Enfield "K" question

[Big Iron]

I came across an interesting rifle the other day. It appears to be a pretty nice rifle. It's an Enfield that's been converted to use 7.62 x 39 in liew .303. That would make it inexpensive and fun shooter. The website doesn't say if it still loads from the top with chargers, or if reloads by changing the mags.

Does anyone have any thought or experience with "Special Interest Arms",or their Enfield "K" conversion?

http://www.pyramid.net/sia/

 

[Radagast]

7.62 X 39 conversions of no 1 Mk3s are available here in Australia, I've never tried one, as they seem to all be done on beaters.
Australian International Arms is manufacturing new 7.62 X 39 rifles on a modifed no 4 action. I've handled one, quality seems high and it seems like a lot of fun could be had with one.

 

[Big Iron]

Thanks for the reply. There doesn't seem to be too much experience, or awareness of this rifle. I think it looks like an interesting concept with some potiential. Just don't know about the quality of SIA, or the mechanical and functional feasibility.

 

[Gewehr98]

There was a thread about the converted Lee-Enfield over on TFL...

Recoil reduction and cheaper ammo notwithstanding, why booger up a perfectly good (and possibly collectible) battle rifle, and get rid of the perfectly good 10-round original magazine for an adapter and a longer 10-round single-stack AK magazine?

There are Ruger and CZ bolt-action 7.62x39 rifles out there that were purpose-built from the factory for that chambering. If you look hard enough, they're out there at a price competitive with that Enfield conversion gun.

But, if the money's just burning a hole in your pocket, what the heck?

 

[MolonLabe416]

G98 is correct, the little CZ carbine is available, priced right, and very handy. Having said that, I handle one of the No 4 conversions at the SHOT show last year. It's well done, but I'm not sure what it's for. The little CZ is a better solution IMHO.

 

[DMK]

I posted a link to that on TFL a while back.

Here's another interesting option: 7.62x54R conversion. I wonder how that round works in Enfield mags though.
http://www.jpfo.org/smle.htm

I've got something that used to be a No4MK1 and rather than spending way more that it's worth to restore it, I've been thinking of sporterizing it into a plinker/target rifle along the lines of a Gibb's Quest Scout and doing either the 7.62x39 or 7.62x54 conversion since I've got a very large stock of both and they are way cheap range fodder.