P-14 Action with P-17 bolt

P14/1917

I had a 1917 barrel/action ('bubbed ears but otherwise perfect),re-chambered to .300 H+H recently. 'Smith used a P14 bolt I supplied which worked better with the magnum case (not sure if needed to file P14 extractor). Not sure what work he had to do when screwed on original barrel, but shoots into an inch from the bench.
Geoff
 
A P14 bolt is flat like a Mauser on the face end, a M17 bolt is coned like a Springfield on the end. They use different box magazines, and have different feed rails and followers. Externally, the receiver dimensions are identical, within manufacturing tolerances. As mentioned, you can fit either bolt to either receiver, but it will require remachining of the barrel and/or the bolt. I have to get a digital camera, this is way easier to see then to describe. - dan
 
p-17 said:
I've had this done back and forth. There is no problem using a '17 bolt in a '14 receiver and vice versa.

The catch is that this must be done at the time that the barrel is installed. The different extractor grooves in the face of the barrel will preclude interchangeability for that reason alone.

If you want to put a '17 bolt into your '14 .220 Swift, you will, at minimum, have to have the barrel unscrewed and will likely be required to cut its rear end off. You will then have to re-thread the shank and re-cut the chamber, including having the brech coned to accommodate the '17 bolt. In addition, the extractor cut will have to be made wider for the '17 extractor.

In other words, you will have to start again as if you're installing a brand new (unthreaded and unchambered barrel). If you do this, you should have no problem. I can't imagine a gunsmith doing all this for less than $150 (on a good, generous day), however.
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This is exactly the info I was looking for, thanks alot guys. I guess I'll just have to tweek the extractor a little or live with it. I use the rifle solely for target/precision shooting, as I have a Remmy 700 in .223 for hunting.
 
P17 gave you some sound and accurate advice on the work required. Here is a suggestion that you can consider, this is something I have done to Remington M700 when reducing the boltface diameter. The option to bush the bolt face is possible, this will reduce your bolt face diameter and allow the extracctor to apply the necesary pressure while extracting to keep the empty against the bolt face until the ejector does it's job.
Good Luck
bigbull
 
bigbull said:
P17 gave you some sound and accurate advice on the work required. Here is a suggestion that you can consider, this is something I have done to Remington M700 when reducing the boltface diameter. The option to bush the bolt face is possible, this will reduce your bolt face diameter and allow the extracctor to apply the necesary pressure while extracting to keep the empty against the bolt face until the ejector does it's job.
Good Luck
bigbull
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How would one go about bushing the bolt face bigbull?
 
I've seen it done, and it's cool, but it is also a major gunsmithing job. Essentially what it means is lopping off the face of the bolt and drilling it hollow and threading it on the inside. Then a new piece of round steel is threaded into place to replace the chunk of the bolt face that was lopped off. A hole is drilled through the middle to allow the firing pin to pass, and a slot is cut on the left side to allow the ejector blade to pass. Then the new boltface is opened to whatever size cartridge head you want. If you go this route, you could theoretically even install a Remington 700 style extractor (or a Sako extractor) if you were so inclined (I've seen it done). In other words, you could get it to breech like a Remington 700 (three rings of steel with no breaks).

Another way of stating the above is that you you chop off the original boltface and replace it with a custom-made new one.

This is precise work and it must be made STRONG as hell, for obvious reasons. Again, while it's very cool, I can't imagine a job like this being done for less than $150.

FYI, I've seen a fellow do this with a No. 4 Lee-Enfield, to convert it into .223. He even went with the Remington 700 extractor AND plunger ejector. He is a retired gunsmith who did it because a buddy dared him, and it worked well. I can't imagine what it would have cost to have hired him to do a major job like that.
 
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P17 gave you one version and I will give you another.
The Remington boltface is machined clean and a small ring is left for a seating surface then a ring of steel smaller in diameter than the case you will be chambering is soldered into place, the whole thing is machined flush and the bolt face is opened to the corrrect diameter for the cartridge chambered. The work once completed is practically invisible and the bolt is esentially untouched. It is an easy job for someone who is used to this work but not reccomended for the sprouting gunsmiths since there is heat involved.
bigbull
 
I don't want to hijack this thread, but I was curious about the difficulty/cost for a gunsmith to bring a P17 bolt face up the magnum diameter. Is it worth it for the trouble, or should I stick to the P14 and leave well enough alone? I was thinking of making a P17 into a 300 win mag. I want to leave my P14 for my 375 HH or 378 wby project.
 
kell, the bolt opening is a simple straigh forward job for a knowledgeable gunsmith, shouldn't cost more than $50, this will include grinding the extractor to the proper shape for the new round.
bigbull
 
Take a bolt out of one of your guns and hold it in front of you vertically, as if it were between the 6 and 12 positions on a clock face. Focus on the end of the bolt. Typically (Rem, Win, Ruger, etc) it will be flat (as will the front surface of the lugs). If you do the same thing with a stock M17 bolt, it will cone towards the center of the bolt. Is that better? - dan
 
dan belisle said:
Take a bolt out of one of your guns and hold it in front of you vertically, as if it were between the 6 and 12 positions on a clock face. Focus on the end of the bolt. Typically (Rem, Win, Ruger, etc) it will be flat (as will the front surface of the lugs). If you do the same thing with a stock M17 bolt, it will cone towards the center of the bolt. Is that better? - dan
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:redface: Wow, I couldn't wrap my head around it until now. Thanks Dan! Are their any special issues when cutting the threads on a barrel blank for a P14 action compared to P17 then (coned breech characteristics), or am I off in left field again.
 
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