Years ago I read an article by Ken Waters about the Enfield sporters from the interwar period.He had one as I remember in 404 Jefferys. I have a hankering to build one. Anybody have a good barrel maker and/or a reason it can't be done? (Other than the action is too short)
What would be a good big bore to convert a useless action standing in the corner?

they converted British Pattern 14 and US Model 1917 Enfields not SMLE's......

No. The one Waters wrote about was an Enfield. I remember the funny stock design. It may not have been a Jefferys but it was a big bore round. He made the case that the action was not used more because the British gun makers didn't want the competition from the military action. I have several P-17 conversions. Almost bought another one last Sunday.

cant see anyone doing anything but a 45-70, 444 Marlin, 405 Win or similar on a SMLE......

I saw a cool one once in a .375 "express" IIRC...NOT the H&H but a shorter fatter .375..it was neato!

ingwe

There is a 416 wildcat based on the 444 marlin that might be a good choice. Even a 356 Win might be an interesting project.
The 375 Express is also a Ken Waters version from a 444 Marlin or an Ackley Version from a 348 Winchester. The Ackley version is lots hotter.

doesnt someone on here have one he did in 45-120 or similar?

Gibbs rifle company used to do 45/70 conversions, the SMLE action is not big enough for the 404 Jeffery.

http://www.gibbsrifle.com/sport_speciality_.html

A 450 or 500 Alaskan, which are both based on the 348 case would be a pretty cool smelly! 348 case is a bit fatter than the 45/70 so one would be just about maxing the available room in the rifle. Even a 348AI would be a really neat timber rifle good to over 200 yards or so on elk and similar. I am getting 2550 with 250gr Barnes Originals in my model 71 348AI.

Make a visit at the NitroExpress LeeSpeed forum.
http://forums.nitroexpress.com/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=lee

Some interesting photos and discussion that might give you some more inspiration.
Bfly

Here is a recent one done by Lon Paul in 348. Lon plans on using 250 gr and 280gr bullets

There was an article a few years ago, I think in Gun Digest, on converting an SMLE to .45-90. And I have had, for at least a decade, a Douglas barrel, threaded for SMLE, in .405 WCF. I will probably never do anything with it.

I picked up a beat jungle carbine barreled action that I have considered rebarreling to a .405 Win for sometime now. Smilodon would you be interested in parting with that barrel by any chance?

I was hoping you'd post that photo, Phil! I love that rifle!

Jeff

I am hoping to get my hands on it during spring bear season and will get you more photos and if I can trade him out of it will show it to you.

Got any idea about the pressure limitations of that SMLE action?

Fred

Phil,

If you can lay hands on that rifle, I'd love to look it over. One of the coolest, and truly unique custom rifles I've seen.

Fred,

I think the SAAMI max pressure of the .303 British is somewhere around 45-50kpsi, so that's probably a good ballpark limit for the SMLE. The .348, as this rifle is done, is a pretty good fit. Another good one, would be the .33 Win. A little better selection of .338" bullets out there.

Jeff

According to Karl Kleimenhagen's Pressure Standards page, the .303 British crusher pressure specifications are SAAMI 45,000 psi and CIP 46,000 psi. The later piezoelectric runs a little higher at 49,000 and 53,000 respectively. (http://kwk.us)

Seems to me that awhile back one of the guys
on this board or another one had an SMLE or
an Enfield 17 that had been rebarreled to .30-40
Krag.

The Brits rechambered them in 308 NATO

Looking thru PO Ackley's boo and daydreaming...The 33 WCF gets 2260 with a 200 grain bullet, the 348 over 2400 fps. But, the 348 doesn't have a good bullet selection. Also, Ackley says the large of amount of taper on the 348 case contributes to a lot of backthrust, and that brought about the Improved version of the 348.
So, what would happen if a gun looney had the SMLE rebarreled to the 348 Improved, but necked up to 358? That would suppossedly reduce backthrust, which I am guessing is a good idea with that one lug action, you have good case capacity and a good bullet selection.
since it's a rimmed case, to form cases, all you'd have to do is run 348 cases through a 358 neck size die. Would make a good project for a rifle looney, perhaps.

Fred

Didn't the scout Frederick Burnham have a Lee-Metford in a .40 caliber of some mfg. I cannot remember the proper nomenclature of the ctg. But if I remember it was some .40 based upon the .303 case......

