Enfield .303 conversion to .44 mag or .444 Marlin

[uncle jed]

What would be the feasibility of either caliber? Possibly also .44 special, but leaning toward .444 Marlin if it's not too much pressure. Any ideas? thanks uncle jed

[Buckshot]

What would be the feasibility of either caliber? Possibly also .44 special, but leaning toward .444 Marlin if it's not too much pressure. Any ideas? thanks uncle jed

..............Not a problem. "Rifle" magazine had 2 articles on SMLE conversions. One to .444 Marlin and the other a conversion to 45-90.

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

[uncle jed]

How tough would the recoil be with a 22" heavy barrel, approximately .75" diameter from 8" or so from the receiver? uncle jed

[Frank46]

Uncle Jed, well most 44 mags and the 444 are usually chambered in a light weight lever action. I would surmise that using a heavier bbl would tend to decrease recoil somewhat. More so with the 44mag than the 444. If I remember right on the handloader article the author essentially made up a single stack mag by using a couple pieces of some plastic like nylon or teflon to line both sides of the mag and then used a different follower with the mag. Like I said this is from memory and I have CRS. But either cartridge pressure wise should be good to go in a good enfield action. Frank

[uncle jed]

Thanks Frank, I have a Winchester centennial (1894-1994 on the receiver) and it isn't too bad with 300 gr. flat points so with more weight the Enfield should hopefully not be too bad. Bot it's probably going to have to wait until I get the Stevens redone in .32 acp.

[Artful]

going to be easier to feed with 444 the shorter 44 mag would require more work - unless you just wanted a single shot.

[uncle jed]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I already have a .44mag in Winchester lever and Ruger Super Red Hawk and would like to branch out. Besides I already have the barrel blank I'm not going to use on the Stevens 44, am going to do the .32acp with it.

[rockrat]

You could also do the 445 supermag

[longbow]

I have been thinking along the same lines but no toy money right now.

I have seen Lee Enfields chambered in .45 ACP, .444, .45-70 and .458 X 2". I believe all were in No. 4's. The .45 ACP shouldn't matter but the others are loaded to higher pressures.

I used to have a Siamese Mauser action I had re-barreled from 8 X 57 rimmed to .45-70 and quite liked it but had to sell it many years ago so I have been thinking about something like that again.

I am leaning towards .444 Marlin or .44 mag. If .44 mag, chambered to allow very heavy boolits... kinda like a .44 whisper concept.

Just dreaming for now.

[bubba.50]

there used to be a kit available to convert them to i think it was either .45acp or 445 supermag. anyone know if they're still available and/or who made'em?

[Artful]

Several kits were offered - Rhineland had one - went under - but looks like back in business -
the one I used for 45 ACP on SMLE Mk4 - was Special Interest Arms out of NV
http://www.specialinterestarms.com/i...ld_conversions
their ejector seems to work a little better than the old Rhineland kits.

[plmitch]

You got a good looking set up there Artful!I've never seen one like this before.

[Artful]

Thanks - I still want to get it suppressed but that too will come in time.

[Aces an Eights]

Maybe you could find an old "De Lisle Carbine" somewhere. They were supposed to be good for silently hitting Jerry out to 1312ft with a 45ACP.

[Artful]

Original registered De Lisle's in america are few and far between - I don't have the money for one - plan on just having the barrel threaded and using Ti-Rant or Osprey 45 cal. can with it.

[hunter64]

Seen a guy using a SMLE Mk4 once years ago over at the trap house on our shooting range. Since there was only two vehicles at the range and mine was one of them, I thought what moron is trap shooting with a .303 . Being one of the clubs range officers I decided I needed to have a chin wag with this idiot and get his membership number. I start to walk over to the shotgun range and I got about 20 yards and he fired at a clay pigeon that had just been thrown only it was about 1/2 the noise of a regular .303. I finally got close and on the ground was a pile of .410 empties. The guy turned around and smiled and said "Bet you thought I was shooting clays with my rifle"? As a mater of fact I did. Anyway he had converted his Mk4 to shoot .410 shotgun. One of the local smiths had done the work and it actually worked really well. I got to try it on a few clays and it was definitely different. You had to run the bolt fairly quickly to positively chamber a round, if you lolly gaged it would jam.

[bydand]

Maybe you could find an old "De Lisle Carbine" somewhere. They were supposed to be good for silently hitting Jerry out to 1312ft with a 45ACP.

If you find a DeLisle carbine somewhere, it was STOLEN! The British government has NEVER released any of them. Add to that, the DeLisle is a SILENCED firearm. The ATF wants to have those REGISTERED with a $200 tax

On another note, I have a No4 converted to 7.62x39. Same diameter bullet. Barrel set back and rechambered. Uses single stack AK Magazines.
Since it was a bubba job when I bought it, no complete rifle was harmed by the conversion.

By the way the guy shooting the .410 No4 could have saved himself some money by buying a Indian SMLE converted to .410 by the arsenal as a police gun. they used un-necked .303 brass. They do appear at gun shows from time to time

[Artful]

If you find a DeLisle carbine somewhere, it was STOLEN! The British government has NEVER released any of them. Add to that, the DeLisle is a SILENCED firearm. The ATF wants to have those REGISTERED with a $200 tax.

There are a few original's out there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDQwRAOLfTQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMei19G_hqA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhb7A_ydO-E
Probably checked out of inventory and after a mission just never checked back in. Handy toy to have in cases. Either written off or charged to issuer.
Some turn up in old brit colonies after WWII, and of course in america there were a few issued to OSS that got lost.
Some grandfathered in 1968 amnesty period. And there have been some recreations some following exact details some just looking for functionality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UJm_h3QAAw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twbCk_Vfsgo

On another note, I have a No4 converted to 7.62x39. Same diameter bullet. Barrel set back and rechambered. Uses single stack AK Magazines.
Since it was a bubba job when I bought it, no complete rifle was harmed by the conversion.

Mauser for mine.


By the way the guy shooting the .410 No4 could have saved himself some money by buying a Indian SMLE converted to .410 by the arsenal as a police gun. they used un-necked .303 brass. They do appear at gun shows from time to time

I think I'd rather have the Saiga 410 converted to 45-70

[Aces an Eights]

I managed to find an ad for a De Lisle I thought I remembered in a local magazine "NZ Guns and Hunting" Issue#119 Jul/Aug 2010 placed by "Gun City". Reduced from NZ$2999 to $2749 which at the time, the exchange would have been a heck of a lot better.

Suppressors here are legal and popular. Keeps the tree huggers and tourists blissfully unaware.

[drhall762]

The De Lisle Carbine is under new production if you really want one. http://www.valkyriearms.com/delisle.htm