35 winchester in Enfield #4

[bruce drake]

Has anyone considered rebarreling an Enfield to 35 Winchester? It's a round developed off the original 30-40 Krag case (just necked up to .357) that Winchester used in their Model 1895 rifles.

Pressure with J bullets would be in the 40K range which is equal to what 303 British rounds are set for.

This would allow a shooter to have a huge selection of cast bullet loads from 110 gr plinkers to 250-300gr thumper bullets without having to adjust the bolt head or (maybe Minor)magazine feedlips.

Redding offers the complete die set at a substantial cost ($96) but if you are thinking about making one you probably already have the scratch for the dies.

Bruce

[45 2.1]

Some folks did this quite a few years ago. The 30-40 case is shorter than the 35 Win though. The last article was one where the guy just necked the Krag case to 35 cal. with a caliber rebore and opening the neck to 35 cal. specs and it worked out fine. Reloading was done by using several dies from other sets.

[bruce drake]

I got a private message from another forum that a common wildcat in Australia is a 35-303Brit. Just requires a rebarrel or rebore and a company called Simplex makes dies there.

Do our Canadian Brethren do this type of wildcat also?

Bruce

[Cliff]

35 winchester in a #4 Enfield? You might want to check out the Enfield website at www.303british.com. This site has a lot of information and good links to others. It is out of Canada so they know how to play with the Enfields. Just a thought. Good Luck, I have been thinkng of the 303 opened to 35 caliber as well. I think they have something on one done to a 35 gibbs. Good Luck..

[45 2.1]

35 winchester in a #4 Enfield? You might want to check out the Enfield website at www.303british.com (http://www.303british.com). This site has a lot of information and good links to others. It is out of Canada so they know how to play with the Enfields. Just a thought. Good Luck, I have been thinkng of the 303 opened to 35 caliber as well. I think they have something on one done to a 35 gibbs. Good Luck..

The Gibbs cartridges are 30-06 base jobs. I believe your refering to the Epps versions.

[floodgate]

Bruce:

"Do our Canadian Brethren do this type of wildcat also?"

The late Ellwood Epps (Canada's answer to "Papa" Ackley) made up a whole bunch of wildcats based on the .303 case. I THINK (I don't have samples any more to compare) that the .35 Winchester was based on the same case as the .405.

floodgate

[bruce drake]

According to my files on the 1895, the .405 was a necked up 30-40K as well. Looking at the diameter of the case head you can see the parental background that cartridge has.

I see on www.303british.com that he has a notation on the wildcat and I sent him a note looking for a potential source of dies and a threaded barrel.

Bruce

[floodgate]

Bruce:

"According to my files on the 1895, the .405 was a necked up 30-40K as well. Looking at the diameter of the case head you can see the parental background that cartridge has."

Yes, and no... The .30-40 case is 2.25" long, the .35 W is longer, at 2.415", and the .405 C/L is longer still, at 2.583". These latter two are really smokeless adaptations of the older BP .38-72 (C/L = 2.50") and .40-72 (C/L = 2.60). But they do share the same generic case head diameter of 0.457 - 0.461".

floodgate

[oksmle]

Bruce .... I have converted a couple of #1 Mk IIIs to .35/.303 Brit, & several #4 Mk Is to .444 Marlin & .45/70 Spgfld. Each has its own set of problems, but the easiest by far is the .35/.303 Brit. There is a ton of loading advise available because, as mentioned above, it has been a common conversion for many years. There are even speciality shops which manufacture five round magazines in these calibers to enable you to clean up the underside of the rifle. I don't have any on hand right now, but the next conversion, & one that I'll keep this time, will be the .35/.303 Brit. I believe if I wanted to convert a SMLE type of action to .35 Win., I would start with the Ishapore (sp?) since it is already chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge & would probably wind up being just a smidgen more complicated than making a barrel swap.
oksmle

[oksmle]

Bruce .... In my last post when I mentioned converting the Ishapore my mind was thinking 35 Win., but I actually meant .358 Win. Big difference. But now that I have checked my garage I actually have enough of the makins' to try it..... in .358 Win that is....

oksmle

[singleshotbuff]

oksmle,

Where would I find one of these 5 round mags you mention? In original 303 caliber. My dad has a sporterized enfield and the 5 round mag he has doesn't feed for chit. I've looked on the web but haven't found anything. Nothing has turned up at local gun shows either.

I'd appreciate the info.

SSB

[oksmle]

Singleshotbuff .... Sorry I took so long to answer but I didn't realize you had posted a question. The last two five round mags I used were purchased from ProMag. They're in the .303 Brit. caliber, but can be reworked to .35 or .45/70 easily enough.
oksmle

http://www.promagindustries.com/

[Four Fingers of Death]

The Simplex Company is still in business and still manafactures a full range of reloading presses, dies and accessories. They are in Sydney Australia, but the main outlet for their dies, etc are a gunshop, Jansa Arms. Here is a link:

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~jansa/simplex4.html

The Super Simplex is a small press and the dies are similar to the Lyman 310 size dies, but are NOT interchangale as they are a different thread size.

The Simplex Master dies are standard 7/8 x 14 dies. They are very well made and similar in construction, adjustment to RCBS dies.

One interesting conversion to No4s on the 303 page is the conversion to 7.62x54Russian.

Mick.

[bruce drake]

Folks,

I broke down and put a deposit down for a new production rifle chambered for 35 Whelen. The cost of the dies and barrel being shipped from Australia (I found a gunsmith in New Zealand actually) for my extra Enfield receiver was more than what I was willing to pay currently. I'll get the rifle from the gunsmith next Friday and I intend to use cast exclusively in her. I'll be starting with some 180gr SWC from an old Lyman mold first to break the barrel in until I can get some 250gr molds lined up for hunting loads.

Bruce

[junkbug]

What was the rifle? A Remington 700, or 7600?


Thanks.

Sean

[bruce drake]

NEF Handi-Rifle. One of thier new calibers for 2006 is 35 Whelen.