No1 mk3 7.62 magazine made to fit no4 308

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can14

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Anyone done a conversion of a no1 mk3 7.62 magazine to work in a
DCRA no4 308 ?
Maybe cheaper than using Enfield or Stirling magazines
 
I do not have one to try, but might help your search that you are looking for a 7.62 NATO magazine for an Ishapore 2A or an Ishapore 2A1 rifle. Made in India, only, I believe, starting in the early 1960's. And very, very similar to the No. 1's. They were "newly made" rifles, not converted from No. 1's, although some parts such as stocks may have been re-used.
 
Some years ago when I was trying to do a conversion from 303 British to 7.62 in a No. 4, it seems to me after swapping out barrels, the extractor hook had to be changed, the ejection function had to be re-worked, and I believe the bolt head had to be swapped out - or at least should have been swapped out, to one that had been "proofed" to a higher pressure. For a while, I had an Ishapore magazine intending to use it. I never got far enough to get into a functioning magazine - I ended up with a AIA rifle all done up in 7.62 NATO, so dropped the No. 4 conversion project. From a friend who is doing one, I gather either the Enfield or Sterling magazine deals with the ejection function right on the rear corner of the magazine box itself - I simply do not recall how the Ishapore 2A1 dealt with that. I seem to recall one or both of the standard conversion magazines required some milling to be done underneath the No. 4 receiver to get the magazine to go up far enough - again, do not remember how the Ishapore 2A1 did it...
 
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I just bought two, new in wrap, Ishapore 2A1 magazines from Numrich Gun Parts, in the US.

You have to set up an account with them online, as they aren't taking phone orders right now. Takes about fifteen minutes.

There weren't any issues with Customs and they came through directly.

The price is around US$56 plus shipping and taxes.

I tried them in two rifles, both will fit with a little careful stoning of the latch lugs on the back spine.

They feed very well, without issues in my rifles.


There is another way but it takes a lot of patience and time. It is possible to make up an internal magazine inside the original No4 magazine. Single stack only of course. I have one that was on a rifle I traded for several years ago. It has been fitted with a nondescript after market barrel, with proper extractor and head spaced.

The comment about a new stronger bolt head is a new one on me. From what I have seen of bolts in these converted rifles, they appear to be identical and can be used to adjust head space in the same manner as those on the 303 chamberings.

I will have to do some due diligence on the bolt heads.
 
bearhunter said:
...

The comment about a new stronger bolt head is a new one on me. From what I have seen of bolts in these converted rifles, they appear to be identical and can be used to adjust head space in the same manner as those on the 303 chamberings.
Click to expand...

I do not recall that they were "made" stronger - it was my impression that they were standard bolt heads, previously proofed at 303 British levels, that had been re-proofed to 7.62 NATO levels. Something like the difference between 18T and 20T - and, it really sucks not to be able to find where I got that idea!!!
 
An acquaintance is advising me that it is very common to use standard 303 British bolt heads in converted target rifles, but some sanctioned competitions require (required?) "proofed" bolt heads stamped 19T to be in the rifle, to be on the firing line.

Apparently Google has a lot about using Ishapore magazines in No. 4 rifles - was more or less a "go to" way to convert....
 
Potashminer said:
I do not recall that they were "made" stronger - it was my impression that they were standard bolt heads, previously proofed at 303 British levels, that had been re-proofed to 7.62 NATO levels. Something like the difference between 18T and 20T - and, it really sucks not to be able to find where I got that idea!!!
Click to expand...

Don't sweat it, I wasn't being contentious. I just find it interesting.

I've converted a few No4 rifles to 7.62 Nato with a Palma Match reamer. I even converted one to 243 Win. That was back in the day when Sterling and other mags were still available from Numrich at reasonable prices. The 243 was actually more interesting than the Palma Match 7.62.

The Palma Match rifle barrel was a NOS Parker Hale hammer forged, match or maybe L42 type/weight, 26 inches long. Came in a waxed cloth sleeve, inside a plastic sleeve. That barrel shot very well.

The 243 Win barrel was a Shilen 6 groove medium weight match barrel tapered from No4 receiver diameter to 3/4 in at the muzzle, 28 in long.

Neither of these rifles were in milspec issue furniture. Both had after market stocks that were appropriate for hunting rifles. Both had home made, side mounted scopes, fashioned from angle iron and screwed to the side of the receiver. Very sturdy set up.

The rifle with the Palma Match chamber is likely now a safe queen, sleeping patiently in the back of someone's safe. The 243 is still taking coyotes every year, north of Edmonton. It has a couple of thousand rounds through it by now and has been passed from father to son once and will likely be passed to the grandson from the sounds of it.

That's the main reason I found your comment interesting. Neither of these rifles were pristine when I got the actions. The bolts were used as is and the barrels were chambered and headspaced to suit the bolt head that was on them. The only changes made to the bolt heads was to replace the extractors with new, longer tooth models for the rimless cases.

It's also why I found the recent video, showing the No4 action that had been converted to take the 300Win Mag so interesting. That video was quite enlightening and helped alleviate some of my fears on the 243 conversion.

The owners of the 243 don't hand load. All of the ammo they use is factory loaded. Factory loads run close to 60,000psi.

Thanx for the reply. Much appreciated.
 
I agree with bearhunter
It took a while but I got it fitted into a DCRA 7.62
All of the work is on the magazine locked up tight needs some fine filing and polishing
Nice to have the Enfield and Stirling magazines to compared it to
I think they are 12 round magazines
All of the American's seem to make the fine adjustments, so they have some good ideas on
What to try
 
Potashminer said:
An acquaintance is advising me that it is very common to use standard 303 British bolt heads in converted target rifles, but some sanctioned competitions require (required?) "proofed" bolt heads stamped 19T to be in the rifle, to be on the firing line.

Apparently Google has a lot about using Ishapore magazines in No. 4 rifles - was more or less a "go to" way to convert....
Click to expand...

To the OP, file off the rivet holding the positioning spring, and file off the SMLE rib off the 2A1 magazine. Depending on the extractor used, you may not need to make additional ejector changes.

Regarding the bolt, a 7.62 bolt head is simply a .303 bolt head. The .303 bolt head was proof fired when originally manufactured.

.303 "proof pressures" are higher than .308/7.62 maximum average pressures.

Repeated "Proof firing" does little more than reduce the parts service life (search for Knight Armament's discussions regarding proof firing all bolt heads).

The UK Proof Houses pay to have a Government monopoly which forces all manufacturers and commercial owners to submit their firearms for taxing -

If you look at an "Irish contract" No4Mk2 rifle which is still in the manufacturers grease, explain to me how it was commercially "Proof Fired" in the UK - without ever being removed from the original manufacturers packaging...
 
Potashminer said:
I do not recall that they were "made" stronger - it was my impression that they were standard bolt heads, previously proofed at 303 British levels, that had been re-proofed to 7.62 NATO levels. Something like the difference between 18T and 20T - and, it really sucks not to be able to find where I got that idea!!!
Click to expand...

You hit it bang on. The Brits proofed them to 19 or 20T but they are no different.
 
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I used a 2A1 magazine on a faux Enforcer I had years ago.

A little bit of fitting, and it functioned fine and also ejected the spent cases.

It will work, just looks like crap to my eyes. But what other choice is there?
 
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