convert a Carcano to 7.62X39

[uncowboy]

Years ago I read where this could be done easily with the use of an SKS BBL. The mag and feeding should work. Has anyone done this or know of someone who has and wrote about it. This has been on my mind for a wile and always wanted to try it. ANY info would be helpfull. J.Michael

[Andy_P]

You can use a Lee Enfield No1 MKIII barrel. Compare the 7.62x39 to the 303 Brit round. Cut 0.600" off of the chamber end, re- thread and you're good to go. The neck will be a bit short (0.100") and the shoulder will be slightly "improved", but it will work just fine.

An interesting way to attach the barrel is like what is done for modern Savage firearms. Leave a barrel "stub" from the carcano barrel, and thread it and the Lee Enfield barrel so that you can screw it in until headspace is correct, and affix it correctly indexed with a set screw.

http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/generalstorage/piclinks/Eaton_Carcano_Barrel_Assembly.jpg

[Multigunner]

Years ago I read where this could be done easily with the use of an SKS BBL. The mag and feeding should work. Has anyone done this or know of someone who has and wrote about it. This has been on my mind for a wile and always wanted to try it. ANY info would be helpfull. J.Michael

An SKS barrel would have a gas port, and a very large one at that.

While a Enfield barrel would be nominally of the proper size range in practice most Enfield bores are quite a bit oversized even for the .303 bullets. The equal width of lands and grooves does make up for that to some extent, and most Soviet barrels vary greatly in bore diameter as well, but I'd want to slug any barrel I considered using for such a project before commiting to it.

The lowest end diameters of Enfield bores are .313 and the high end is a whopping .319 according to the SAID (Small Arms Identification Drawing) found in instructions to armorers. A .313-.314 is about as loose as I'd want to go if I expected a fair degree of accuracy from such a conversion.
An undersize .308 bore might be just as bad if not worse. If a Finn manufacture .309 or .310 Mosin nagant barrel were available that might work.

[gnoahhh]

It begs the question: Why?

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Not a valid question. You open us all up to such questions from virtually everyone we know. Sometimes answers to questions are not needed. BvT

[deltaenterprizes]

Most probably the same reason I got a 95 Mauser converted to 7.62x39. Cheap readily available ammo and mild recoil.

[bkbville]

.... and it's just plain fun to play.

Would the SKS gas port impact the barrel performance that much?

There are a lot AK barrels around - even new ones - for AK kit builds.

Any bolt face work required?

[Multigunner]

.... and it's just plain fun to play.

Would the SKS gas port impact the barrel performance that much?

There are a lot AK barrels around - even new ones - for AK kit builds.

Any bolt face work required?

The port of my Yugo SKS was big enough to pass the stem of a Q-tip with room to spare. One that size would definitely cause problems, and sealing it off would be difficult to accomplish with there being no gas block on a bolt action.

You may find a 7.62X39 barrel blank intended for some other rifle and adapt it, there are a few factory bolt action rifles in that chambering.

Another possibilty is boring out and sleeving the original barrel using the liners for .32 pistols and old small game rifles which are sometimes available.
The Spanish sleeved many rusted out Gew98 barrels to 7mm and some Garand collectors sleeve worn out barrels to preserve barrel markings.

I've head that the Russians copied the Carcano case head so its probably about the same size.
For some reason designers of intermediate power cartridges often based theirs on the Carcano case.

PS
A possible donor barrel would be a worn discarded M1917 barrel. Many M1917 bores miked at .310.
A bore eroded and worn might be cut off at the shank and threaded to a Carcano action and rechambered.
Target shooters often set back barrels worn at the throat and found them more accurate than when new. Mechanical wear of bullet to lands served to taper the bore giving progressively better bite of land to bullet.
You could check with Smiths who've rebarreled recent M1917 CMP returns and ask if they have a suitable donor barrel.

[bohica2xo]

Ok, I just want to know where all this "Cheap, readily available ammo" is? My RPK is hungry...

If you want to use an Enfield barrel, you need one from a P14. Personally I have never found a good P17 barrel that was over .309 - badly worn units with lots of pitting maybe, but never a decent barrel. The P14's were chambered in 303 brit, and should be what you are looking for.

B.

[Multigunner]

Ok, I just want to know where all this "Cheap, readily available ammo" is? My RPK is hungry...

