smle conversion to 35/303?

[MBTcustom]

I have a #4mark1 that I am going to convert to 35/303.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=496&pictureid=3430
I know this is a fairly common upgrade in NZ and Australia. I was wondering if there is any wisdom out there about the easiest way to go about this / things to watch out for / problems to be avoided? any and all details will be helpful as I am going to start this project in the coming weeks. Of course I will post a plethora of pictures so that others can follow my steps and your advice. Thanks!!

[shotman]

I am guessing you ARE going to cut the barrel off ?? It would be too thin if not

[MBTcustom]

I'm not planing on cutting the barrel off; I'm going to replace it completely with a custom Adams and Bennett barrel blank. I have all the tools I need to rebarrel this action. "Milling Machine, full sized lathe, etc." I am a machinist by trade so I can make custom tools as I need them, such as action wrenches or spindle spiders.

[dragonrider]

I am very interested in your progess, got a 303 that would lend itself very well to such a conversion.

[MBTcustom]

I agree, when I was younger I loved shooting my dads 35 Remington. .358 is just plain better for lead boolits than .308. I was planning to re-barrel in original 303 but then I found out about all these awesome wildcats! I may try several of them in the future "like .416/303:Bright idea:" but right now I cant think of a rifle/cartridge combo that sounds better to me than a ten shot clip with .35 cal cast galena messengers!
What a bear gun! What a pig gun! What a deer gun! You name it!

[roverboy]

That sounds like a good idea for a No. 4. The Australians necked the .303 up and down to everything. Good luck on it. I wish I had a good Bridgeport style mill and a good lathe. I've not even touched one in about 4 years.

[bruce drake]

Unless the bore is shot out of that rifle, I'd keep that one in 303. the wood and the metal look in good shape.

find a Enfield on Gunbroker.com that has been bitten by the bubba bug and use the action and stock as a donor on the project.

here are a few that would be suitable for such a project.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=220771839
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=221279883
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=221981348

This way you keep a good rifle in 303 and also save another good rifle from bubba-itis.

Bruce

[klcarroll]

I'm not planing on cutting the barrel off; I'm going to replace it completely with a custom Adams and Bennett barrel blank. I have all the tools I need to rebarrel this action. "Milling Machine, full sized lathe, etc." I am a machinist by trade so I can make custom tools as I need them, such as action wrenches or spindle spiders.


Please, ......take pictures of your work (...any any pitfalls!) and post them!

There are quite a few of us who would be very interested in doing similar Enfield conversions!!

Kent

[MBTcustom]

Bruce, not to worry! #1 this one doesn't shoot very well. #2 the wood and metal look so good because I already completely stripped, re-blued and refinished the entire rifle. #3 I don't plan on chopping the stock any more than scraping the inside to accommodate the new barrel I'm even going to try to recreate the front sight in such a way that it clamps onto the barrel with hidden screws. Except for a bigger barrel tip sticking out the end, I am trying to maintain the original look of the rifle as much as possible. And If things go the way I'm pushing them, I will be able to replace the original barrel any time I want to. Remember, I plan to have several barrels for this beauty that I can put on or take off as I want to.:bigsmyl2:

[303Guy]

Remember, I plan to have several barrels for this beauty that I can put on or take off as I want to. Oh yeah! With your skills you will no dought built an action clamp/barrel take-off and put on tool that will set each barrel to exacly the same position each time! I had envisioned such a project once but now it seems unlikely but anyway, I don't have any original fore-end wood work. Great project and if I'm not mistaken, it will be a world first? You gotta add a 25-303 to your barrel list too. Well, OK make that a 375-303 instead. :roll: Or both! :mrgreen:

I shot some impressive groups with my 25-303 built on a SMLE (No.I MkIII) action with the skinny SMLE barrel profile.

P.S. What you have there is a No4. The Smelly (SMLE) is the No.I MkIII.

SMLE
http://world.guns.ru/userfiles/images/rifle/1/1288250978.jpg

"Lee-Enfield Mk.1 rifle - the original "Long" Lee-Enfield, made in 1900. Note the dust cover on the bolt, magazine cut-off and lack of the rear receiver bridge with its charger clip guides."
http://world.guns.ru/userfiles/images/rifle/1/1288250918.jpg

This last one is my favourite Lee Enfield. I have a few of those but sadly, none in their original form.:(

This how my 1902 MLE ended up. The dust cover was retained. There was no original wood work to salvage. It now has a No.4 barrel - new at the time and still prestine.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-607F_edited.jpg

Scope mounting arrangement.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-539F-1.jpg

[Reg]

The 35 / 303 you discribe should be an excellent way to go. Just for some food for thought--- do some research on a guy named Elwood Epps from up in Canada. I think his business might still be in operation. He did about everything one could ever imagine with the 303 including a 35 caliber. Not sure if he ever went to a 17 but I do think he opened them up as big as a 44. Talk about a bear getter ! Also if you really want to get wacky , back in the 60's I think it might have been Royal Arms ( have to check on this one ) offered what is called a one piece stock for most of the SMLE's. Would have to look but think I still have the info on how to do this. It involved a bit of trimming and cutting here and there but you wound up with a very slick handling and darned good looking rifle that honestly had a one piece stock instead of the two piece. A lot of slimming went on as well and the lumpishness and clunky feeling went away. Now of course, you would have to make the stock complete instead of starting from a semi that they offered, as I don't think anyone picked up on the idea but if you have made a couple of stocks and understand what is going on, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Never made up one myself but did wind up with one in a horse swap and have been kicking myself ever since for letting it go in another trade.
Reg

:Fire::guntootsmiley:

[hornet fan]

Here is a guy who has just finished a .303-35
http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4244&title=30335-no1-mk3-progress-report
Maybe contact him and work out what problems he had?

[izzyjoe]

i think you'll be happy with it, cause a .358 is a great cal. i really like my 35 rem. i'm curious to hear how it turns out, cause i've got an old beater 303 that is beggin' for attention. :-)

[uscra112]

What will you do for a reamer?

