just bought couple of old .303's for fun projects....

[bufflobob]

Hello everyone

--just picked up these couple of old .303s for not much -- $50.00 for what appears to be a SMLE and $125.00 for a P-14, both were "sporterised". Barrels are both rough, but wanted something to re-barrel and work with as fun time projects. Both actions look good and fairly tight. On the less strong SMLE intend to maybe do a black powder / light smokeless 45-90 or maybe a 38-55. On the P-14 maybe a 416 rigby or 458wm. All thoughts / comments welcome. Not looking to load to the max on either pressure wise, but hoping to get under minute of accuracy if possible with decent barrels. Have to admit never done this before, should be fun. All of my projects in the past have been on the reloading and cast and paper patching side.

First question -- does anyone know of good web site re re-barreling these actions?

Secondly -- Anyone know if barrel threads are the same on all these Enfields? Supplier of good barrels?

Any other tips etc much appreciated.

[bufflobob]

Pic of the other rifle, should have posted this one of both :-( ....

Lots of markings on both of these.

[LaDano]

I don't know anything about the 303s, but I'm very interested in your ideas. I really like the 1 with the bent bolt & checkered stock. What model is it? I just passed on one similiar to it because I didn't know anything about them. $150 and not near as much done to it as yours. I'll keep watching your post.

[bufflobob]

The one with the dog leg bolt and checkered stock is supposedly a P14 Enfield. The other one is referred to as a SMLE. Both action seem quite tight yet.

[Langfur Buchsen]

Hello everyone

....................

Secondly -- Anyone know if barrel threads are the same on all these Enfields? Supplier of good barrels?

Any other tips etc much appreciated.

The Lee-Enfields all have the same V form thread , 14 to the inch and very slightly under 1" dia, however the Rifles No1 & 2 and the Rifles No4 & 5 are 180 deg different in register

The P14 has the same square thread form as the M17, 10 to the inch and 1.125" dia

[Langfur Buchsen]

Looking at the pics, it's a pity that the P14 has been abused, it has an interesting stamp on the rear receiver bridge - looks a bit like a BSA logo

[bufflobob]

Langfur   -

The P-14 bolt is quite tight, not showing much wear. You are right about the rest though, for example the rear sight is held at it's setting with a couple of wraps of electrical tape....   Looking forward to pulling the barrels.

Thanks for the info on the threads of each.... Bob.

[Frank46]

i've seen pics of bsa rifles based on the p14 or p17 actions. Since these actions usually have the swimmingpool located under the rear sight. They must have had a process in place where they fill these holed by welding or other process then incorporate the sylizied design you see. I have a p17 bbld action that I made up a dutchman to fill up the oblong recess and when I find a good tig welder will have him finish welding it up and then D&T for scope bases. Only had the bbld action for about 25 years. Maybe its time I do something with it. Frank

[sgtt]

Great find.  Great fun.  Some of these old horses shoot quite well with rough bores. 

[gunnut69]

I don't know if a 45-90 will fit in the No.1 but the 45-70 surely will as CenturyArms made up a bunch of them some time back. The P14 is as robust an action as there is and is the only military action to easily handle the 416 or even the 505 Gibbs is so desired.. Some of the P14's and 1917 enfields (there was no P17 as that is Britishnomenclature)don't have the foxhole under the rear sight..don't remember the difference but it surely is a problem.. Welding presents it's own problems with color changes in the blue near such activity later. Good luckm with the project. These are getting harder and harfer to find reasonably priced so nows the time to stock up.

[bufflobob]

Looks like the 416 Taylor is going to be my first choice for the P-14. Several reasons, as its relatively easy to form brass from .458 WM brass -- which I already have lots of. Lee makes dies listed on their web site. It is a shorter case than the .416 Rigby or Rem. Mag. -- less problems feeding. It should still be easy for paper patching large bore. It certainly is powerful and fairly flat shooting. Any one here have a rifle in this caliber or are familiar with it?

Just a further update I cleaned both of my project guns existing barrels, neither looks that bad, so I picked up a box of Federal .303 to shoot off at the range. If the SMLE shoots not to bad I'll keep her as is for some time before maybe selling to a collector. Already looked at another SMLE, not one of the * ones though, and they want a few more dollars more for it.  

