rifle modification questions

[cody c]

So, Ive got a few "stupid" questions that ive never fully understood the rhyme or reason to. I thought this might be a good part of the sight to ask.

Although this may be sacrilege to some, Im curious about what can be done with a mauser or lee enfield 303.

More specifically, I like the idea of using some of the old steel to hunt with, I think a good-shooting-rifle, thats old with a bit of character is much more interesting than the new stainless synthetic rifle. Although i would be more interested in either finding something sporterized to use instead of hacking up a well preserved original. Im the kind of guy that "cant leave well enough alone" and I like to use and enjoy heirlooms instead of leave them in the closet to gather dust. If there was a sporterized mauser or enfield that had a worn out barrel and stock for cheap, I would be interested in having some fun with it.

So anyways, the questions:

What could you re-barrel a 303 brit to? would it handle something like a 270 win or even bigger like a magnum or say 375 ruger? (I never said these were smart questions but only one way to find out) would there be any problems with the magazine? I really like the idea of a small rifle with large magazine capacity. And more specifically why???

What size ammunition could you re-barrel a 98 mauser to? I know there is 6x55's and 30-06's around, I would like to know if that action could be made to handle the wider 375 ruger or if it would be too much money to make it worth while. Actually I would probably just go with 270 win but I am curious if it could be done and why or why not.

Thanks!

 

[J996]

How long of a shot are you planning on taking?
Inside 200m no modification is necessary, grab your stock rifle and go get that deer or moose.

A 98 Mauser can be re-barreled to almost anything as it is a very strong action.
Lots of bubba'd sporters out there to play with.
As for re-barreling an Enfield, no clue as I'm a mauser guy but someone else will answer that I'm sure.

 

[fiddler]

Babba sporters are a quarter of the value in many cases. They still shoot ok, but they've had the collectors value removed. I have a $500 Yugo Mauser in 8mm that has been so far out-shooting my buddy and his expensive new stainless steel 30.06 with synthetic stock. For shots up 300 meters, there is nothing that requires changing.

Last fall another guy that I went hunting with picked up a second hand Mosin91/30 as his first rifle. It shoots MOA at 75 yards with open sights and often keyholes his shots. He took all three of his deer with the furthest one out to just over 200 yards. This was a $150 rifle.


One consideration is the cost of re barreling. How many hundreds of dollars are you going to spend on a rifle that only costs a couple hundred?


My point is that the majority of these rifles are good without any changes. They are inexpensive, and they are plentiful. Bubba modifications and fixes are really not my thing, and what others do with their rifles is their business, but the rifles are/were made to shoot best in their original configuration. When you change things as simple as weight and stocks, you really don't know what you're going to get. Sometimes there is no going back. My advice is to use the rifle as is for a time. If you think you can "fix" something, then be realistic in what improvements you think you are going to make. Give it a chance, you may be surprised how well it shoots all by itself.

 

[ben hunchak]

An older Lee Enfield should not be rechambered to anything but the .303Br. or any other cartridge that produces pressures under 45,000cup, this rules out most modern cartridges. With a Mauser '98, you have some choices but staying with a cartridge that has the same size head will simplify things and save some money.

 

[cody c]

Well, here's the thing.
Where can you buy 6x55 shells off the shelf?

I may have a couple barrels from other rifles around to use, but would like to know what could or couldnt be done with either. Im guessing by the pressure statement the enfield wouldn't like 270 win ammo?
Not that im nesecarily going to rebarrel a 303 to that caliber, mostly just curious what I could do with them.

 

[mg4201]

enfields can be done in 45-70

several people have done it. there might even be a kit. That being said .303 british is a very very lethal round. My family and friends have taken many many Ontario moose and deer with 180 gr .303 in the last 50 years since they were sold as surplus. It is worth noting that some of the initial development on the .303 was to use it as a round for hunting large animals in Africa. my grandfather also said it was excellant at "converting" nazis.

 

[cody c]

Could you elaborate on what is needed to get an Enfield to handle a 45-70? I would really like to know where the weak points and strong points of this rifle are. I really like the large magazine capacity of the Enfield, something you dont get with others.


Im not saying that the 303 is an un-capable round, more over just curious what can be done to it. I really like the flat shooting of the .270 for prairie/bush hunting out this way. Just my preference.

Hopefully someone can explain exactly what can be done with them and why, by the sounds of it I havent really got a first-hand-experience-explanation yet. Im really looking for proof and experience, I dont want to bother ya'll with these questions again