[izzyjoe]

man it sounds like you have this well though out, nice lathe. now i'm jelious. 8-)

[MBTcustom]

I ordered the barrel over the weekend along with 100 pieces of Remington brass and a chronograph.
I finished making the action wrench today and I made aluminum jaws for the barrel vice. "I sort of tried hardwood blocks but in the absence of any sort of rosin or powdered sugar, it worked about as well as street tires in buckshot."
The aluminum worked like a charm. Here's the results.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=496&pictureid=3662
There she goes!
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=496&pictureid=3661
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=496&pictureid=3660

I'll keep 'em coming as I get 'em!!!

[izzyjoe]

looks good, how tight was the barrel?

[MBTcustom]

The barrel was pretty d#@n tight. I tried to get er off with a crescent wrench on the flats of the receiver and walnut blocks in the vice, but I was very concerned with twisting the rails and the wood blocks didn't even hold for that "the barrel spun in them". I decided to just do it right, and build a properly fitting wrench and aluminum blocks. once I had er cinched down , I put a little Arkansas on it and the barrel started to spin in the aluminum blocks! I stopped right there and tightened those blanking bolts till they where white knuckle tight to a silver-back gorilla. Then I got back on the cheater and started to lean on it. About the time I thought that the barrel was either going to twist or spin in the blocks, it gave way with a pop and a squeak. "By the way this was after putting a liberal amount of liquid wrench on the night before."


Progress!!!
The barrel blank showed up today, along with 100 brass. Honestly the finish is superb, and the bore is so bright!

[izzyjoe]

i've seen some milsurps that were pretty tight, just about the time you want to quit, they pop lose. :D

[MBTcustom]

OK! the new barrel came in! I must say this is one sweet piece of pipe! the one I got is called the f44 contour. I figured that for 90 bucks it would need some TLC and final finishing inside and out, on the contrary, this puppy is like a mirror inside and the outside is a fine ground finish.
I still need to get my lathe going though and I just found out I have pneumonia "too many late nights? nah!!:coffee:" My good buddy The Amateur is coming over tomorrow to help me wire it up, but in my sickened state I don't know how far we'll get.

[NoDakJak]

Several years ago I bought a barreled action that had been imported from Canada. It was a pristine appearing actioon that had a new barrel installed. The make of barrel is unknown but it has a good tight chamber for 25-303. I filed out an adapter and installed a 4 power Tasco scope and then borrowed a Fajen sporter stock from another #4 so that I could do some testing. I used an assortment of dies to fofrm several dozen cases and loaded them with Reningto 86 grain 25-20 bulllets. I used 250 Savage starting data and used these for preliminary testing and forming cases to the chamber. I plan a lot of testing this summer.
Neil

[MBTcustom]

Alright! I got my lathe going and it is sweet. I apologize for not keeping up for a couple days but I have had pneumonia and the lathe has taken priority. Im almost ready to get started but Im going to need $75 bucks for reamers and my fridge just bit the big one:violin:. At any rate, my progress will be made public as it is done.

[izzyjoe]

sorry to hear your sick, but i know how you feel, it's always something!:-?

[MBTcustom]

Alright i'm back! broke as a duck and a little sore, but I have made serious progress on the rifle.
First, let me just say that I decided to go a different rout than i originally said. I'm afraid that I may ruin the original woods, or the new barrel or both in the course of doing this project. While I am doing nothing to the rifle that cant be reversed, I have decided that it will make the project easier all the way around, and simplify problem resolution if I make like I'm building a target rifle and incorporate the original pieces back into it as time goes on. Just didn't want to upset the traditionalists with the following pictures.

First I mounted the barrel in my lathe and cut the threads.
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3747
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3746
http://http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3744
http://http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3745

I would like to say that this is an extremely easy rifle to head-space, having no recoil lug to muddy the measurements, all that is required to figure out what it needs is to measure from the action to the bolt face with a depth mic, subtract the case thickness from that (my cases are about .059 inches thick at the rim and the original specs say .064-.070 so I went .064) and make the shoulder of the threads that distance. My rifles bolt measured .755 from the face of the action. So .755-.065= .690.

http://http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3741

and here it is, the threads went on tight but the shoulders came together perfectly.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3740

Now like I said, I don't want to do any monkeying with the original wood, so I bought a chopped for-end from numrich for $15 . as soon as I got it I started floating the barrel.
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3737
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3735

Now obviously, without the for-end and the clamps that go with it, this stock is only held on the action with one 1/4-30 screw. This is shaping up to be a little on the heavy side, so I wrapped the stock with electric tape to make for darn sure that the stock would not touch the barrel even if there was some significant pressure to the contrary.
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3734

[MBTcustom]

The next thing I did was to prep the end of the barrel for sights, and make a front sight that would definitely put me on paper no matter where the rifle is grouping. (OK I kinda went crazy with the whole "looks really cool" thing.) remember these sights are just temporary.

Betcha never saw a no.4 like this one before:bigsmyl2:

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3722

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3724

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3723

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3721

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3732

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3729

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3733

[MBTcustom]

But wait..... there's more! I got to thinking what a wiggle worm this rifle is because there is so much play in the stocks from wood shrinking and such, I looked and looked for anybody that has pillar or glass bedded an smle rifle no matter who I asked, all I got were crickets and then some lame explanation of pressure points. Rather disappointing. So I designed my own process for both pillar and glass bedding an smle. First, when bedding a typical bolt gun, I noticed that everything behind the recoil lug is bedded and everything in front of it is floated. On an smle the huge ring of steel (that separates the front from the rear stocks) is the recoil lug.
It is the part that keeps the action from jumping off the stocks and hitting you in the face.
Second, I noticed that the purpose of bedding is not to create as much contact as possible but to produce specific contact points that are repeatable and solid. obviously the for-end cannot be totally free-floated because it is attached to the action via the forward trigger guard screw and indirectly by the rear trigger guard screw. The forward trigger guard screw passes through the trigger guard/magazine plate, through the stock and is threaded into the action directly under the barrel threads. As this screw is tightened the wood is compressed, as the wood is compressed the stock will expand outward exerting lateral pressure to the rear of the action and to the barrel where it makes contact with the pressure pad under the barrel. No wonder these rifles shoot like slingshots! Anyway, my solution to these problems was to
1.Glass bed the butt-stock to the action
2. Install a steel pillar to bridge the gap between the action and the trigger guard.
3. Glass bed the action to the stock around the lug that the trigger guard screw engages.
4. glass bed the action to the rear of the for-end stock.
I did all these things in hopes of creating a more solid and repeatable shooting platform. I still have yet to shoot it, but it is definitely rigid.

