SMLE Lee Enfield In 30-06?

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Mark Mahler

Mark Mahler

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I’m just wondering - has anyone seen a SMLE converted to 30-06? I wouldn’t consider doing it unless the rifle had already been sporterized. Just curious as to how difficult a process it would be. I assume since the 303 is a rimmed cartridge and the 30-06 isn’t, that The bolt would be an issue along with rebarreling and rechambering.
 
.30-06 is too long for the Lee-Enfield action. Some have been converted to 7.62mm NATO by the British Military for sniper use, and there are the Ishapore original issue ones, as well.

The P13 Enfield action is a different story, with the P14 being in .303 and the P17 being in .30-06 with just minor alterations to barrel, bolt and sight regulation.
 
In addition to .455 Hunter's cogent comment about action length, the bolt face for .303 British is roughly the same size as belted magnum cases (and the .45-70 Springfield). In other words, too wide for .30-06 Springfield cases. The bolt for the .308 Win-7.62MM NATO would work for the case extraction. Also, the SMLE action is known to 'flex' in length, allowing cases to stretch.

The .303 British round is quite suitable for any game in North America and most of the world, while I would NOT suggest it for large critters that might eat one, or merely tap-dance on one's head.
 
I’m sure some gunsmith could do it with enough welding and bodging, but the question I have is ...why? .303 is more than adequate with the iron sights of any Lee-Enfield, and there’s no shortage of fine rifles chambered in .30-06. I love my Enfields and I love .30-06, but I’d never wish to combine them.
 
Mosin77 said:
I’m sure some gunsmith could do it with enough welding and bodging, but the question I have is ...why? .303 is more than adequate with the iron sights of any Lee-Enfield, and there’s no shortage of fine rifles chambered in .30-06. I love my Enfields and I love .30-06, but I’d never wish to combine them.
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We've all got a dream.... and it must be lived..


 
Swampman said:
Why would that be?

7.62x51/.308 is the exact same head size as '06 and operates at higher pressure.
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I don’t believe the Brits or the Indians actually converted any SMLE to 7.62x51. They built some new rifles chambered for the new NATO round on Enfield-pattern, but they were new made guns with upgraded steel and perhaps other modifications to make them safe for the uprated cartridge.
 
They had a parts package to convert No 4s to 7.62 for match and sniper rifles; but a No 4 is not a SMLE.

There were some interesting rounds for the various sporting rifles on the Lee family of actions. The English used them like we used Springfields, only sooner.
 
Jim Watson said:
They had a parts package to convert No 4s to 7.62 for match and sniper rifles; but a No 4 is not a SMLE.

There were some interesting rounds for the various sporting rifles on the Lee family of actions. The English used them like we used Springfields, only sooner.
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British proof for the M1 Garand was 18 ton/sq in, which is the same proof load as the SMLE . . . .

The 7.62mm conversions were proofed to 19 tons.

The lack of a conversion package for 7.62mm for the No.1 (SMLE) was more economical that technical.
 
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Mr. Zorg said:
Never seen a 30-06 like is being asked about, now I have a better idea why thanks to .455_Hunter & Archie.

The Ishapore 2A1 is a firearm manufactured in India in 7.62X51mm NATO using some Lee Enfield 303 components, stocks for sure, dunno much other details. Been around a while (1963).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishapore_2A1_rifle
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The 2A1's are built on a heavier version of the No1Mk3's action. IIRC, they determined the 7.62 round needed a stronger action than for .303 British. Difference in chamber pressures.
 
Vern Humphrey said:
I wouldn't do that with a flippin' Weatherby Magnum! Oil-coating the cases increases head-thrust by who knows how much!
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The Birmingham and London proof houses know.
British proof law called for oiled cartridges to maximize casehead thrust against the axial crusher. Have they gone CIP now? I dunno.
 
I’m also familiar with the 308 conversions which were not the Indian rifles but in the sniper rifles post ww2. Never heard of any problems. But what’s wrong with the 303 cartridge? Big nuf for anything in North America.
 
Just picked a pattern 17 in 30.06 for $150. Zeiss scope is mounted on a top rail and sometime a new barrel was added. So much for collector value. Shoots a nice clover leaf at 100yds. Handles any load I put through my Rem 700 .06 so far up to 180 grns. My local gunsmith told me though conversion from .303 to 30.06 is more trouble that it is worth. The only problem these days is getting .303 brass. Best to shoot factory, then reload it yourself. Gunsmith told me most people do to convert them to .308 or .338.
 
Thomasss said:
Just picked a pattern 17 in 30.06 for $150. Zeiss scope is mounted on a top rail and sometime a new barrel was added. So much for collector value. Shoots a nice clover leaf at 100yds. Handles any load I put through my Rem 700 .06 so far up to 180 grns. My local gunsmith told me though conversion from .303 to 30.06 is more trouble that it is worth. The only problem these days is getting .303 brass. Best to shoot factory, then reload it yourself. Gunsmith told me most people do to convert them to .308 or .338.
Click to expand...

My favorites are my 1917 and my 03 Springfield - both are sporters, but I'm a fan of the old war horses that were sporterized long ago. The 1917, like yours, had had a new barrel installed sometime in its history, and both rifles are far more accurate than I am. I think the SMLEs are cool, but I'm not interested in adding a different caliber to my collection, or my reloading. After all, I only have so much time available to shoot these gems, and I don't want my main girls getting jealous.

IMG_2184.jpg
 
Vern Humphrey said:
I wouldn't do that with a flippin' Weatherby Magnum! Oil-coating the cases increases head-thrust by who knows how much!
Click to expand...
There is someone around here that will argue with you about lubricating cases and the dangers, or lack of them.

But, it should be known that the British proof method is quite different from the usual radial direct pressure method use by SAAMI and CIP. The British proof method was (is? I do not know if they have adopted the CIP method since joining) axial bolt load. The way it is done is a special copper crusher is used that measures the rearward force on the bolt face by the cartridge. In order to get a true reading without any frictional drag, the case is liberally oiled. The proof marking of 18 or 19 tons is the rated service bolt thrust in long tons.

So, and oiled proof cartridge for .308 Winchester produces around 56,000 pounds (25 long tons) of load on the locking lugs (for a service load of 19 tons), which is roughly equivalent to max SAAMI radial pressure
 
There was an American shop that built an axial crusher gauge testbed. They had a variety of adapter bushings so you could send in your own barrel and test your loads where they would actually be used. They had a calibration procedure with SAAMI standard ammo to make sense of axial readings against a radial oriented standard.
 
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