If you want to use an Enfield barrel, you need one from a P14. Personally I have never found a good P17 barrel that was over .309 - badly worn units with lots of pitting maybe, but never a decent barrel. The P14's were chambered in 303 brit, and should be what you are looking for.

B.

I'm going by what Townsend Whelen wrote and posts by recent buyers of M1917 rifles from the CMP, .310 bores were to be found on some M1917 rifles, likely early production. Whelen wrote that .310 bores were often found on Krags and the M1917 due to manufacturing tolerances, Springfield 03 bores were much more consistently .3085.
A .308-.309 bore lapped out by a couple of thousandths to remove pitting would serve as well or better.
I certainly wouldn't sacrifice a new condition very tight M1917 barrel for such a project, which is why I suggested a worn eroded take off barrel on its way to the scrap bin.

I have a 17 inch section from a new condition SMLE barrel that I had to scrap because someone at the factory had made a mislik and double drilled the resr sightbed cross pin hole, nearly cutting into the bore and leaving an ugly open notch in the barrel. I noticed the loose pin and took the sightbed off to investigate, otherwise I'd have cranked it on and it would likely have burst on the first shot.
I'd considered sleeving the cut off stub with it and cutting a 7.62X39 chamber, but I'm leaning towards a .32 Winchester special conversion if I can find a .321 0r .323 barrel with 1:14 or 1:16 twist. The .32 special would be great with cast boolits.

That cut off barrel would be a good start for the sort of Carcano conversion we've been discussing, I forget what it slugged at but it was probably .314 or less, I haven't slugged any five groove bores over .314 yet.

Another possible use I've considered is a .32-20 or .32 SW small game rifle barrel.
I occasionally run on old single shot actions that would be suitable.

[roverboy]

Makes me wish I'd picked up the 2 badly bubbaed Carcanos I saw a couple months ago at a gunshow. Right after I left I knew I should've made the guy an offer. I would 've bought both if they'd been 6.5 instead of 7.35.

[leadman]

Even a 1903a3 Springfield barrel could work. Mine is .311" in the throat, .309" at the muzzle.
2 grooves, shoot cast reallyyy good.
I have another old 1903a3 sporter that is very close to .310". A little fire lapping and it would be perfect.

Might want to check DuPage Trading for barrels that are usable. They have a welded 1903 reciever that says the barrel can't be used for $30.00 with stripped bolt. If the barrel needs to be cut off anyway it may work.
They do have items in stock that are not on the website. Just bought a collar and an extractor for $20.00.

[Old Coot]

Why are you guys so worried about getting a barrel larger than .308? Every Ruger Mini 30 that comes off the line has agroove diameter of .308. They all shoot jacketed bullets quite well and without going over pressure. A .308 barrel would shoot cast better than any worn or shot out .31o of .311.

[Frank46]

If you are not too concerned about barrel length, try a 1919A4 MG bbl in 308. I have two that I paid $50 each. Cut off the 2" for the 308 chamber and you have 22" to play with. I slugged one and it was .308 all the way. Price has gone up but you should try gunparts just for the heck of it. You'd have a bull barrelled carcano in 7.62x39. Shouldn't be too many out there. Frank

[Buckshot]

Why are you guys so worried about getting a barrel larger than .308? Every Ruger Mini 30 that comes off the line has agroove diameter of .308. They all shoot jacketed bullets quite well and without going over pressure. A .308 barrel would shoot cast better than any worn or shot out .31o of .311.

...........They do but they also have a rather unique throat and leade made to handle the oversized jacketed bullets.

..............Buckshot

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I gotta tell ya, friends don't let friends shoot carcanos!

Rich

[JIMinPHX]

Did anyone ever actually try this? Get it to work? Range report?

[nekshot]

I cannot take all the credit, I bought a carcana with a loose barrel at an estate sale(someones unfinished dream) and the barrel was a 7.62x39. I finished it and it is very accurate at 80 yards(furtherest I shot so far with it). With remington fodder it really snaps but with cast it is fun. I could not get the stripper clip to work so I converted it to bottom loader with spring from sav 340 clip. Still working the bugs out of it! Fun project indeed.
nekshot

[Cactus Farmer]

I've rebarreled one with a gun Parts barrel with a .308. Shoots factory FMJ military ammo like a charm. What is the "special throat" Ruger does for the mini30? I guess I did it without knowing I did. No pressure signs at all. And with real boolits it is just plane fun. It will reduce a jack rabbit to a Gaines Burger every time! ;>)
I'm working on a mag block to fill the front of the mag well to improve feeding.....time will tell.

