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Identifying the good 7.62 NATO 49/56 conversions

1K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  LVSteve 
#1 ·
Are there any markings to ID the good conversions that included the expansion chamber in the gas tube and the smooth chamber? I was offered a 7.62 converted rifle yesterday but I balked as I know the Century conversions require sorting out. This rifle is marked as a Century, but so are many milsurps.
 
#2 · (Edited)
LVSteve:

The way to identify a good conversion is from the firing line, and not over the counter. If you do not intend to shoot it then this should make no-nevermind. You can turn it or trade it with the clear conscience of a "holder in good faith", letting the Century reputation speak for it. The cutter chatter is most visible if the rifle is field stripped and rotated slowly toward the light. Best of luck.
 
#3 ·
i bought a mint 49-56 converted by century to .308 and it was in essence a single shot semi auto rifle. i sold it with full discloser about its condition. and bought a mint 49-56 in the original french 7.5 chambering and love it.i bought a lot of yugo priv 7.5 ammo and reloading dies.eastbank.
 
#4 ·
Hey eastbank. Do you shoot the factory Priv (7.5x54) in your 49-56? If yes. Did you ever have a slam-fire? I got a box at the gun show last year but haven't shot any yet. I reload strictly with #34 mil-spec primers.

Oh BTW: I thought all of the 49-56's were imported by Century.
 
#5 ·
I traded a rifle and paid a little cash difference for my one and only 7.62 MAS 49/56 conversion.
I was well aware of the function issues with these rifles and asked the seller if it worked without any problems.
He guaranteed that it did shoot.
He withheld the fact that although it did shoot one round at a time, it did require taking a few mintues between shots to take a cleaning rod to knock the stuck case out of the chamber.
That trade/buy was made right as gunboards was getting started way back when and I read up on the "fixes" being posted for these conversions.
I polished the chamber and tweaked the extractor. Using Australian surplus ammo, it runs 100% now. It still hangs up every now and then when using Portuguese.
 
#7 ·
I bought a converted rifle yesterday. Remains to be seen if it works - I'll keep you posted when I get to the range....
 
#9 ·
kroh,
Can't figure out why you quoted eastbank?? He was answering a question I asked him about shooting Prvi ammo in his 7.5x54.
eastbank,
Thanks, We were discussing this on the reloading forum and it made me a little leary about using it. I have a scope mounted right now so I guess I could shoot it with the gas valve closed if I wanted to also.
Motor
 
#11 ·
To my knowledge there are two conversions, the original Century hack job that used a tired reamer and a reduced (!!) strength recoil spring, and the Design Systems Technologies, Inc conversion that tidied up Century's excesses and included (I believe) some kind of expansion chamber in the gas tube to make the timing of the gas system more suited to .308 and 7.62 NATO ammo. It may even have included a gas regulator.

I guess what I am asking is whether the Design Systems Technologies rifles are marked in any special way to distinguish them from the usual Century hacks.

If I could get a Century rifle for $300 or less, it would be worth my while to have the local gunsmith clean up the chamber while I retrofitted a new recoil spring, improved firing pin and maybe the adjustable gas system one of the guys on here makes. I love my 49/56 in 7.5 French. It is a well built, handy and accurate rifle. To have .308 in the same platform would be great as my FAL will not shoot many types of commercial .308 even with its adjustable gas system.
 
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