Gotta question

[Frank46]

Some years back I bought two 1919a4 7.62 barrels from God only knows. They are both Israeli manufacture. Both slug out at .300-.308 and still have some of the preservative grease on them. Now I've been thinking about getting one of them installed on a 1928 winchester model 54 action made in 1928. this action was made specifically for the 30-30 cartridge. I have an altered winchester marksman stock that I picked up at a gun show for $50. The bbl is 24" long and if I cut the chamber end off approx 2"I'll still have 22" to play with. Has anyone ever tried doing this with a machinegun barrel and if so what was the outcome. The '54 action has had the bolt altered to the model 70 style and already came drilled and tapped for both receiver sights and telescopic sights. The stock with some work will take the '54 action and if I open up the barrel channel will take the barrel also. So if anyone has any ideas or comments, I'd like to hear them. Thanks, Frank

[Mk42gunner]

Frank46,

Never having seen a barrel for a 1919a4, I don't know just how much work would be involved. I have seen scads of M2 .50 cal barrels- both HB and aircraft versions, and I never wanted to try to get one turned down to work on a rifle, even when I sould have gotten a dozen for free. I was told by some of my old LPO's and Chief's that the thirty cal Browning was basically the same as a .50-- only smaller.

I do know that in the 1940's and 50's, people used to build match rifles out of surplus MG barrels. Whether that was becuase of availability or quality, I do not know. If I had to bet, it was availability, I have read of some of their bragging size groups and wasn't all that impressed.

I am not trying to talk you out of it; but if you have to pay someone to install the barrel, you might be money ahead to get a decent quailty new barrel. All I am saying is do some cost comparing before you decide.

The bore dimensions sound like they would be fine for a .30-30.

Robert

[deltaenterprizes]

I had a short chambered "machine gun barrel" I picked up at a gun show that was too small in diameter to be fitted to a Rem 700 action so I gave it to my machinist teacher with the condition that he headspace the action while I was there so I could learn how to do it.
The barrel had .0005'' run out between centers.
We met in the shop and the barrel was set up in the lathe with the muzzle in the chuck and the chamber end in a steady rest, the lathe was set at the slowest speed and the reamer was fed into the chamber, my reamer. The reamer touched the barrel and twisted without cutting even a small chip, I was expecting it to snap in two pieces but quick reflexes prevented the reamers destruction.
A second attempt was made with similar results. Since so little metal needed to be removed it was done by hand but the teacher told me he had never seen such a hard barrel.
The gun shoots great but there is no telling what the barrel is made from, but it sure is hard!
I would check it with a file to see how hard it is before attempting a full chamber cutting attempt.

[Nobade]

As long as there's enough meat left to clean up the outside and the chamber doesn't have a stellite liner you should be fine.

[akajun]

Well it is a lot of work and money to machine a barrel, and if your gonna spend that money, I would make sure that the barrel I use is gonna be top notch and not a **** shoot. I would sell the barrels and buy some good barrel blanks or pre machined short chambered barrels and have them machined.

If You choose to go that route, I would be interested in the 762 barrels for my 1919.

[gnoahhh]

I knew a guy years ago who did that very trick with a WWII surplus .30 MG barrel. He fitted it to a Mauser 98 to make a heavy barrel target rifle. It shot outstanding small groups.

[Reg]

Many of those barrels were hard as the hubs of he## and you should check it carefully before attempting to try to fit it.
Another idea.
It might be a good idea to do a bit of advertising first. Military surplus barrels used to be a dime a dozen--- no more. Many times a certain barrel will bring a premium price and you might even work it into a new quality barrel, installed.

:coffeecom

[notenoughguns]

All the Izzy barrels that I have are chrome lined and wouldn't risk ruining a good reamer on .


DAN

[Frank46]

From what I can see these bbls are not chromed bores and bright and shiney. They do have some Israeli markings on them and still a bit of grease. The breech face of the 54 action is a little tricky as you have to machine a ring on the breech face to allow the bolt to get close to the breech face and when doing the chamber you have to leave a partial ring and that's where the headspace is set. I still have the barrel stub if I ever get going. Frank