First I coated all the metal parts with a thin layer of beeswax/olive oil (I use it to lube paper-patch boolits) and then lightly brushed it with a torch to make it even. Again this was a very light coat.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3708

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3727

Then I put the epoxy mix in the action's base. (By the way 2116 epoxy works really good for this. It doesn't run at all.)

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3715

I pushed the stock home and torqued down the stock bolt.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3712

Once the epoxy was almost cured I pealed off the excess with my fingers and then let it finish drying.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3711

Then I drilled out the hole in the forend of the stock to make room for the steel pillar. The pillar was made to be a perfect fit.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3704

The pillar was Epoxied in place with a liberal amount of epoxy added to the sides of the stock and to the rear of the stock where it is supposed to contact the recoil lug.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3703

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3706

Once the epoxy was fully cured, the action was cracked apart (wasn't that hard really, that beeswax/olive oil really works as a release agent!)

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3707

And hears the money shot.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3728

One other thing that I did. In an effort to reduce lock time I fluted the firing pin with a 3/16 ball mill and I cut a huge amount of material off of the hammer/sear thing. Makes a noticeable difference.
So now the rifle is fully floated and glass bedded. The barrel is threaded to the action and a workable sight has been made.
All that is left is to ream the chamber and cut the extractor notch. I will continue to show progress but it will be a week before I can afford the reamers.
So far I'm really liking the way this rifle is turning out. It comes to point very naturally and just by coincidence the balance turned out perfect.

[caseyboy]

Very interesting goodsteel. Built up an old N0.1 MkIII for 200yd offhand parctice. I bedded the fore end more or less as you described, and also wondered about bedding the rear stock socket area. I haven't done that yet, but I will now. I found that the original wimpy barrel did not shoot as well without the front barrel band on. Attached is how the rifle is now. Shoots 3" groups at 200yds on a calm day.31522

It is the upper rifle of course.:bigsmyl2:

[MBTcustom]

Sweet rifle Casey, and congrats on the 200yard performance that's what I'm hoping for out of this one.




http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3761

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3760

Sorry, They only let you post ten pictures and these go with the last post.

[HollowPoint]

goodsteal:

That was excellent work.

With the exception of re-barreling my No.4, I've actually done alot of the same things to my Enfield that you've done to your project rifle. The main difference is that my efforts included alot of the major mistakes that you had the wisdom to plan for and avoid.

I really wish that my bench-top machines were accurate enough to be able to handle a major project like the one you've undertaken.

It was surprising to me that you didn't receive the plethora of negative input and preaching from self-appointed expert-traditionalist about altering your Enfield. I quit posting my projects just for that reason.

I hope to be able to re-barrel my No.4 some time in the future but, for now I'll just have to look on with envy at guys like yourself and the success you've had with your project guns.

If you get the chance, perhaps you can post some of your accuracy results for us?

HollowPoint

[MBTcustom]

Of course accuracy will be shown as that was the original reason for this project. I just figured that as long as I'm going to all the trouble to re-barrel this rifle, the .358 diameter will work better than 303 for everything I'm going to use it for. Like I said before though, if this works out as nicely as I am hoping, I will probably start collecting barrels for this rifle. I definitely want one in 6.5mm and one in .416. I don't know if you caught this little detail in my post, but because the barrels screw onto the action without a recoil lug in there to muddy the dimensions, it would be very easy to have a whole collection of barrels properly head-spaced for one rifle. Bwa-ha-ha-ha:happy dance:

[HollowPoint]

"I don't know if you caught this little detail in my post."

I did happen to note that in particular because I had wondered, if I ever decided to try re-barreling on my own, I wondered how I would approach that problem.

In the back of my mind I had figured that I'd take the head spacing approach that Savage takes for head spacing their rifles. You know, by incorporating a "barrel-nut" to adjust to the correct head spacing. I wasn't to concerned that it may alter the look of my rifle.

I figured that an added benefit would be that I could also use the same type of Savage recoil lug in the process that would go a long way toward helping in the accuracy department and not having to search high and low for a bolt head with the right length.

This wasn't an idea I came up with. At one point I was thinking of converting my Enfield from 303 to 7.62x39.

There's a website that features this type of Enfield conversion and they use the Savage type Barrel-Nut and Recoil Lug setup. It seemed like the easy way to go for a novice barrel changer like myself.

I've changed barrels on Savage rifles before so, for me it made sense.

Incidently, I was only thinking of re-barreling my 303 to a true 30 caliber bore if possible. 30 caliber barrels are fairly cheap and I already have the bullet molds to match. It would just be a matter of necking down slightly; and this can be done by fiddling with my neck-sizer.

For me, the Barrel Nut setup would also allow me to do the Switch-Barreling down the road if so desired. Because of your machinist training and machinery, you have that option available to you without having to rely on the Savage-method of re-barreling.

I hope your gun shoots like gangbusters. That will give alot of us here an incentive to go ahead with our Enfield projects.

HollowPoint

[caseyboy]

Goodsteel, I like how you fluted the firing pin, any idea how much weight you removed? That has to speed up the lock time.