I've never had anything to do with a .416 Taylor before--- or any .416 Whatever. I am a big bore fan and this is something different to what I have already. Also noted ER Shaw lists the 416 Taylor in their available calibers, including in stainless steel. Although there is a fairly good bullet selection out there for .416, cast - paper patch is probably what I will go with mostly.
As always all comments welcome, hope to hear others opinions  --- Bob.

[Brithunter]

Sorry for beign late butt he P-14 is a BSA Model C ata guess. Need to see all of it to be sure and it's a connercially built rifle datign from 1949-1953 whent hey stopped doing them.

By the way it's collectable in it's own right  

BSA did models A-E with E beign the Highest:-


That's an E at the top with a C underneath it. Sadly someone butchered the stock on the Model C  


With scope.


This should be on it's barrel  


BSA bored out the oval hole to round and inset this steel plug which then carries their name inside a garter.

The barrel threads are totally different with the P-14's being square and the No1's being a vee form of 55 degrees and if I recall correctly 12TPI

Oh I picked up a new Redfield to put on the Model E :-




It required a higher bead in the front ramp to get it set up right but that was not a problem as the Williams ones fit  .

[gunnut69]

Don't know BSA's line up but the bolts on yours appear straightened, the one in the photo is still the standard dogleg.

[Dances with Geoducks]

When I find one, Id surely do a 45-70 conversion. Lots of parts and how to on the net (until they shut it down)
Rebarrel, open the bolt, new mag.

[Brithunter]

Don't know BSA's line up but the bolts on yours appear straightened, the one in the photo is still the standard dogleg.

If you look carefully at the phot of them both together the top one has a new straight bolt handle the lower the original dogleg handle. It seems that the model "D" & "E" got new stright bolt handles but the lower models "A" - "C" kept the dogleg handle. My Model "C" is is in quite poor shape and I hope to restore it, there is an off chance of acquiring a BSA Model "D" stock for it it's almost the same as the "E" but has a rounded fore end rather than the Schanable fore end.


My model "C" also has the Parker-Hale 6E sporting aperture sight on it and if I cannot get an orignal barrel for it I might re-build it into another calibre possibly .300 win mag but we shall see.

Oh these BSA's were available in three calibres, 303 (of course and which were P-14s) and .270 and 30-06 which were built on P-17s. The rifles BSA used came from a Government clear out of a storage depot.

[bufflobob]

Couple of days ago took the P-14 to the range to fire it before I take the barrel off. Certainly not a good bore as per the 6 inch group at 100 yds. -- appears lots of pitting has wrecked this bbl. This evening finally got around to trying to remove the barrel with my homemade bbl. vise and action wrench. For three days soaked the bbl / action joint with 50/50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid. Lots of reading had me braced for a fight to get it off --- but the solvent mix seems to have done it's job and it released very easy.    Some pics attached.

 My bbl vise and action wrench I think I made with some overkill, but hey they worked! Just used odds and ends from around home. On the action wrench I milled clearance for the recoil lug as per recommendation to keep the force at the action receiver ring to help avoid twisting anything. I"ve ordered the replacement bbl for the P14 -- went with the 416  Taylor, now the painful slow wait for it to get here.

Noted that both lugs are bearing equally as per looking at their seating wear marks... that should be good....

Bob.

[bufflobob]

Another pic attached....

[bufflobob]

Another pic ----

[Brithunter]

So another BSA sporting rifle bites the dust  Oh well 

[bufflobob]

Brithunter --- I look at this as a reincarnation of sorts for this old P14. The old bbl was worse than it looked after I test fired it. If you can use it, you can have the old bbl if you want to pay the shipping. I did not have to relief cut it to get it out of the action.

Bob.

[bufflobob]

pic of the action removed ---

Bob

[Brithunter]

Thanks for the offer but John Knibbs has some new barrels for these of BSA manufacture as I understand so that's where I will get one from  . I already have a poor barrle on one although that one has been chopped a bit as well  but hey I only brought it originally for the P-H 6E rear sight. How ideas change. I have just brought a better P-H 6E off e-bay so...................