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Author Topic: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede  (Read 1082 times)

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Offline 8uck5nort

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Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« on: April 05, 2012, 11:08:21 AM »
Can someone give me a ballpark figure in what this would cost to get one of these two calibers custom made in a handi rifle. 
 
Excluding the stock. I would hand carve my own for this project. Thinking a mannlicher style. I may be able to get my hands on some aged black cherry for the stock.
 
Just tinkering with the idea of doing this since I can pick up a donor 12 guage handi at our local pawn for about 60 to 80 bucks. I know I will need a donor recieiver as well and that is around 110 to 120 by the time you get it shipped, etc... Just want to know if I am putting way too much into a project like this.
 
Would I be closing in on Ruger 1 territiory when it is all said and done?
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Offline Dinny

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2012, 12:02:21 PM »
A 303 could be rechambered from a 30-30 barrel and cost somewhere around $125, maybe a bit less. However, a 6.5 Swede would have to be stubbed and cost around $350ish.

Thanks, Dinny
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Offline bucco921

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2012, 12:06:38 PM »
I thought the 303 brit was a .311 bore which would rule out the 30-30?
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Offline Dinny

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2012, 12:16:18 PM »
Quote from: bucco921 on April 05, 2012, 12:06:38 PM
I thought the 303 brit was a .311 bore which would rule out the 30-30?

It can be easily made to shoot .308 bullets.

Thanks, Dinny
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Offline bucco921

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2012, 12:19:45 PM »
Thanks for the info, learn something new everyday!
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Offline ibgp3

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2012, 12:22:52 PM »
...or, if you start with a 7.62x39 barrel, you would even be able to shoot factory loads.
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Offline jeepmann1948

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2012, 12:24:18 PM »
good idea Dinny
All it would take is a .308 expander ball in the resizing die. Rent a 303 reamer from 4d . get a 308 stem from the same manufacturer of the dies and you are in business.Sounds like a 30-40 Krag to me ;D
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Offline Dinny

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2012, 01:14:22 PM »
Quote from: ibgp3 on April 05, 2012, 12:22:52 PM
...or, if you start with a 7.62x39 barrel, you would even be able to shoot factory loads.

Quote from: jeepmann1948 on April 05, 2012, 12:24:18 PM
good idea Dinny
All it would take is a .308 expander ball in the resizing die. Rent a 303 reamer from 4d . get a 308 stem from the same manufacturer of the dies and you are in business.Sounds like a 30-40 Krag to me ;D

There's more than one way to skin that cat! ;)

Thanks, Dinny
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Offline fluffyphydeaux2010

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #8 on: April 05, 2012, 01:14:43 PM »
but how common are the 7.62x39 barrels... I've seen 1
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Offline gstewart44

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #9 on: April 05, 2012, 01:18:17 PM »
Quote from: -Dinny on April 05, 2012, 12:16:18 PM
Quote from: bucco921 on April 05, 2012, 12:06:38 PM
I thought the 303 brit was a .311 bore which would rule out the 30-30?

It can be easily made to shoot .308 bullets.

Thanks, Dinny
yup - that's what I have been thinking about.... a 308 British!      ;D
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Offline Dinny

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2012, 01:19:21 PM »
Quote from: fluffyphydeaux2010 on April 05, 2012, 01:14:43 PM
but how common are the 7.62x39 barrels... I've seen 1

Last I read they are available through the barrel accessory program. Brian56 can verify current availability. ;)

Thanks, Dinny
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Offline 8uck5nort

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2012, 03:28:20 PM »
The 303 or 303-08 Brit sounds more like a DIY project and that will keep the cost down. Ejector or Extractor? Another question is which would be an easier ream the 30-30 or the 7.62x39? Cutting the rim would be the challenge. The 30-30 rim is smaller than the 303 diameter wise, and the 7.62x39 barrel doesn't have one at all.
 
Both ideas have their merits. I have a SMLE Mk4 enfiled so keeping it in .311 bore has its appeal as I already have brass, dies and bullets, but being able to access the wide variety of 308 bullets utilizing a rimmed cartridge is pretty cool too... I can pick up a new 30-30 from Dicks for 259.00 and sell off the stock when my hand made on is finished. This leads to the next question what am I gaining (except for the cool factor) going from 30-30 round to a 303 round? I know the 303 is a bit larger and has more case capacity, but is it a great improvement over the 30-30?
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Offline trotterlg

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2012, 03:35:24 PM »
Well, a standard .303 reamer will not go in a .308 barrel because the pilot is too large.  You could find a removable pilot .303 reamer and put a .308 pilot on it, but then the reamer would cut a lead and throat to fit a .311 barrel in your .308 barrel along with a neck sized for a .311 barrel, quite a Frankenstine thing I think.  Larry
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Offline Dinny

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #13 on: April 05, 2012, 06:57:33 PM »
Quote from: trotterlg on April 05, 2012, 03:35:24 PM
Well, a standard .303 reamer will not go in a .308 barrel because the pilot is too large.  You could find a removable pilot .303 reamer and put a .308 pilot on it, but then the reamer would cut a lead and throat to fit a .311 barrel in your .308 barrel along with a neck sized for a .311 barrel, quite a Frankenstine thing I think.  Larry

I certainly don't have all the answers. Reading a few notes online shows a few folks that are pretty happy with just changing the floating pilots.

Perhaps it would be better to use a 7.62x39 barrel instead, but bullet selection would suffer.

