theuseful lee enfield

[Frank46]

Guys, I have to ask this question. Has anyone ever made up a 30-30 based on either the MKIII, #4MKI, #4MKII actions. With the rim I would not think there would be no problems, now the magazine might be some problems. Haven't tried loaded 30wcf cartridges in any of the 303 magazines. So if someone has made such a critter I and possibly more of the forum would like to hear if its possible and how you did it. Frank

[longbow]

Not sure about .30-30 but I think the rim is enough smaller you might want to look at it. Maybe not a problem but...

I have seen Lee Enfields chambered in .45-70, .444 Marlin (almost identical rim size to .303) and .458 x 2".

Got to ask why you would want to make a .303 into a .30-30? Very close in bore size and .303 has larger capacity case so can be loaded down to .30-30 or up, plus it will handle heavier boolits.

If you are looking at shooting factory ammo then .303 may be limited in the States (better selection for .30-30?) but if you are shooting cast that shouldn't be an issue.

I've been toying with the idea of rebarreling a No. 5 to .444 Marlin and keep it looking as stock as possible ~ a Jungle Carbine with a big hole!

Longbow

[HABCAN]

Longbow, if you DO rebarrel that #5, please post details as I have been considering exactly the same thing.

[Freightman]

Me to!

[Kraschenbirn]

Frank...

If you're looking for a reduced capacity round for an SMLE, you might take a look at JeffinNZ's .303 Pygmy. (See his current thread "Aluminum Gas Check Breakthrough"). In his hands, at least, the round is capable of excellent accuracy and the shortened case allows the use of a much wider variety of powders.

On the other hand, unless you've got a junker with a totally shot-out barrel, why mess up a perfectly good milsurp in a viable caliber? (BTW: Did I mention that a veteran Longbranch #4Mk1 is my second-favorite milsurp shooter...falling only behind my 1943 Winchester Garand?)

Bill

[Frank46]

OK was just a shot in the dark as they say. What with all the rimmed cartridges out there I figured it was only a matter of time before someone did it. I saw some pics of a krag converted to 25-35 and it looked really neat. Now that must have been a head scratcher. Frank

[Four Fingers of Death]

30/30 won't do anything that the 303 couldn't do better. Nowwwwwwwwwwwwww, a 38/55 or 375 Win or 444 might be worth looking at.

Probably the best bet would be a 303 necked up to 35 cal. That way you still get to have 10 in the magazine for bombing up mobs of pigs, etc. The bigger cals would need a single stack mag made up inside the original mag and would leave you with about 4 rounds capacity. Not as handy as a lever rifle I reckon and not worth th eeffort unless you just want to experiment of have something different.

[kjg]

Another forum spoke of converting the #4 to shoot the relativly reasonable 7.62x54r, seem to remember the previous chambering of 303 brit had some major erosion problems, and that did the job, I guess it shot fairally well, not my cup o tea I would have just shot cast, kjg

[Ricochet]

I figure the .30-40 Krag and 3-line Russian cartridges were inspired by the .303, just changed around enough to make them look like they weren't copied.

[longbow]

4fingermick:

I read about a .303-.35 wildcat but didn't turn it up when I searched. I though it might have been one of Elwood Epps (Canadian gunsmith) creations. In any case, I agree something .35, .375 or .44 would be very nice.

Many years ago I saw and handled a No. 4 that was converted to .458 x 2". I didn't get to shoot it though. I have also seen photos, on this site I think, of a Lee Enfield converted to .45-70.

I just figure .444 Marlin would be an easy conversion because barrels, reamers, dies, etc. are all readily available. Maybe a better choice for a No. 4 than a No. 5 though as recoil would probably be brutal in the little carbine. I just always liked the the little jungle carbine and figured if one was found with a barrel in bad condition a .444 conversion would be most interesting and not too expensive.

Longbow

[Otony]

I recently picked up a very bubbafied #4 to rebarrel to .30-30. You might have a bit of trouble with extraction, as you can see from this quote, which I lifted from elsewhere on the web.

"I found that the 30-30 case works reasonably well but not quite well enough to use with a standard bolt head and extractor. I figure, though I haven’t tried, that a minor adjustment of the bolt head to allow the extractor to “bite” a bit deeper, would handle the 30-30 very nicely. The Ackley Improved version of the 30-30 is practically up with the 308 Win ballistically. The SMLE barrelled and chambered for the 30-30 Improved with a short barrel would make a very nice light rifle."

My plan is to build up a 20" carbine for the standard, unimproved .30-30. My #4 has had the issue forend chopped way back, so I am looking for an issue replacement to modify into a Mannlicher styled version. Going to install a brass nosecap to match the buttplate.

I have a two position flip-peep and the issue buttstock. Should result in a fairly trim little carbine. I am still looking for one of the older round bottom 5 shot magazines (hint-hint, y'all) to, um, round things out. And yes, I will round the front of the trigger guard if I find a shorter mag! A well rounded rifle, heh-heh.

Not sure what it will take to fiddle with the extractor, but #4's have been converted to .223 succesfully, and there are plenty of #1's floating around Australia that were converted to .22 Hornet. I cannot imagine it would be much work to go with the venerable thutty-thutty.

In my neck of the woods, .303 ammo is seldom seen. Plus I have five other .30-30 rifles to play with, why not a sixth?

Now to really blow the collective minds, I have a lovely 1891 Mauser cavalry carbine that has a rotten bore. I "think" I can get that straight line mag to feed rimmed catridges, uh-huh, yassah! Before everyone's hackles rise, remember that there are plenty of Mauser bolt actions floating around for the 8.15x46r cartridge, which is VERY similar to the .30-30 and .32 Special.

