 buy a bolt action.
Same issue than a vz-58 in 223. Not met to be in anything else that what it was design for.
 
kevin9934 said:
Why changing the caliber on a syteme that was designed for 7, 62x51? Wtf with people these day. If you want a 243 buy a bolt action.
Same issue than a vz-58 in 223. Not met to be in anything else that what it was design for.
Click to expand...

Because when you've played with the platform as long as I have, both personally and professionally.... You get bored and want to try something fun and new...
Why else???
Why put fancy rims or a racing seats on your sports car?
Because you can and you want to LOL
Buy a bolt gun.... I scoff at that comment LOL
Got enough of those and they bore me :D
 
kevin9934 said:
Why changing the caliber on a syteme that was designed for 7, 62x51? Wtf with people these day. If you want a 243 buy a bolt action.
Same issue than a vz-58 in 223. Not met to be in anything else that what it was design for.
Click to expand...

Reason for me is simple. I live in southern Ontario meaning that hunting calibers have to be under .270. I love the M1A platform and would prefer to keep it in .308 even just for ammo availability, but then it's essentially a safe queen and will never make it out to the field. So by re-barreling the rifle to .243 I get the platform that I want and love and am able to legally use it for predator hunting.
 
I have a .243 barrel I'm going to have a M14 built on ... why some ask ... because I can! ;)

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
 
When i came into this thread, i was surprised to learn this was possible.

Then i said "wow, someone should do an M14 in .223!"

It took me about 10 seconds before i facepalmed and realised i said.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom