Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .303 conversion...

If it's a P-14 or an M-17 you can build anything you want on it. But BSA also made sporters after the war that were not on ex-military actions. Is it one of those?


Okie John

Depending on the extent of the sporterization, lack of a detachable magazine would make your rifle a P-14. This action is, to me, a FAR better candidate for customizing than the Lee-Enfield. In fact, one of my Dad's friends has been working on putting together a 375 H&H on a Winchester-manufactured P-14 for the better part of a decade (he tends to get sidetracked by other projects). Why he wants to change the rifles caliber is beyond me. Anyone can buy a 375 H&H for under a grand. A top-notch 303 Brit on a Mauser-based action is a far harder thing to find.

Okie john, I believe that it was made after the war, so I guess it could be a non-military action. If that is the case does it change the rechambering ability?

SS

I assumed it was a No 4 conversion, because all of the BSAs I've seen in the past were SMLE conversions.

If its a P14 (You can quickly tell because a P14 has a one piece stock, while the SMLE has a two piece stock.), as was said above, you can make practically anything from it. I believe that Weatherby's early work was done on M17 actions, so length isn't a major factor. I have a P14 converted to a .303 Canadian Epps Belted Magnum (a .311 Norma Magnum). Other guys have had them concerted to .311 Winchester Magnums. A .358 Norma would be a real nice cartridge on this action.

You might want to contact Bill Leeper, I understand he does a lot of custom work out west. If it is a P14 conversion, much of the costly work of reshaping has already been done. It can be a real pain getting those ears ground off.

It is a one peice stock, so I guess it is a P14.

SS

since you said you wanted a "35 whelen or something" in your original post i would suggest the 358 Norma. im still kicking myself for not picking up a pair of P17s at a gunshow in 300H&H and 358 Norma. the P-17/P-14 action is fairly heavy and should help soak up the recoil of the Norma(which isnt an exreamly bad kicker anyways). ive got a 338-06 on a P17 that kicks less than 270 Winny i have on a lighter action. the 338-06 doesnt feel like its 9.5 pounds scoped and ready for action. i went with a slightly heavier barrel than nessisary and the extra lil wieght up front made it balance beautifully, now if i could jut get the dang thing to shoot. since yours is already sporterized most of the hard work is done. you just need to pic a cartridge, find a smith who will work on a P-14 and get a new barrel and some action work if you go with a different cartridge. another interesting cartridge would be the 450 marlin or its twin the 458x2inch its one heck of a thumper for timber work and most anything else out to about 150-200 yards. basically its the 458 winchester magnum shortened and better suited to North American game

I have a 1917 which has been, at various times, a 30/06, a 300 Weatherby and is now a wildcat I call the 340 tyrrannosaur which is simply the 8mm Remmag necked up to .338. The full length rem mag cas left .311 bore would be an interesting wildcat and would be inexpensive as you could use the existing barrel. My .340 is a real elk, kudu and eland walloper. Good luck with your project. If your rifle has not yet been converted to cock on opening I have had the Dayton - Traister unit, along with their speed lock unit in my rifle for over 30 years with terrific results. Report back!

safariman

In Canada about 30 years ago, a frequently encountered, but not common, wildcat on the P -14 was the ".311 Norma Mag". I think you get the picture. Run the reamer in, tidy up the feed rails, use .311 bullets and standard 308 Norma Mag dies and make a lot of noise; - and meat!

Here is a link to the same rifle, but in .270. I'm thinking that it isn't a SMLE or P-14 since it was made post WWII, but I'm not sure. Does that change the re-chambering abilities?

http://www.thadscott.com/17246.html



SS

FWIW:

I don't know P-14s, but I have an SMLE, and that ain't no SMLE.

BMT

That is a commercial Mauser style action, not a reworked military action.

Jeff

nope, it ain't no mauser action. it is a bsa proprietary action. the de haas book on bolt action rifles has a section on it. it probably does not have any collector value per se. it could be re-barreled, but if it is, indeed, chambered in .303 british, a rimmed cartridge, there will be magazine/feeding issues upon re-chambering/re-barreling unless you go the .303 epps route. steve redgewell has an excellent site on loading the .303.
i don't think you can take it to just any gunsmith. you appear to be from canada, sam, so the epps shop or somebody else up there would be familiar with all the if/thens entailed in altering the rascal. i happen to much like the .303. you might, too, after you shoot it a bit. that action could take higher pressure loads than the smle. loaded up, you're looking at .308 win ballistics - and a bit better with the old 215-grain roundnose at 2,200 fps or so. go get 'em.

That's the post-war non-military sporter I mentioned. It's as strong as other bolt guns, though feeding may be an issue in a conversion. BOLT ACTION RIFLES by Frank DeHaas has details, including shank drawings.


Okie John

Thanks guys. I have been trying to find some info on the .35-.303 wildcat, but so far I haven't found too much. I really want to look the rifle over once I get it and see what kind of shape it is in. If it is decent I will probably just leave it as a .303, but if it needs to be rebarrelled anyway I would like to see what my options are. Anyone have more info on the .35-.303?


SS

get to steve redgewell's (spelling?) site, www.303british.com. he drops in here sometimes, by the way. an epps or ai version of the 35/303 would push .358 win ballistics.

That is a BSA commercial action rifle, not an Enfield rework. I have seen them in caibers from 222 to 458 Win, however they were never made in 303 British.

BSA did do up a lot of sporters on P14 and 17 Enfield actions. I have owned them in 270, 30-06 and 303 Br , which is probably what you are getting.

Ted

didnt Ken Waters come up with a 338-303 wildcat that he rebored an old mauser to?

here's a list of wildcats listed on redgwell's site (i've got the spelling right now.)
Wildcat/Improved Cartridge Specifications
Meredith 303/22
22/303 Varmint-R (22 Varmint-R)
22 Wasp
22/303 Sprinter
22/303 (22 Rocket - 22-4000)
22/303 Epps
22/303 British Improved 40
220/303 British
243/303 (6mm/303 British)
6mm/303 Epps
25/303 British
25/303 Epps
6.5/303 Epps
270/303
270/303 Epps
7mm/303 British
7mm/303 Epps (7mm/303 British Improved)
7.7x54mm Rimmed
303 ICL Improved
ICBM
303 Epps Improved (303 British Improved)
8mm/303 Epps
338/303 Epps
338 JDJ (this one might be a dandy, seeing as how it comes from jd jones.)
35/303 Epps
375/303 Epps

Thanks Yukoner. From what others have said, the P-14 should be strong enough to handle a wildcat like the .35-.303 or .338-.303 right? I'll have to wait until I have it in my grubby little hands before I know for sure I guess. Thanks guys.

Fish280, I have been to that site. Actually it is the only one I have found info on the .35-.303 at. I'll do some more searching. Thanks.


SS

well, you just get that rifle in your hot little hands and make sure you know what you've got before doing much planning.
could be a dandy project.