BN

Northfork makes a .348 bullet.

A .35 Imp would be a good one. Another possibility is the .360 #2; but it may be too long?

Jeff

No shortage of Barnes 250gr 348 Originals. That is what I shoot in my 348AI and get a chrono'ed 2550 from them.

Looks like it will be something based on a 348 case. I'd like to go to 40 but I don't know. The ballistics from the 348Imp and the 375/444 are pretty impressive

There are a whole bunch of Aussie Wildcats on the .303 case dating to a time when it was illegal for civiliant to own a militaty chambering.

The case was necked up and down, shortened and blown out. Should be something on the net or Bertram Brass could have cases ready to go.

JW

the lee enfield #1 or #4 is not a single lug action.

Here is my project under way,recrating a Lee Speed.The donor has a "fair" barrel,however if it's too bad,it will become a .375/303

gonna have to double check my #4 but im pretty sure it is......the only lug is the long one behind the bold head the length of the bolt body....the "lug" that the extractor is attached to doesnt lock into anything.....nothing for the bolt handle to lock into either....that pretty well leaves one lug, its a big arse lug, but it is only one lug....

The Lee Enfield has two locking lugs, a small one on the rear part of the bolt that locks into a recess in the receiver, and the large rib on the other side of the bolt that abuts the receiver bridge.

chit.....gonna have to quit saying chit before looking and double checking....sure enough there is a lil 2nd lug

I'm relatively certain Mr. Paul could successfully polish a turd and make it shine.

That is a piece of work!! Great lookin' gun!!

What colour are you going to paint the stock Phil?

So a 358 Winchester would b an easy conversion. i do like my 444 Marlin wildcats in the T/C Contender - the 358 Bellm and the 30 Bellm, though of course they are loaded to much lower pressures than the SMLE could withstand.

No SMLE should be converted to a 308 based case ... Indian 2A rifles being the exception as they were different metallurgically. The No4 was converted to 7.62Nato but required a different bolt head and target rifles were also crack tested prior to being allowed into competition.

In SMLEs I know of a 375/444 working well, and in No4s I've seen 303/35s which are a very simple conversion. Another very handy SMLE conversion is using a take-off ex-mil 7x57 barrel and recessing the face for a rim. The 7x57R operates at lower pressures and will function through a SMLE, making a delightfully light and mild gun to shoot.
Cheers...
Con

Oh, sweet Jesus... I'm in love..........

Describe the "useless action". My curiosity is peaked, and I've an affliction for Enfields....

.405 Winchester would be EASY....

Phil Shoemaker pointed that out to me on here somewhere.....tempting, very tempting......

.405 Winchester has the same headsize as the .303 (or close enough to work with little/no mods) and the same basic COAL.

Rebarrel, tweak magazine, and you're done.

I am sorry I gotta ask WHY, the SMLE is just that smellie its the ugliest rifle/action a man has ever conceived. they don't look very conducive to scope or optics mounting among many other issues. don't polish a turd.

Because a No.1 or No.4 can be made into a very slick, good handling rifle that has an appeal that is unequaled by any other. Admittedly, it is not for everyone, but so what?

As with your constant ideas about hotrodding handgun cartridges, to try to get them to be what they are not, your ignorance is showing again.

Looks, ain't everything, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Given your experience with the Enfield rifles starts and stops are appearances, perhaps you'd want to leave this one to people who, oh, I don't know... have actual use experience with them. Just a thought...

i like the looks of my SMLE and dont have much of a reason to throw a scope on one....cock on closing doesnt led itself to fine target shooting from a bench....however its fine for quick shots in thick cover, where your just fine with irons anyway....slick doesnt even come close to describing how smooth operating the action is...makes some of the Mausers ive had of similar vintage and quality feel down right rough and those Mausers make most new production guns feel rough...

plenty of modern rifles uglier than a SMLE, Benelli's R1 comes to mind....will also say the blued steel on my No4Mk1* looks alot better than the bluing on most current production rifles aswell....

lots to like bout a SMLE.....dont need a scope on all my guns....i learned to shoot with irons and can function pretty well with them still.....and ugly is as ugly does, a SMLE is completely dependable and damn good for what i use mine for....