Hollowpoint, I hear you about the "bubba" comments. I personally do not really care what others think. If I see a way of changing a rifle to suit me better, than I will do it (unless of course it is a high $$$ gun). :bigsmyl2:

[MBTcustom]

OK I took the bolt apart and weighed each part that contributes to lock time and totaled up the weight. The hammer/sear, the firing pin, and the firing pin retainer screw all totaled weigh 798 grains. I didn't think to weigh them before the modifications for comparison, but now that you know the weight of mine you can compare it to yours.
All I know is that there was a significant and noticeable difference afterward. The parts felt lighter in the hand than before, and after assembly the trigger felt "snappier"
HollowPoint, I'm a little confused, even with a "savage" type barrel you will still have to have a barrel blank threaded. And if the barrel has to be threaded anyway why not just cut the shoulder to a pre-measured dimension to make a drop in replacement? Changing barrels on these puppies is like changing the oil filter on a new car, the first time you'll crush it and punch holes in it trying to get it off but every time after that is a breeze so the "I can change it on the kitchen table" thing applies to my way as well as yours. No offense intended at all, just trying to understand the advantages.

[HollowPoint]

"HollowPoint, I'm a little confused, even with a "savage" type barrel you will still have to have a barrel blank threaded. And if the barrel has to be threaded anyway why not just cut the shoulder to a pre-measured dimension to make a drop in replacement? Changing barrels on these puppies is like changing the oil filter on a new car, the first time you'll crush it and punch holes in it trying to get it off but every time after that is a breeze so the "I can change it on the kitchen table" thing applies to my way as well as yours. No offense intended at all, just trying to understand the advantages."

I've never re-barreled a rifle other than a Savage with its Barrel nut setup. I have no doubt that re-barreling any other type of rifle may be just as easy once you have the experience.

On the Savage barrel nut setup the rearward facing end of the barrel nut effectively becomes the "shoulder" that you would otherwise have to mill into the replacement barrel of the Enfield or other rifle.

Since the Barrel nut is used as the "shoulder," it doesn't have to be placed dimensionally perfect because I could screw it in or out to give me the exact placement for head spacing purposes.

You're right about the barrel having to be threaded anyways. The easy thing for me would be, on a Savage type of re-barreling, the threading is just a straight run. With my limited machining abilities, there would be no shoulder to trip me up.

I think if I had the experience re-barreling using both types of re-barreling procedures, this would be like comparing Fords to Chevys. I only decided on the Savage way of head spacing because it's the only way I'd have any confidence of successfully achieving my objective.

There was no offense taken by your comment. I understood what you were getting at. As I stated in my earlier reply, "I wish my bench top machines were more accurate." I might then have the confidence to try it without running the risk of ruining a perfectly good replacement barrel.

HollowPoint

[MBTcustom]

10-4 there hollowpoint, stick to what you know good is what my daddy always said. And your right about stopping a thread on a shoulder "shoot I've been a lathe dog for 12 years and I still bite the corner sometimes."

Now back to the rifle. I'm having trouble with my pictures, but I have cold blued the whole barrel and the firing pin and they look good. Its amazing how good regular cold blue can look if you do it properly. What I did is I mounted the barrel between centers and heated it with a torch to about 125 degrees or so, and applied the blueing with a clean rag. After I got it good and dark, I hit it with 0000 steel wool and wd-40. cleaned it with carburetor cleaner and repeated the blueing. Did this about three times.

[klcarroll]

@Goodsteel

Could I talk you into helping out a "Meatball Machinist" by posting a few pictures and the specs on your action wrench??

I have two Enfields patiently waiting for barrel swaps, and when I make my tools, I want to follow patterns that I know work!

BTW: ....Where did you order your barrel from?

Kent

[MBTcustom]

No problem klcarroll, however, I am unable to post more pictures at this time. I don't know what the deal is but I have sent a message to the administrator asking for permission to post more pictures. if anybody knows anything about this or who I should pm, please help!!!! Now what I can do, is explain how I figured out the wrench and Im sure you can follow my destruction's. Also, I got my barrel blank from midwayusa.com "Larry and his staff are the best folks in the industry imho" just type "barrel blank" in the search bar and look at Adams and Bennett barrels. they are selling for $89.95. when mine arrived I mounted it between centers in the lathe and used a .0005 test indicator along the length of it and got less than .002 inches T.I.R. That's one strait piece of pipe!!!!!

Now, the wrench.
Take your calipers and measure th diameter of the front of your breech. Mine measures 1.300 "probably undersized .312" at any rate you need to know what your rifle measures as this is the most critical dimension.
Next find two steel blocks 1" X 1 3/16" X 3.5".
close them in your vice one on top of the other "obviously they need to be stacked so that they are about 2.625 tall"
Find the center of the top block X and Y. Move 1.25 to the left and right and drill through "1.25 both ways from center gives you 2.5" center to center" with a letter Q drill bit.
Then use a 3/8" drill bit to drill through the top block only.
Next use a 3/8-24 tap and go through the top block to tap the bottom block. "be careful not to let the tap go all the way though and ding your vice."
remove the blocks and finish tapping the bottom block by hand.
put the blocks together and bolt them using 3/8-24 socket head cap screws.
put them back in the vice sideways "use the heads of the bolts on the back of the vice to get them level"
find the center of the blocks so that you can punch a hole right down the middle of the crack.
use whatever means you have available to you to get a hole in there that is as close to the size of your action as possible. "like I said the hole I put in mine is 1.300.
once the hole has been installed, unbolt the two halves and place the top one back in the vice, holes facing up. "as in the inside surface of the clamp facing up"
find center again and use an endmill to cut a square notch out of the middle of the block. .750 deep and 1.125 wide. "This is clearance for the bottom of the action"
go back to center on the block and drill a 1/2 inch hole through the block "this is clearance for the trigger-guard screw boss on the bottom of the action"
at this point you should have a working clamp that matches your action perfectly. Now you can either weld a 1" bar on the clamp to use as a handle or you can drill and tap the bottom half of the clamp for a 5/8-3/4 bolt and thread the bar that you plan to use for a handle to fit. The main advantage to having a removable handle, is that you can now hold the action in you bench vice when you want to bed the rear stock like I did or any other operation you might have where you don't want to scar up your action trying to hold it.

I hope that this helps, if you have trouble with these instructions, please feel free to ask for clarification. If the powers that be will let me have more pictures I will sure post em' .