Otony

[Bullshop]

We have several of the Gibbs 45/70 carbines here in our shop. They are good rifles done well.
The one problem with them is the magazine feed lip will batter with heavy loads. We reinforce them with a double layer of steel like the origonal 303 mags.
We rechambered one to 45/90 and still have plenty of room in those long mags for long boolits.
We also have a couple converted to 45 acp. Those are great fun guns and worthy of handling a fairly close range defensive perimiter duty. That little acp cartridge can perform more like a 44 mag in those short handy carbines.
We have a carbine length barrel threaded and chambered in 444 Marlin but have not yet gotten to work on that. Anybody interested in that barrel get hold of me as I will likely never get to it.
I have had an inclination to do one up in 405 Win but, well you know how it goes. Should work good though.
BIC/BS

[waydownsouth]

Down here in the land of OZ the SMLE has been rebarreled in a heap of cartriges
the ones i have seen and shot were 303-22, 303-25, 303-270 even saw one 303-30.

lithgow made the #1 mkIII in 410 and .22lr .22 hornet also (or did sportco modify them ?)

there are a lot of other wildcats that were based on the 303 case , but i never heard of any one trying 30-30 must be an american thing i guess

[exile]

Could you re-chamber one to .44 special?

exile

[Hardcast416taylor]

You guys will understand my problem.. I have a Savage #4, A "new" out of the mummy wrap Fazakerly #4, and a #3 Lithgow. All still in .303 Br. My problem is how can I shoot up 2 (TWO) unopened cases of Greek mil-surp ball ammo equally in all 3 SMLE`s before I die? :roll: :confused::veryconfu:groner: Robert

[smlekid]

I think the 303-35 was called a Howarth or Howard? I have also heard of a 303-375 but believe the case is to small for it

[Pioneer2]

Getting a takeoff .30 caliber barrel and having it chambered to 30-40 Krag would be the most economical option? A shotout P-14 can be rebored to .303-.338 1-10" twist and use 200gr Hornadys.Great bear,elk + moose relaxer at woods range............Harold

[Four Fingers of Death]

Getting a takeoff .30 caliber barrel and having it chambered to 30-40 Krag would be the most economical option? A shotout P-14 can be rebored to .303-.338 1-10" twist and use 200gr Hornadys.Great bear,elk + moose relaxer at woods range............Harold

You may as well go straight to a 338Win Mag, great cartridge, buy brass off the shelf, bolt face and everything is good to go as is with the P14. Lots of them converted out here (mostly to 375, 458).

As to the Lithgow conversions, most were done for Slazengers and Sportco was a separate brand the Lithgow factory used (I think).

I have a near new 22Hornet Conversion. I haven't got much use for it, but it is a part of Aussie shooting history, so I gave it a good home. It is buried in the safe, I'll try and get it out for a look later in the week.

From memory the early Omark44 Target Rifles made by the Small Arms Factory, were branded 'Sportco.'

[Dan Cash]

I think the 303-35 was called a Howarth or Howard? I have also heard of a 303-375 but believe the case is to small for it

This amounts to a short case = 2 1/4 inch= version of the .375 x 2 1/2 flanged cartridge. Cartridges of the World talks it down but having one built on a 95 Manlicher action has shown it to be an accurate, hard hitting cartridge.

[dualsport]

I'm buying a 18" .444 barrel from Bullshop, already chambered and threaded for a SMLE. It will be a while, but as things go along I'll post the progress here. Right now I'm in research phase. I'd like to do this myself. I'm thinking this gun has to be a good first project, since you can always make fine adjustments to headspace just by switching boltheads. I've seen the common sizes 0 thru 3 if I recall. Did anybody ever make a 4? I could use one on a gun I have.

[bonza]

From memory the early Omark44 Target Rifles made by the Small Arms Factory, were branded 'Sportco.'

I thought Sportco was based in South Australia. The guy who started Kimber used to work for them.....he named the company (Kimber) after his hometown of the same name on S.A.'s Eyre Peninsula. The very popular Winchester Model 320 .22 bolt action rifle was originally a Sportco design that Winchester (Australia) bought the rights to. It's also the same action that evolved into the Kimber.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I thought Sportco was based in South Australia. The guy who started Kimber used to work for them.....he named the company (Kimber) after his hometown of the same name on S.A.'s Eyre Peninsula. The very popular Winchester Model 320 .22 bolt action rifle was originally a Sportco design that Winchester (Australia) bought the rights to. It's also the same action that evolved into the Kimber.


I have an Omark in the safe which carries the Sportco brand as well as being marked as an Omark.

These are a brilliant rifle, but if you pick one up there are a couple of slight modifications needed to make the rifle completely safe. These are fitting a bigger cross pin in the bolt and installing a keyway in the bolt. After that they are good to go.

[Multigunner]

Several Aussie members of other boards have told me of Enfields rebarreled for the .30-30 for target as well as game hunting.

Been considering barreling a Lithgow receiver for the ol' Thurty thurty myself.

I found that empties ejected okay, The mags could probably be altered with a block at the back, a shortened follower and a new spring of the proper size.

The remington Lee used a similar alteration to the mag when the .32 Winchester Special version was produced.

[Bret4207]

I thought Sportco was based in South Australia. The guy who started Kimber used to work for them.....he named the company (Kimber) after his hometown of the same name on S.A.'s Eyre Peninsula. The very popular Winchester Model 320 .22 bolt action rifle was originally a Sportco design that Winchester (Australia) bought the rights to. It's also the same action that evolved into the Kimber.

A Winchester 320 was my 13th birthday gift. I STUPIDLY sold it and I can't find another. Did I mention that was a STUPID move?