Replacement barrel for sporterised P-14?

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

        Now I have this BSA sporterised P-14 that requires a re-build, the barrel was horrible and badly rust pitted and had already been chopped back when I acquired it some years ago. I brought it for the P-H 6E aperture rearsight it had on it. Well yesterday I decided to see about taking the barrel off but as I don't have a barrel vise and action wrench I used the lath and using a parting tool cut a deep relief cut almost touching the action face then unscrewed the barrel. This is what I am working with, it's the one at the bottom here:-



The stock is a worthless case:-




If it had been a BSA stock then it's really been whittled on  so I am considering using this old Parker-Hale sporterised stock:-


Which will require a bit of restoration to remove some compression marks and the inletting for the straightened trigger guard tweeked to allow it to fit.

Now BSA did  just about all of the work required on the action. They straightened the trigger guard and filled in the horrible hole under the service rear sight and contoured the rear bridge and even drilled and tapped for a reciever sight. Here it is has  Parker-Hale 6E. Not the one show with the rifle whole as that is quite badly pitted, I managed to acquire a very nice one off e-bay  .









The action face appears to be in good condition any nicks on it;s edge will be polished out as it needs a re-blacking/bluing anyway. As you can see I have started to clean up the bolt handle however I am considering cutting it off and fitting a more steamined one  .

Now the dilema is what barrel to get? Do I try to get a decent 303 one and fit that? or do I go for something different like a .300 Win Mag, after all I have the dies already and some cases from when I had the Ruger No1B in .300 Win mag  , or something more unusual? It would take a bit of working such as the bolt face would have to be opened up a little more and the magazine box lengthened a bit but I have always wanted a .280 Ross. I have a .280 Nitro Kynoch catridge here which is the slightly downloaded .280 Ross as not many actions can handle the pressures of the full blown Ross loadings. Proof pressure for the Ross is 28 Tons against only 19 Tons for the .270 Winchester and in it's hey day of the .280 Ross's popularity it was found that even the Mauser 98 could not take the repeated pressure of the Ross hence the 280 Nitro. With todays modern powders of course the pressures would be less.

Of course a 7mm RM would be another option as would something like 25/303 Epps.

Now we just have to source barrels suitable for this action that don't require a mortgage  and check prices of any work entailed.

[Brithunter]

Well I spent a while on the web and making some phone calls and it seems the best option is to keep it as a .303. It would appear that Mr Knibbs as at least one  "New in the White" .303 barrel for this action. Now at this point we don't we don't know if it is finished chambered or short chambered and he thinks it might even have a foresight ramp on it so once he locates it in the store and pulls it out we will know.

Just swopping the barrel for one of the same calibre means no paperwork involving the Police which is a boon and he quoted $112 US (£75) for the barrel. I then phoned around to see about getting it fitted as Knibbs won't send it to me buy only an RFD (Registered Firearms Dealer)  so now it starts getting "spendy" one has quoted £250  $375 US another £150 ($225US) and that's just to screw the barrel on adjust the headspace if needed and submit to proof. No finishing like blacking is involved and as the old barrel is already off  . looks liek it's gettig expensive quickly already  . Sigh!

Oh well I am off to see a gunsmith tomorrow as he is going to bore scope my 25-06 and give it the once over. I will take the action and old barrel with me and get a price from him as well.

[chutesnreloads]

Do keep us posted Brit.I enjoy following your projects.
.

[Brithunter]

I will try to do so but they have a habit of getting bogged down for lack of finance and the restrictions imposed by the Plods  . Have just downloaed directions to the Gunsmiths and it's a 185 mile round trip  as I said nothing is sort of local here. Now if it was an O/U or SxS Shotgun that's easy as there are several gunsmights for those within a 25 mile radius but rifles  . If the prices is reasonable i will leave the action with him and arrange for the barrel to be shipped to him so fingers crossed  .

Oh I am borrowing Mothers little Rover hatchback as it's 1.4L DOHC engine uses a lot less fuel than the Cherokee  and at just under $2 US per litre for unleaded it gets spendy quickly  .