[izzyjoe]

goodsteal, you sir are a craftsman. your project is coming along very well, and it will be a fine rifle when your done. but the bad part is, now i want one! ;)

[MBTcustom]

Well Izzy, good buddy, That's why I'm posting this. So that you and others might see how easy it is and be inspired to start your own projects and become confident home gunsmiths. "Heck I might even get there myself!"

[MBTcustom]

Ok I think I might have found a way to get pictures. this should be the one about the cold blue.

[izzyjoe]

i wish i had a lathe so i could finish a few projects that i've started, the rest i can do myself. that blue job looks nice, your right cold blue turns out real nice if you take the time and do it right.

[303Guy]

goodsteal, you sir are a craftsman.That you are indeed!

There is a very good reason for Lee Enfield barrels to be screwed on so tight - the left hand rifling twist unscrews them otherwise!

Might I make a suggestion regarding the case design? Make that shoulder sharp and prominent as possible for solid headspacing. No need to encourage case length growth. Just a thought.

[MBTcustom]

303Guy is right. In fact I did a lot of research just to make sure what threads where used on the smle action. I really thought that logically they would be left hand threads so that the forces of inertia would tighten the barrel to the action but this is not the case.
As far as the chamber reamer, I was thinking about reaming the barrel for 303epps, followed by a W reamer, followed by a .358 throating reamer, but I think that's the best i can do to improve the shoulder angle. But then I wonder if it really matters since the shoulder is almost gone once the case is opened up to .358, that's only about .010 inch per side. Any thoughts?

[nanuk]

doesn't the EPPS expand the shoulder to about .440?

[MBTcustom]

I have been wondering if 303epps opens the shoulder dimension, and if it does, I wonder if the cartridges would still feed reliably. I'm afraid that changing the boolit diameter, as well as the shoulder diameter, might be one change too many. I'll probably stick with a British reamer, as I can always chase the chamber with the Epps later.

[Ben]

The next thing I did was to prep the end of the barrel for sights, and make a front sight that would definitely put me on paper no matter where the rifle is grouping. (OK I kinda went crazy with the whole "looks really cool" thing.) remember these sights are just temporary.

Betcha never saw a no.4 like this one before:bigsmyl2:

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3722

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3724

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3723

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3721

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3732

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3729

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=3733

Educate me a little please. I can see why you'd want a rear sight with a lot of vertical movement, but why a front sight with the same ?

Ben

[MBTcustom]

To shoot down hill of course. and around corners.
:kidding:
Not only that; its bling bling and it looks cool!!!
OK, seriously, You will notice that 50 meter open sight shooters are not concerned with the sights being close to the barrel? I had three reasons (other than those already mentioned) for the design.
1 I don't have any idea where this rifle will be hitting and I wanted plenty of adjustment to get me on paper.
2 I wanted to use the hovering ring globe design to achieve the best accuracy.
3 I want to be accurate so therefore I want to be relaxed. By making it possible to raise the sights (both front and rear) to their highest position, I can support the for-end on top of sandbags, and the rear with one sandbag below and one slightly deflated one draped over the stock. This adds stability and provides a cheek piece of sorts. Only drawback is you need pretty high sight clearance for it to work.
Also I want to mention again that this is not the permanent sight arrangement. I have been working on the permanent front sight for the last few days (oh yeah, the wheels are always turning around here!) I just got finished with it last night "I think". I haven't posted it because I want to get it blued before I take pictures, but I think you will agree when you see it, that it is a much more practical setup.

P.S. Ill admit that the windage bar is just stupid long but that's the way it turned out. But Hey While were on the subject, I have my own ideas about what sights should look like, but I would love to see what others have made. (I'm going to make a creedmore tang sight later, Matter of fact Ill probably do a build along for it too.)

[10x]

The barrel was pretty d#@n tight. I tried to get er off with a crescent wrench on the flats of the receiver and walnut blocks in the vice, but I was very concerned with twisting the rails and the wood blocks didn't even hold for that "the barrel spun in them". I decided to just do it right, and build a properly fitting wrench and aluminum blocks. once I had er cinched down , I put a little Arkansas on it and the barrel started to spin in the aluminum blocks! I stopped right there and tightened those blanking bolts till they where white knuckle tight to a silver-back gorilla. Then I got back on the cheater and started to lean on it. About the time I thought that the barrel was either going to twist or spin in the blocks, it gave way with a pop and a squeak. "By the way this was after putting a liberal amount of liquid wrench on the night before."


Progress!!!
The barrel blank showed up today, along with 100 brass. Honestly the finish is superb, and the bore is so bright!

I use baseball rosin in the blocks. If it spins a bit, tighten up the vice and wait five minutes til the rosin cools and sets up. Just a little bit of slip will give enough heat to melt the rosin. Then put your weight on the wrench and have someone give the wrench a sharp tap with a two lb. hammer.
It also helps if your vice is mounted solidly and the bench it is mounted to is solid. I have two vices, one where the bench has just a bit of give - hardly noticeable, yet it is enough to make it very difficult to break a barrel loose.
Some of the Lee Enfiled barrels have had any vestige of lubricant dissolved out years ago and can be a real female dog to break loose. I have been known to put a couple of oz of liquid nitrogen into the chamber of a really tight barrel to shrink it just that little bit. - worked once.

[303Guy]

Perhaps now is a good time to mension an idea I had regarding barrel and receiver vices. That was to build a system that secures both barrel and action with two torque arms close together with a jacking bolt between them. Clamp up the gun, jack the bolt and crack the thread with a hammer blow. That was going to be for field barrel changes.

I found a prototyp 35-303 case I made some time back. I also drew up such a case today and there really is not going to be any shoulder to speak of. That should not deter us as we can set the headspace real tight to negate the problem and keep our case properly lubed when firing and of course, staying away from maximum pressures. A lighter firing pin blow might help keep the case head back against the bolt face.

My fire-formed cases are such a close fit that the bolt closes on them with some force. That alone helps to reduce bolt face thrust on firing if that is a concern. (It's about the effect of shock loading and preloading).

[MBTcustom]

Baseball rosin, take along wrench, liquid nitrogen, pearls of wisdom boys! You see that is exactly why I hang out here so much! the stuff that is speculated about here, has never been done and the stuff that is talked about has actually been done by the fella that's doing the talkin!!! Cast boolits rules.

