P14 Receiver - 338 Lapua, Will it hold?

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thomasam

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Hi:
I am planning on building a long range bolt action on a P14 receiver and new barrel. I know that the P14 receiver has been used for all sorts of Rimmed Mag Rifles, 264 WM, 300 H&H, 300 WM, 7MM Rem Mag and 375 H&H Mag. I understand the requirement of opening the bolt face, plus magazine feeding issues etc, but will the receiver be strong enough as it is? Has anyone done this, If so let me know what challenges you had and what you came up with.
Any help/info would be appreciated.
Thanks
Adrian
 
IMHO, if you're trying to save money by doing this build on a P14, it will likely cost you more than picking up a commercial action with all the appropriate work already done. The P14 action is in the same class as a Mauser 98 or Springfield 03. It'a a falacy perpetrated for years that the Enfield actions are stronger. This has been proven in documented, controlled tests by PO Ackley.

I have done them up in 45/70 and loaded them up well past anything in the early manuals and very close to loads listed for the No 1 Ruger if that helps.

This build will require a lot of work to the magazine/feed rails/feed ramps, just for starters. If the action hasn't already been machined, the rear sight protection ears will have to be removed and the bridge contoured to whichever scope base you chose. Much cheaper/quicker/easier to purchase an appropriate commercial receiver. Also much easier to get aftermarket triggers and stocks.
 
If it is a Remington or Winchester made action it would be suitable for a build... a build that will cost twice as much over using a commercial action and be worth less.
 
Bear Hunter and guntech:
Thanks for your input, I have an action where the ears have been milled off and has been drilled and tapped for a scope mount already, so that's done, I did a little research and found that I can import a barrel from PacNor, Timney makes a trigger for the Enfield, I can get a stock from Boyds, will probably have to do a bit of inletting, A tactical style stock would probably be a one of, have to be custom machined. So the next thing would be the mag, feed rail ramp issue. I read somewhere that a company in the states maybe Williams made a mag/feed plate combination that allowed for longer shells to be used, 300 H&H, 375 H&H. This would have been years ago. Can anyone corroborate this, has any one seen one, It would be great if someone had a conversion like that done, and could tell me the specifics. I completely understand that there are cheaper ways to go but for me its in the building and that first range day to see if it can really shoot!
Please more input,
 
Like everyone else has said either buy a proper action for the task or build a caliber that is better suited for the action. The 303 round is 3.075" long and the 338 lapua is 3.681", mag dimensions would be a big concern. Your going to have to open up the bolt face .100" and then monkey with the extractor to get it to work. You could probably buy a factory savage or remington for much less than you will have wrapped into a rifle that may or may not even function. If your hell bent on using this action I would suggest maybe building a 300wm instead probably have way fewer issues getting it to work and it will still throw heavy bullets way out there.
 
I would certainly give it a try for $hits and giggles, but you wouldn't catch me holding and firing the thing. I plan on doing the same thing to a Ross Rifle, and seeing what happens. More for science than anything.
 
Build it. I have used p14's for build before and had really good luck. If you ever plan on selling it you won't get anything for it. I used dayton trayster triggers and built my own stocks from scratch. I still have one in 300 imperial and one in 458 winchester. The imperial just feeds from the top load magazine but I built a removable single stack magazine for the 458 that resembles a remington 788 mag.
 
When A square was still in business they build most of their big bores (hannibal) off the P14 / P17 action.

Whether the one you have on hand is safe or not guess you need a competent gunsmith to inspect it throughly
 
It will work.The work on the receiver rails to make it a repeater is quite extensive.You will need a longer magazine box as well.I have done .338 Lapua,.375 H&H,.416 Rigby,.416 Rem Mag,6.5x68,and 8x68S on P14 actions.I left the #### on closing feature alone.I used actions from DP's from India.At one time I was getting the DP's for less than $30.00 US.These particular rifles were made into DP's in almost unfired condition.
 
As it has been mentioned...It can be/ has been done. Lots of milling to open things up...
I built a 416 Rigby ,& am working on a 585 Nyati on P-14 s
Good luck & have fun. Ed
 
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