[texassako]

I always thought this or a .35 Rem conversion would be interesting. Then I found a good amount of very accurate 170gr round nose 7.35 Carcano bullets here on the S&S that match the shape of the original military bullet, a deal on brass and dies, discovered Buckshot's post on shooting cast in the 7.35, and that Tom at Accurate would cut a flat nose copy of Lyman's 300136 mold for one. Now the 2 junky, project sporters sit in the back of the safe while I have fun with the original 7.35 caliber for less than any conversion would have cost.

[Outpost75]

Unless you have a lathe and do the work yourself, what is the attraction to doing $200 worth of gunsmithing to salvage a $10 rifle?

[357maximum]

Unless you have a lathe and do the work yourself, what is the attraction to doing $200 worth of gunsmithing to salvage a $10 rifle?

A person that asks "THAT" question is just never gonna get a good answer.....you obviously do not get "IT" What if and why not are fun questions to ask oneself. :mrgreen:

My 1891 mauser in 35REM was barrelled this way, 357Mag IMI Timberwolf barrel threaded into the stub of the the original 91 barrel....you would not know it unless I told ya before you looked at it as the stub was cut at the first barrel step. I now have a bolt action 35REM that has real proud 12 groove rifling....and she shoots 180grain BRP boolits so good you just gotta smile.

[nekshot]

outpost, you fellas simply need to be content with the fact some of us walk to a differant drum beat. We are not sheeple and we think outside of the gun magazines box and really don't care how much others blast away at our experiments or us trying differant ideas. If all would be like the majority everyone now would be driving a vw, complements of one who didn't think other ideas should be tolerated. And I do have a 35 cal barrel and threaded for a carcana but I haven't found a donor rifle yet.

[WILCO]

Great thread and fabulous question.

[nekshot]

For 200 bucks smithing and a tenner on top, if you find something like this on a for sale rack you would have a very cheap shooting fun gun!

75689

[357maximum]

nekshot.................saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaa-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeet :mrgreen:

[Janoosh]

Very,very nice! And i know where a carcano has been on a sale rack for the past year!

[nekshot]

janoosh, go for it. I paid 100 bucks for the action and barrel, scope around 50, made the sight and scope base out of stuff laying around, a piece of cherry wood not quite deep enough for a good project and here it is. As you see it, it weighs 7.4 lbs and balances perfect for me. Off a bench with lee 185 gr at 1500fps it will almost always touch the first two shots and kick the next one out 1 inch at 80 yards. Snaps a little bit but it still is a fun gun. I wish everyone would consider these junk, as I have no problem dreaming.35 rem,357,357 max, 30 rem, 25 rem. Yeah friends aught not let friends buy carcanas!lol

[richhodg66]

That's a very slick looking little rifle! I love manlicher stocks. You are very skilled.

Will that forward mounted scope allow for the use of the clips? It looks like it is still far enough back to interfere with loading.

Something like that in .35 Remington would be the end-all for woods deer hunting, I would think. We have a gun show this weekend, now I have another thing to keep my eyes open for.

[nekshot]

Rich, thanks for the complement. The scope will interfere with a clip. I turned it into a bottom load, unload. Works real slick, need to remake the carrier but it is working. There is a little thread here somewhere on how I reworked the bottom but I am not computer savvy to link to it. If any of that thread doesn't make sense it is because half the time I am whacked from pain meds. I really do get embarrassed at some of my posts and replys but thats me. I used a spring from a sav 340 clip.

[texassako]

That is a really slick rifle nekshot, and I have been pondering ways to turn one into a bottom feed to allow a scope over the bore instead of sidemounted. Especially since the cartridge lifter snapped in two last range session. nekshots conversion: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?161387-carcano-bottom-feed&highlight=carcano

[nekshot]

thanks texassako for getting the link, I need to make another carrier but after that I don't see any problems. You need to work the bolt briskly to feed and chamber smoothly, but it sure beats the clips.
nekshot