I must say the idea of a take-along-barrel-breaker-aparter is intriguing. i may definitely look into it, especially if I continue with my plan to collect several barrels.

[303Guy]

Been having a closer look at my mock-up 35-303 case. Althought the 'shoulder is really tiny, there is indeed enough of it to properly headspace the cartridge. Mine isn't very sharp as all I've done is expand the case mouth but give the chamber a 30° shoulder and it'll fire-form just fine. (Could one go as sharp as 45°?)

P.S. All this 35-303 talk is giving me ideas! Time perhaps to get my barrel making project underway. (Not barrel boring - just reboring old barrels).

[nanuk]

(Could one go as sharp as 45°?)


I have read on some cartridges where the shoulder was 90degrees

[MBTcustom]

Yes I agree with nanuk, I could make it almost anything I want but I am restricted by the fact that I am not having the reamers made, I am renting them. I am kicking around the idea of making my own chamber reamer. :D
What I really want to know about is the throat. There seems to be very limited knowledge on this subject. I have been searching the web looking for info but I'm coming up dry. The reason this is important is that If I need the throating reamer, It will be in my interest to rent it at the same time I rent the chamber reamer. So, do I need a thraoting reamer at all? (11deg I think) or will a regular 45 deg chucking reamer work? Or is it possible not to have any throat at all?

[nanuk]

you thinking about the chucking reamer for the Neck and a smaller one for freebore up to the rifling?

[MBTcustom]

Exactly, my original plan was to ream the chamber with a regular 303British reamer, followed by a letter W chucking reamer (this will give me a neck dimension of .386)
I also bought a letter T chucking reamer (.358) with thoughts of using it to ream the throat portion. However I did more research and found that some folks like a very gentle angle leading into the rifling. The chucking reamer has a start angle of 45 degrees. At this point I'm honestly stumped as to what method to use. The reamer company can rent me a .358 throating reamer but It has a very shallow lead angle that I may or may not want. [smilie=b:

[nanuk]

could you not grind the reamer in a drill against a turning stone, then relieve the cutting edge?

might not be the best, but could work for a "One Off" cutting job.

it wouldn't take much to create the taper you need

[MBTcustom]

I certainly could, but only if that seems like the best option. I still don't even know if I need a throat in the first place.[smilie=b::groner:
If I do what angles are acceptable?

[Multigunner]

The WW2 specs for barrel torque of the No.4 was 125 ft lbs, a bit more than most find necessary for Mauser actions.
If well fitted a lesser torque figure might be alright.

[Red River Rick]

could you not grind the reamer in a drill against a turning stone, then relieve the cutting edge?

might not be the best, but could work for a "One Off" cutting job.

it wouldn't take much to create the taper you need



Perhaps a Tapered Pin Reamer, metric, may work will minimal modification if any at all:
http://www.kbctools.com/can/Navigation/NavPDF.cfm?PDFPage=88

Good work Goodsteel!

:drinks:
RRR

[nanuk]

RRR, I have looked at those in the past. You can get them in many sizes.

my only thought was keeping the end in such a way as to support it in the freebore area so it won't score the FB.

perhaps GoodSteel is handy grinding, and could grind an oversized one down, to just fit so as to act like a bushing.

I'd like to hear more on this...

[Red River Rick]

Nanuk:

Goodsteel has shown some awesome workmanship, him being able to grind a pilot on one of the reamers should be a snap. Or, make a small bushing out 01. Make the ID so the end of the reamer fits, tightly, and the OD a thou smaller than bore diameter.

Having a Tool Post Grinder would be an asset. Since the reamer probably already has the center holes still in it, you could mount it between centers on the lathe and then grind a pilot.

FWIW.

RRR

[MBTcustom]

Bushings are no problem and modifying reamers is no problem. Matter of fact I can make it do what ever I want. What I am trying to find out is what are my options for the angle. what is too shallow? what is too steep?

[303Guy]

What I am trying to find out is what are my options for the angle. what is too shallow? what is too steep? Been thinking about that. I don't want to suggest something that's wrong. if it were me I would consider a 45° shoulder angle. My thinking is to gain as much shoulder support for the case as possible without going past what the case can actually conform to under chamber pressure. Then again, how important is it really? To me it's very important because that's where my cases headspace. (The rim is only there to prevent excess headspace on first firing in that chamber). One can overcome lack of shoulder support by keeping the cases well lubed - a controversial point, by the way and you have a No.4 which is actually a very strong action so bolt face thrust is a moot point. Anyway, excess bolt face thrust is a function of case life, not action failure in the Lee Enfield and I get indefinate case life by lubing my rifles cases.

So, I do not have the absolute answer. I am only offering my opinion after thinking on it for a few days and when I finally get around to my 35-303 project, 45° is what I shall consider. Good luck!:drinks:

[MBTcustom]

OK! I have made a neck expander tool that has a gentle 2 degree angle that opens the case necks to .358.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc0afbeac1e4.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=756)
The only problem is that the necks are not all coming out strait. Some of them seem to be almost a strait wall on one side and a more pronounced shoulder on the other side. Will this cause a problem? I don't know. The other thing is that I measured the O.D. of the case neck with a boolit inserted and it measures .380 I am planning to ream the neck portion of the chamber .386, I wonder if that is too much.
I'm still waiting to pull together enough money to rent the reamers (I hate being broke all the time!!!) I'm hopeful that next Friday will render enough extra $$$ that I can go ahead and make the order. In the mean time, I'm trying to do everything I can to keep moving on the project, but I am running out of things I can do with out being able to shoot it.

