Question on converting a rifle

[squirrel sniper]

I just bought a .303 pattern 14 enfield rifle today. I would like to convert it to .30-06, but I have no clue where to start. If i can convert it, i want to keep iron sights, and a heavy flutted barrel to increase accuracy, decrease weight, and disapate heat better. Whatever info or links you guys would give me would be immensly appreciated.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Please don't butcher a classic original Pattern 14 just to make an inferior hunting rifle.

 

[R.W.Dale]

start with rare collectable milsurp worth $300 to $500

add $300 for a barrel and $200 to install

have a rifle only worth $150 that shoots no better than the $280 Stevens 200 in 30-06 you should have bought to begin with

 

[Sunray]

A P14 and P17 are not quite the same rifle in different calibres. You'd have to change the bolt to a rimless extractor, mag follower and find a way to lengthen the mag well, as a minimum. The .30-06 is .265" longer than a .303 British. It won't fit in the .303 mag well. You'd be better to leave as is and buy a .30-06.

 

[Clipper]

45/70, or .444 Marlin would just require rebarreling. the boltface will work as-is.

 

[squirrel sniper]

the barrel on the rifle has already been shot to crap. I only paid $125 for it, since it had already been modified. It looks as though it has been used for some kind of target shooting, since it has some sort of benchrest stock on it, as well as a 1907 sling. Since its already lost any collector value, i dont have as much of a problem with rebarreling it, but im not going to drill and tap it, just a new barrel.

 

[R.W.Dale]

the barrel on the rifle has already been shot to crap. I only paid $125 for it, since it had already been modified. It looks as though it has been used for some kind of target shooting, since it has some sort of benchrest stock on it, as well as a 1907 sling. Since its already lost any collector value, i dont have as much of a problem with rebarreling it, but im not going to drill and tap it, just a new barrel.

even with no collectors value it's not cost effective to convert it vs buying a modern day rifle in the format you want.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I can't speak for the OP but I've never taken "cost effectiveness" into consideration when converting a military rifle to a sporter.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I can't speak for the OP but I've never taken "cost effectiveness" into consideration when converting a military rifle to a sporter.

My take on sporterized rifles are that there's plenty of superb examples out there that can be had for a song to bother with the expense of making yet another.

 

[Mr_Rogers]

I probably have a stripped P17 action (30-06) that would be a better donor. Swap you.

 

[Anyname]

If you want to go with 30-06, the bolt face is the wrong size. The 303 P14 is usually converted to a magnum caliber since the 303 bolt face is a close match.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

The only conversions that interest me are the ones that I build myself. Buying the handiwork of others is like hanging someone elses trophy on your wall. There is NO fun in that.

 

[sturmgewehr667]

I can't speak for the OP but I've never taken "cost effectiveness" into consideration when converting a military rifle to a sporter.

why would you do it in the first place

 

[jimmyraythomason]

For personal satisfaction.

 

[Jim Watson]

As Anyname says, the P14's .303 bolt face and extractor are too big for .30-06 but will work for a belted magnum. Frank DeHaas said the usual route was to install a 1917 magazine and a barrel for one of the short magnums. A 7mm Remington Magnum would be a good choice, high BC bullets and flat trajectory without as much kick as a .300 magnum.

Cost will be high.
I have seen some interesting old Springfield, Enfield, and Mauser rifles, but they were either done back when gunsmiths worked cheap or were experienced DIYs.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

"Personal satisfaction?"

It's the personal satisfaction of the vandal who spray paints his name on the library wall.

 

[Hoppy590]

wait wait wait


PM pics of your P14 and i will PM you pics of my M1917 (30.06) and we can work out a trade. im a C&R FFL if it helps.

seriously. if you want a 30.06 start with 1917. my 1917 has the rear sight still, though slightly ground down to accept a scope.

 

[Golden Hound]

"Personal satisfaction?"

It's the personal satisfaction of the vandal who spray paints his name on the library wall.

Please, let's be fair. The rifle is his own property. A vandal is someone who defaces someone else's property.

He's free to do whatever he wants with it, even you or I would not want to do the same (and I wouldn't want to either.)

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Personal Satisfaction

I build my own rifles from mil-surps because I can and want to. I do it for the same reason that anyone would buy a Remington M700 action and put a $400 match barrel on it or the guy that buys a RIA 1911 and replaces every part on it with aftermarket comp parts. To clarify,I do not butcher complete mil-surps,I buy stripped receivers or barreled receivers,then bolts and adjustable triggers,sport stocks,scope mounts,etc. I do my own metal work(shaping,D&T for scope,polishing,hot blueing) ,fitting of metal to wood. I keep my complete mil-surps seperate from my hunting conversions. I'm neither Bubba nor Vandal.

 

[MMCSRET]

Good P-14 examples are becoming extremely rare, I have one and it is a fine shooter and the only one still as issued in my area. When I have it out, it always draws attention, especially when I tell them its not 30-06. They say "but it doesn't look like British enfield" How did you make it that way? Reciting history to the uninformed and uninitiated is always fun.

 

[squirrel sniper]

I plan on using the gun for shooting with iron sights at 100-300 yards. Thats why I wanted to get .30-06, so I could get a wide selection of components. Last time I checked, there wasn't near as much selection in the .311-.314 range. The barrel seems pretty bad, but I'm gonna try using some different size bullets to see if I can't get some better groups.

 

[expvideo]

even with no collectors value it's not cost effective to convert it vs buying a modern day rifle in the format you want.

Maybe he wants to shoot it rather than worry about it's collector value. And perhaps he likes that style of rifle.

I like milsurps in their original configuration too, but the snobbery here is rediculous. It's his rifle. If he wants to butcher it into something that he enjoys shooting more, then so be it.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Maybe he wants to shoot it rather than worry about it's collector value. And perhaps he likes that style of rifle.

read what I said twice

Even with no collectors value parts & labor costs will run the price for the finished sporter well well beyond what a new rifle can be had for that'll shoot circles around the proposed sporter. Gunsmithing is rather expensive nowadays.

It's not snobbery to point out that he'll spend $800 on a rifle that'll only be worth $300 when finished and have no Idea how the completed rifle will shoot.

You could spend $34K and make a Ford Escort fast and handle but why not buy a new Lancer EVO first and save all the work and have a warranty.

 

[Olympus]

Some people don't mind to spend the money. He makes it, so he's free to spend it on whatever he wants I'd say.

 

[expvideo]

You could spend $34K and make a Ford Escort fast and handle but why not buy a new Lancer EVO first and save all the work and have a warranty.

But if you have a certain love for Ford Escorts, then the Lancer might not fit the bill