Thanks, Dinny
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Offline PHATINJUN

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2012, 09:48:33 PM »
What's wrong with the " 8) factor" ???  Only reason I don't have a 303 is I did not want to cut my 7.62x39 so I went with the 30-40Krag ( 8) factor) ;)  but if I come across another x39 at the right time the Brit may come to my house.I would think that would have some  8) factor...turning a Rusky into a Brit 8)  Kurt
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Offline ibgp3

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #15 on: April 06, 2012, 12:02:04 AM »

If I had a 30-30 barrel to upgrade, I would go to 30US like Dinny and Kurt.







....but I have a 6.5 Swede in hand, and 2 more 6.5's in the works.

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Offline gstewart44

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #16 on: April 06, 2012, 04:25:58 AM »
Although I have been a fan and hunter/shooter with the .303 Brit for decades I do like that longer neck on the 30-40/30 US.....
from what I understand the 30 US has very strong brass, and with the long neck creates some innerestin poss'bilities :D
 
gonna hafta think on it some mo' ???
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #17 on: April 06, 2012, 04:36:27 AM »
Best to get your rechamber money's worth and do the 30-40 Ackley, nominal performance is 180gr at 2920fps, it's one of PO Ackley's best performers.  ;)

Tim

http://ammoguide.com/?catid=383

http://www.eabco.com/store/products/Custom_30_40_Ackley_Improved_Reloading_Dies-337-58.html
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Offline ibgp3

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #18 on: April 06, 2012, 05:01:31 AM »
Shame on me for not having more respect for PO Ackley, and not doing more research.
I pulled up a picture and saw very little difference in the AI version.

There are lessons here. Thanks Tim.
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Offline YRUpunting?

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #19 on: April 06, 2012, 05:57:34 AM »
So what would be involved to make a Swede?
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Offline ibgp3

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #20 on: April 06, 2012, 06:26:08 AM »

Short answer:Barrel stubbing or Barrel reaming.
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Offline 8uck5nort

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #21 on: April 06, 2012, 06:44:11 AM »
Quote from: PHATINJUN on April 05, 2012, 09:48:33 PM
What's wrong with the " 8) factor" ???  Only reason I don't have a 303 is I did not want to cut my 7.62x39 so I went with the 30-40Krag ( 8) factor) ;)  but if I come across another x39 at the right time the Brit may come to my house.I would think that would have some  8) factor...turning a Rusky into a Brit 8)  Kurt

The cool factor is the number 1 reason to do this. I am sure the 308 or 30-06 will do anything a 303 or 6.5x55 sweede will do. I am just trying to see which avenue an amature enthusiest using some hand tools can accomplish or what it will take to have real gunsmith to do a stub project. Just trying to get a handle on what it really cost to do it.
 
I have 303 enfiled which shoots well. Just thought a Col. Patterson .303 mannlicher singleshot would be cool for that South african safari I would love to go on or a Nordic mountain mannlicher in 6.5x55 perhaps in decked out in pristine snow camo if I can't get the the wood I want for the day I get to caribou hunting Alaska... Just dreaming a little. ;)   
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Offline 8uck5nort

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #22 on: April 06, 2012, 06:55:05 AM »
I have to admit that 30-40 Krag, AI or not, is looking good too. I can envision an American plains full length stock going into the rockies for an elk hunt... the choices just keep piling up.
 
The one question I still have is how can you enlarge the rim diameter larger using hand tools? Reaming a 30-30 by hand, if I am understanding, to a .303 Brit, 30-40 Krag/or AI, can be done by hand with a rented reamer. However, enlarging the rim diameter seems to be the gotcha for this project if you don't have a lathe. I have reamed only one rifle and that was a 357 mag to max.
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Offline dave29

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #23 on: April 06, 2012, 08:12:19 AM »
Quote from: quickdtoo on April 06, 2012, 04:36:27 AM
Best to get your rechamber money's worth and do the 30-40 Ackley, nominal performance is 180gr at 2920fps, it's one of PO Ackley's best performers.  ;)

Tim

http://ammoguide.com/?catid=383

http://www.eabco.com/store/products/Custom_30_40_Ackley_Improved_Reloading_Dies-337-58.html


Exactly what I was going to suggest if I were to ream to 30-40!
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #24 on: April 06, 2012, 10:16:39 AM »
4D reamers used to have a chart on their website that showed the percent increase in performance of a lot of the Ackley chamberings over the parent cartridge, I think the 6.5x55 was at the top of the list and the 30-40 was next in line, largely due to the amount of taper the parent cases have and the case capacity gained when the case is straightened.

Tim
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Offline silver surfer

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #25 on: April 06, 2012, 10:28:17 AM »
Another option would be to get a 7.62X39mm and bore it up to a .303 Epps.  Ream it one time, fire form some .303 brass and end up with 8mm Magnum performance.  Even old Mr. Ackley tipped his hat to Elwood Epps improvement by saying that his 30-40 and the .303 Epps were ballistic twins.  I a modern H&R frame I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it. 
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Offline Canuck Bob

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Re: Price and Sanity Check for Custom 303 Brit or a 6.5x55 Sweede
« Reply #26 on: April 07, 2012, 06:21:57 AM »
Quote from: bucco921 on April 05, 2012, 12:06:38 PM
I thought the 303 brit was a .311 bore which would rule out the 30-30?

For a wildcat 303 the 30-303 is a dandy.  The bullet selection is outstanding.
 
The 303 Epps is another Dandy.  This site discusses the Epps a bit.
 
http://www.303british.com/index.html
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