cutting a chamber and rifeling from 303 to 38-55....how hard and expensive?

[dnfd737]

Long story short I have a martini enfield that has some chamber damage that might be beyond repair......I was wondering if it were beyond repair how much can I expect to pay to cut a new chamber and cut new rifling for 38-55?....before any one says anything.......Ive seen 38-55 brass made from 303 british and there should be enough barrel to cut it to fit 38-55....thanks

 

[Kp321]

The re-rifle shops normally charge about what a new barrel costs ~$300, maybe a little less. Most re-rifle jobs are done to preserve the original barrel markings or contour or both.

 

[Jim Watson]

I'll say something.
Head diameter of .38-55 is .4191"; .303 British is .4554".
Too much difference, you can't ream a hole smaller.

There is such a thing as .38-50 Remington that can be made from .303 or .30-40.

 

[dnfd737]

You know, I was just talking this over last night with a gunsmith......seems 38-55 is just a smigon too small, in some places and too big in others.....what shares a same rim dia as 303? it can be a little shorter can definitely be longer. BTW the chamber could be sleeved to 38-55 but not worth the money IMO.

 

[Jim Watson]

.405 Winchester would fit, but where and how bad is the chamber damage? The .405 reamer might not clean up a badly pitted chamber, especially in the rear end.

Lots of things to convert a Martini Enfield to.

 

[dnfd737]

no pitting the gun was rather pristine until I got a dowel stuck while slugging......there is a bit of a ding in the rifling in 2 spots and the chamber has a few gouges, under recommendation of my gun smith we are attempting to swage some of the metal back into the gouges in the chamber then attempt to ream the chamber then fire some fmj to try to clean the rifling up and see how it shoots, if the chamber is not cleared up enough then we will rechamber and rebore the barrel.