converting a .303 Enfield to 7.62X54R, has anyone tried it??

[bavarialand]

have any of you tried to convert a .303 enfield to the russian 7.62X54R??
what was the outcome??

thanks, Dave

[nva_panzer]

Why would you want to to?

[ktr]

A shooter at the range I go to had one last year on a #4. It only fed one round out of the magazine for him so it was a 2-shot rifle. Perhaps some work on the magazine could make it a better repeater. He didn't mention anything done to the bolt face/extractor. Maybe the hook had to be cut back a little as the Russian rim is quite a bit larger than the 303 I think. They make 45-70 conversions on the SMLE's and they seem to work OK.

He said he did the rechamber because of the availability of cheap milsurp 7.62 ammo. Still available by the case where 303 is almost non-existant in milsurp form.

All depends on how much shooting you plan on doing I guess and he was doing alot of it!
I'll just reload for my 303's and use my stash of HXP sparingly.

FWIW, when I was in my teens (long time ago!) a local gunsmith made quite a business of converting #4 SMLE rifles to 30-40Krag. Seems some people can't quite warm up to the 303. ,,,,and that was when 303 milsurp ammo was about $2 or $3/100 and commercial hunting loads were available of course.

[FALPhil]

It only fed one round out of the magazine for him so it was a 2-shot rifle. Perhaps some work on the magazine could make it a better repeater.

I would suspect that he needs to work on the bolt head/extractor. The rims between the two rounds are dramatically different in shape and thickness.

[ktr]

I mentioned that perhaps some extractor hook mods may have to be done to make it work as the rims are much different. I suspect the magazine is a bit narrow for the Russian rounds to stack correctly w/o some changes to at least the feed lips. Maybe a straight line feed for the big Russian round would be easier to build and make work. Some of the 444 and 45-70 conversions are straight-lines

I should have taken more interest in the rifle but he wasn't too awfully talkative, except to explain how much more he could shoot with it in the new caliber.

There may be some receiver mods to the ring and left wall to allow the Russian round to work but I really don't know. Just speculating based on the size of the case and the close fit of the original round.

Sounds like it may be more work than it's worth. I'll stick with a Finn m39 for that caliber.

[groovy mike]

It has been done, but it would be cheaper to buy a Mosin to shoot instead.

[Hawkins]

Which 303 Enfield wasn't straight feed?
Good luck!

[bavarialand]

thanks for the impute, i had read online about this being done but very little info. was given so i figure i would ask here and see if anyone had first hand experiance. still sounds like a interesting project.

thanks, Dave

[ktr]

All of the Enfields are staggered feed. The only one I can think of that was originally straightline feed was the first model (MkI ?) Lee Metford with it's 8 shot in-line magazine. I think the Remington Lee uses the same magazine form.

Also,, I remembered that the Lee Sporters were chambered for the 8x50R cartridge and that uses a case that has the same base & rim as the Russian round. I think reloaders form 8x50R from 7.62x54R brass.

It must work OK and as a repeater. But as said, how much work to get it done. Would be a nice DIY project.

[Optimist]

JPFO site had a writeup on this conversion. Their 'smith said it worked well and gave good accuracy. I have not tried it, since the M.95 Steyr makes a much nicer conversion for the Russian round. Now the .30-40 Krag? That one I have on hand, and like very much.

[bootleggerspub]

Hey Optimist, are the Krag and .303 same diameter, i.e. not .308? I would really like to make an M95 into a 54r as I love the size of the little beasts and they are straight pull as well. Is the bolt on the M95 the right dimensions for an easy conversion?

[Optimist]

Hey Optimist, are the Krag and .303 same diameter, i.e. not .308? I would really like to make an M95 into a 54r as I love the size of the little beasts and they are straight pull as well. Is the bolt on the M95 the right dimensions for an easy conversion?

Krag barrel is .308", and I do a rebarrel on the Number 4s to the Krag chambering. Rims are very nearly same size, and the pressures are higher in the .303 than they are in the Krag. Long neck on the Krag brass is very nearly ideal for paper patching bullets, where the .303 is a little shorter.

As to the M.95, the Russian case is a very good fit in the M.95 bolt face, and can use the original feed clips. I like the M.95 action, and I like the Russian cartridge, so the two go together well. As the M.95 Steyr is a single shot if you don't have feed clips for it, the good fit of the Russian shell is a definite plus. You may wish to use a longer barrel, of a bit bigger profile for the 7.62x54 due to recoil issues. The short carbine barrel is a firebreather.

[Squib]

I was hot to do a conversion to my Enfield a year ago and did a lot of searching on the internet. There is a smith in Santa Fe, NM and one in Nevada that advertised these conversions. One does a re-barrel job. I found my notes with an address for one of them: Santa Fe Gunsmithing, Inc. 505-438-4174.

I did not convert my .303 but had a semi-custom rifle built instead.

Cheers,

Squib

[bootleggerspub]

I have to wonder if a dainty No.1 Mk.3 action would handle the 54r as it isn't up to snuff on .308. I'm sure it would work until it failed I guess.

[stantheman86]

I second the "spend $80 and get a Mosin refurb" idea.....

I don't see why spending hundreds to alter an Enfield to shoot cheaper ammo is a better option than just buying a common 91/30 refurb and shooting that.......not like there's a shortage of them.

The only solution I offer for an Enfield in a more common caliber is the Ishapore 2A1 in 7.62 Nato. People say it's not a good idea but I have fired countless rounds of whatever .308 commercial I pick up at the store. I think people hear about all the "conversions" like the 1895 Chileans to 7.62, and wrongly think the 2A1 is a "conversion" but no, it is made as a 7.62 rifle with a much stronger receiver.

[bavarialand]

thanks all for the input, i have decided to scrap the idea altogether.
thanks, Dave

[FALPhil]

People say it's not a good idea but I have fired countless rounds of whatever .308 commercial I pick up at the store.

Why in the world would anyone say that? Are they under the mistaken impression that there is a difference in pressure between 7.62 NATO and 308 Winchester?

[cruffel]

Why in the world would anyone say that? Are they under the mistaken impression that there is a difference in pressure between 7.62 NATO and 308 Winchester?

There ARE a LOT of people under that impression. Just because it fits the chamber doesn't mean it's the same round!

[FALPhil]

There ARE a LOT of people under that impression.

Then we need to educate them. This is how internet myths get perpetuated. Refer them to the link in my earlier post.

[jjk308]

3 problems with .308:
1. Manufacturers try to push the performance. This may put it beyond the 7.62 NATO design limits but I doubt it'll blow up anything or shorten the life substantially.
2. Bubba really likes to show how much kick he can get out of a .308. It's the most popular "high performance" chambering and most likely by far to be stuffed full of a fast burning powder by the sanity challenged reloader.
3. The military 7.62 case has about 3 grains less capacity than the civilian .308 and will often have higher pressure if loaded to .308 specs, as much as 12,000 cup more, and that can be dangerous. Bubba the reloader likely thinks the military cases are stronger, which is true, and thus can take a hotter load. NOT TRUE!

[Misfire99]

Then we need to educate them. This is how internet myths get perpetuated. Refer them to the link in my earlier post.

I think you are biting off more then you can chew with this idea. The world is full of people that would rather die then think and millions have.