[MBTcustom]

Continuing to prepare, I took my letter W reamer and modified it with a floating pilot as some here have mentioned.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc0afbeb8530.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=757)
I had a small chunk of barrel that I had cut off earlier and I used it to test this reamer, I was pleased to see that the hole the reamer makes is .3865 thats .0005 larger than what it was supposed to do. Not bad.
Also seeing as how I am broke, and my wife tells me that the finances will not allow for the reamer rental this payday either, I have been experimenting with cutting a chamber with a boring bar "which I have." My first try came out very good although it was so tight that I had to use an arbor press to get the brass out of the mockup "chamber" (every body has their faults and mine is, I make stuff to tight! if you asked me to drill holes in a salt shaker I'd make them holes .0002 bigger than the largest grain "measured corner to corner of course." Anyway, I cut the chamber in a scrap piece of steel and her'es what she looks like after I cut 'er open.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc0af9814a28.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=755)http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc0af9806b84.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=754)
I am very glad I did this. It definitely made up my mind that the Epps profile is the way to go. As you can see, the shoulders are almost non-existent with the normal profile.
On another note I thought I'd give y'all something else to think about as to the versatility of this cartridge. My dad gave me some snake shot capsules for my 357 mag that he bought way back in the day. I thought "how conveniant to be able to have snake shot with you that will shoot in your rifle!!!!!!!!!!!"
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc0af97ee2a8.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=753)
And, as an added benefit, the next time I'm deer hunting and one of those blinking blanking squirrels decides to use me for acorn practice, I be havin' squirrel an dumplins for dinner!

[303Guy]

Ahh! A clever man like you will have no problem devising an expander die that holds the case and guides the expander rod. Funny thing though, I had little problen expanding a Brit case to 375 and back to 312 several times without any self-guiding dies. The case mouth did need squaring afterward though but it was Berdan case anyway. I did anneal the neck before and during. I did not fit said case into any chamber but neck runout was not obvious.

By the way, that's one mean looking cartridge! Should be perfect for them pesky squirrels. I'd expect full penetration!:roll: Shoulder shots are best I think - immobilizing them on the spot by breaking both shoulders is always good.:mrgreen: Less tracking needed.

[10x]

Ahh!
snip
By the way, that's one mean looking cartridge! Should be perfect for them pesky squirrels. I'd expect full penetration!:roll: Shoulder shots are best I think - immobilizing them on the spot by breaking both shoulders is always good.:mrgreen: Less tracking needed.

If you chose the "Texas Heart shot" the squirrel would be gutted as well....

[MBTcustom]

My current state of being broke, has once again forced me to be creative. I have decided that I do want to go ahead with boring the chamber of this rifle. I decided to invest a little thought into cartridge design, and based on discussions with 303guy and others, and research into the designs of ackly and epps, I decided that the best modification to this cartridge would be a .010 inch difference between shoulder and neck diameters, 45 degree shoulder angle and a neck diameter of .386. I had a lightbulb moment this morning and realized that if I can make a mock-up chamber, then there is realy nothing stopping me from threading it to the barrel and using it to fire-form some cases!
Another added benefit to this, is that it gives me one more way to measure the head space, and will allow me to test the fire-formed case in order to see if the cartridge will feed correctly from the magazine.

After cutting the extractor slot in the mock barrel, I loaded 10 grains of unique behind a 170 grain .309 boolit paper patched up to .355 (hey I wasn't going for accuracy)
This is the new cartridge.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc21344109bb.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=773)

I love the shape of this puppy, but it had trouble stripping from the magazine. I need to find some info on how to modify the magazines to feed wildcats like the .416/303.

[nanuk]

my understanding with off-center necks is either your brass is improperly annealed, or the neck is thicker on one side

Most dies do not support brass enought to make much difference I'd guess, so the FL die hopefully will clean it up.

or Fireform your brass to expand when you get your chamber cut.

[MBTcustom]

I think that the necks were off center because I didn't get enough lube on the necks once I lubed the necks with mink oil they started coming out right.

I tried to cut the chamber tonight, I started to ream the neck diameter first and the pilot seized up in the barrel half way there, "about 1.5 inches deep" I was trying to go slow and keep the oil on 'er good and heavy but I think that it just couldn't clear the chips.:sad: I got he reamer out, thank the Lord, but the pilot stayed lodged in the barrel. Unchucked the barrel and beat the pilot out with a cleaning rod loaded the barrel back in the lathe. Got to get more C-clips. I think that for tonight I'm screwed.[smilie=b: I think that there is a real good chance that I could ream the hole the rest of the way, but I'm scarred to death that it will cut oversize for some reason. Or get out of alignment, or any other way that Murphy can #$%& with me. The hard part is having patience enough to be smart and walk away. Did I ever mention that patience is not one of my virtues?
[smilie=b:[smilie=b:[smilie=b:[smilie=b:[smilie=b:[smilie=b:[smilie=b:

[303Guy]

No-one likes to stop and walk away when things aren't working out so you actually did pretty good!:drinks:

Lee Enfield magazines are not exactly hi-tech and can give trouble feeding with perfectly good, standard ammo. In fact, those magazines can be downright terrible!

I have one magazine that came a bit rusted and the spring collapsed the first time I tried it. It makes for a brilliant case catcher in single shot mode. The ejector doesn't work without a magazine in place and the emply cases just drop into the emply mag.

[MBTcustom]

Tonight I finished reaming the neck diameter that I started last night. I went to Fastenall today and bought a bunch more of the E-clips. Good thing I did, because I broke another one. The good news is that I did finally get calibrated and the last 3/8 inch went smooth and strait with no hangups. FYI the reason that the pros use that pipe fitting on the end of the barrel and pump a steady stream of oil, is to protect the pilot on the reamer! A chamber can certainly be cut without the tube but by the time you get done with the job you will have thought of about 20 different ways that you could have rigged something up. Anyway I'm very tired tonight so after reaming the barrel, I decided to let it be until tomorrow.
Almost forgot! I modified my letter T reamer to be a throating reamer! It has a 2 degree taper terminating in a .359 body. I also cut it to use the same pilot as the neck reamer.

