Rechamber 7.62x39 single shot to .303 by hand?

[GrizzLeeBear]

I have a Rossi single shot in 7.62x39 that I am thinking about rechambering to .303 British. It shoots alright, but I think it would be even better in the rimmed .303 since its a single shot and I would be able to shoot heavier boolits for deer, etc. It has a .310 bore so that should also work fine with the .303. How hard would this be to rechamber myself using a hand turned reamer?

[Ben]

I'm no gunsmith, but I'd think you'd get a more concentric chamber if it was done by a professional with a lathe.

Ben

[leftiye]

Lossa work.

[deltaenterprizes]

Not that hard,indicate chamber true and recut. The cost of the reamer and go no-go gages plus the labor may be more than the rifle cost.

[jhrosier]

The twist in that barrel might be wrong for the heavier boolits.
Try loading the heavier boolits in the 39mm case and see if you can get the results that you want, or measure the twist and apply Greenhill's formula.

Jack

[deltaenterprizes]

With the availability of cheap 7.62 x 39 ammo what is the point of rechambering?

[trooperdan]

With the availability of cheap 7.62 x 39 ammo what is the point of rechambering?


There really isn't any more "cheap" 7,62x39.. at least not to my mind.. what used to be 10 cents or less is hard to find for 25 these days!

[deltaenterprizes]

It is still cheaper than .303 British and more available!

[Willbird]

7.62x54r is another possibility. I do agree that single shots should use rimmed cases, I have thought about redoing a 223 NEF to 225 win for just that reason.

Bill

[redneckdan]

Not bad at all. Just don't be in a hurry. Took a pilot(1/2 depth) chambered .308 winchester barrel and hand reamed it to .30-284 in an afternoon. Be sure to use good machine tool cutting fluid. Cut four turns or so, pull the ream and clear the chips. Be sure to use some downward pressure, you don't want chatter to start.

[GrizzLeeBear]

It is still cheaper than .303 British and more available!

Maybe if I didn't reload and was stuck having to buy factory ammo. I have bought very little factory ammo for years. Besides, its a single shot, not one your going need high volumes of ammo to blast away with at the range like a SKS or something.

By the way, the rifle has been at the gunsmiths for several months now waiting to be rechambered. He is only chargining $75 to rechamber it, whenever he gets around to it. By the time I rented the reamer, guages, etc. I wouldn't be saving much doing it myself and I would have a much better chance of screwing it up.

This rifle is nice and light, and shoots good. I want to have a gun that I can go from shooting small game to varmints to deer by just changing loads. I do have other guns, but I want one that I could keep in the car all the time (sort of a "truck gun") that could be used for unplanned opportunities to go hunting. In its 7.62x39 form it has shown accuracy with light "gallery" or small game loads, loads with .32 pistol bullets zipping along at 2500 fps for varmints and of course standard 123 gr. SP loads going 2300 - 2400 fps for deer. The .303 of course, would handle heavier bullets for deer better and get a little more velocity with medium weight bullets. With the 7.62x39 I also ran into problems with miss-fires due to case shortening with the small game loads, even when I enlarged the flash holes on some cases that were for reserved for small game loads only. The .303 rim would eliminate the case shortening problem as well.

[rockrat]

Second the 7.62 x 54r.

[jhrosier]

I would just have the gunsmith counterbore the chamber and modify the extractor for a rim and form 7.62x39Rmm cases from .220 Swift brass.

Jack

[David Caldwell]

Ah, you can, but don't yet. Try these first:

Sierra 200 gr BTSP with 20.0 gr IMR 4198 @ 2.5" = oal. ~1770 fps.

200 gr. cast, Lyman 311299 (ww+2%tin, oven treated & quenched) w/gc; sized .309 and .311 (.309 works best in my Ruger M77 Mark II.) 20.0 gr IMR 4198 @1785 fps. Oal = 2.34" - 2.37

These are surprisingly wicked on large hogs and whitetails. I've killed a truckload of each with it. Bang/flop. Seriously, try it; you'll be pleased.

[Junior1942]

Ah, you can, but don't yet. Try these first:

Sierra 200 gr BTSP with 20.0 gr IMR 4198 @ 2.5" = oal. ~1770 fps.

200 gr. cast, Lyman 311299 (ww+2%tin, oven treated & quenched) w/gc; sized .309 and .311 (.309 works best in my Ruger M77 Mark II.) 20.0 gr IMR 4198 @1785 fps. Oal = 2.34" - 2.37

These are surprisingly wicked on large hogs and whitetails. I've killed a truckload of each with it. Bang/flop. Seriously, try it; you'll be pleased.
Get one of the group buy "fat" 311041 molds and use enough 4895 to push it 1700 fps.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Keep yer eyes open for a beater 94 Winny in 30/30 or a milsup in anything. Probably won't cost much to change over for the 94 and you'll probably end up with money in hand after buying an old mil sup rifle. Personally I think the 7.62x39 is pretty good and the single shot should make a good cast boolit gun.

[303Guy]

Sierra 200 gr BTSP with 20.0 gr IMR 4198 @ 2.5" = oal. ~1770 fps.What can that cartridge do with 174gr or 150gr bullets? (In a single shot of course).

[bruce drake]

I load my 7.62x39 cases for my Mauser Carbine with 150 and 170gr Flat Nose LEE's over 9gr of Unique. Accurate and with enough pop to do some damage to a deer within reasonable hunting distances. 1:10 twist handles the boolits just fine.

I'd advise keeping the barrel as is and just build a load for it. Cast Boolits - Custom Loads without the $2 a shell price tag from Walmart.

Bruce

[JIMinPHX]

Why don't you see if you can swap that barrel for one in a caliber that you like better. Lots of guys are out there looking for barrels in the caliber that you have. If that barrel was for a NEF Handi, I'd make you an offer for it.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I was just thinking Dan with that much time on your hands, you can't be studying hard enough! :D