[MBTcustom]

It is alive!!!!! sorry for not posting more pictures, but I got very excited and have been burning the candle at both ends. This morning I got up dark and early and started working on the chamber again. I managed to get it cut correctly and I throated the barrel. Then I screwed the action on the barrel while it was still in the lathe, picked out a piece of brass that had the largest rim in a batch of 20, put scotch tape over the base, and tried the bolt. The bolt closed easily so I took off the action and dressed .002 inches off of the shoulder of the barrel, tried it again and still had no contact. I continued repeating this process until I had resistance from the bolt on closing with the tape and a clean drop of the bolt without the tape. Took the barreled action out of the lathe and mounted it in the barrel vice. Put the Arkansas corn-fed to it and marked the location of the extractor slot. I removed the barrel and used a hack saw and files to cut the notch, re-barreled the action and gave 'er a try. Clean extraction every time.
I loaded up 20 cases with 10 grains of unique powder under 158 grain semi-wad-cutter pistol boolits. Drove to the range a little fast (they were playing "Pour some sugar on me" on the radio")
I shot all of the loads and followed the manufacturers break in instructions, I was shooting at chips of clays on the backstop about 35 yards away. The first 5 shots went 4" high 4" to the right, but as the barrel broke in, it started shooting directly on center rear sight at zero elevation. I cant speak to group size but every thing I shot at exploded in a very satisfactory manner.:bigsmyl2:
I will post pictures of the rifle soon, along with some real groups. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[PrimitiveBeasty]

I'm waiting with interest! This is a neat project.

[10x]

I'm waiting with interest! This is a neat project.

It is indeed a neat project. I have a number of No. 4 Receivers with sewer pipe barrels that could turn into this caliber.

[MBTcustom]

Before you look at this target, I want you to know that there were serious problems with the conditions of the range and the ammo.
1. I have not made the relaoding dies yet so I used a hodge podge of 35 rem and .357 mag dies and the result was that the bullets were seated at differing depths and were almost certainly not strait in the cases. I just wanted to see how the brass fireformed with max loads and I was losing light so I was in a hurry.
2. The range with the benches got his by a tornado last week so they closed it. I had to go to the pistol range ( a place in the country where they excavated dirt years ago) you can only get 50 yards max if you stand on the edge of the road.
3. I was using the hood of my truck for a bench with one of my boots for a rest, and I was parked at an angle so all my weight was on the left foot and only my left elbow was supported.
4. It was windy.
That being said, I would like to say that the 5 shots around the center were out of a dirty barrel from the previous outing. (when I brushed the barrel, I got lead speckles). I definitely pulled two shots of the subsequent 10 and they are circled in red at the top left. All the other chips and weird holes in the target are from a brick that was 5 feet below the target. (hey, it was buggin me.)
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc6b9183f5b7.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=790)
So I can tentatively say that this barrel shoots better than the very best groups rendered by the factory barrel.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dae3761303ff.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=559)
More groups will be posted but it will be a while because of the storm damage.
Here is the almost finished rifle along with the special front sight that I made.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc6bd185d416.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=792)http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dc6bd18508f9.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=791)
The major challenges that remain are to get the dogon magazine to feed reliably and to make reloading dies and a lee loader and to work up max loads for this baby. The above groups were almost max loads for 35 remington and weren't even close to max pressure for this rifle. Heck I think I heard it yawn.:grin:
So far, I can tell you that with 200 grain boolits moving at 2000 fps, this baby is a destructive force to be reckoned with. One of the unexpected niceties that I experienced was the definite lack of recoil. The loads that were used have been shot by me out of my dads model 8 and after 20 rounds with a hard but-plate, my shoulder used to feel like hamburger, not so with this one! Heck my wife could shoot this gun!

[izzyjoe]

cool man, i'm glad you got it ironed out. that turned into a nice rifle, and the cool thing is it all you'r work. that's something to be proud of!

[MBTcustom]

More range time, and I think I have a load comming together. Made a PP mold that gives me 265 grain boolits.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dcd99f7284f2.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=837)
However after shooting through the chronograph, I saw fluctuations in boolit speed +- 50 fps. I slowly worked the loads up and ended up trying the Lyman 358318 with a paper patch instead of a gas check. the results were consistent velocities and devastating performance. These boolits weigh 250 grains and I ended up pushing them to 2050 FPS. I was just shooting through the crony at a dirt stop about 40 yards away, and I must say that I am not used to seeing that much effect from the projectile impact. I saw where every one of these boolits hit because of the clumps of sod flying everywhere! Truly impressive.
/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=844]http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dcf1f37eac03.jpg[/url]http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dcf1f37de893.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=843)
I ended up loading these boolits over 29 grains of H335 and stopped because I ran out of time and courage. The were traveling at 2050 FPS which is starting loads for the 358 winchester cartridge. I may see if the rifle is capable of reproducing the ballistics of this cartridge at the higher pressures, but only after I have educated myself better on how to work up a load to max pressure. I'm just scared that I might go to far and cause damage to the rifle or myself. As it is I feel confident that the rifle is capable of the pressures that are being exerted on it with this load, and I am also confident that any deer that is hit with one of these babies, will suffer irreparable damage.
I recovered one of the slugs from the soft clay backstop. 91% weight retention.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177714dcf1f3802a37.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=845)

[MBTcustom]

I have decided that this build is done. I will continue to work on the magazine and I will continue to push the boolits faster until I am satisfied. I also may try to get it back into its originall skin with the forend woods and such, but for now I am standing pat.
The name I have decided on is .358 Malcolm A1 and I will etch it on the side of the barrel in a clean professional manner, along with some basic instructions for making the cases (just in case my grand kids get it someday)
Thank you cast boolits for a wealth of information!!!!
special thanks to 303guy for his invaluable help, know-how, and abuility to think outside the box.
Thanks also to
Nanuk
Docone31
Red River Rick
REG
HollowPoint
10X
and all the others who helped me out in Tips and tricks, pet loads, smokeless PP, and Gas checks.
:drinks::CastBoolitsisbest::cast_boolits:

[nanuk]

I'm glad things are working out for you.

You are welcome, but I didn't do anything. Just followed with interest!

I wish I had access to a machine shop so I could try some of this stuff!

You guys are so lucky!

a 35cal 250gr boolit at 2000fps is an awesome proposition!

[Bill Torzsok]

Godsteel we want More pictures!!!!!
Great job!

[MBTcustom]

what pictures to you want to see?