Thread: SMLE 303 to 44 Magnum

Hi all,

First time posting after being on the other forum for a long time.

I have seen a few enfields that have been converted to 44 mag.
I have a smle in the safe that doesn't get used and thought it might be a good project to make a slightly interesting bush gun and also have a go at firing some heavy projectiles subsonic.

Has anyone here done this conversion or know what would be involved?

Thanks

Talk to gunworks, they've done them.

@gundoc

If its in original condition sell it they are worth good coin and buy a "sporterised" one for stuff all.

Had a quick chat to gunworks but they weren't too interested. And definitely not original it's a cheap spotter that has all ready had the barrel shortened at some stage of its life

I made a delisle carbine project-sort of years ago. 45acp rimless not rimmed 45
If you know a good machinist they can machine/bore the chamber to suit the rimmed straight wall cartridge. Machine the thread so it is longer and make a nut to suit ala the savage system.
You could make the extractor cut out go further around the barrel that way you can adjust the headspace to suit.
I took the extractor off, I did the nut up on the barrel so the cartridge was in the right place when I took it off cut it a little either way to allow for different headspace adjustment.

410 conversion a possibility? Just a barrel swap

Originally Posted by Araspring

Hi all,

First time posting after being on the other forum for a long time.

I have seen a few enfields that have been converted to 44 mag.
I have a smle in the safe that doesn't get used and thought it might be a good project to make a slightly interesting bush gun and also have a go at firing some heavy projectiles subsonic.

Has anyone here done this conversion or know what would be involved?

Thanks

the bolt face would need to be resized from 13.72mm 13.1mm for a start but if you went for 45 long colt you would need to resize from 13mm to 13.1mm bolt face a lot less mucking around since you want subsonic the 200ft/sec isn't really a issue.

thanks for all the replies, some good info and ideas.

Other option i have thought of while doing some research was to get a fast twist 30cal barrel and chamber in 35-40 Krag.
This would hopefully let me use heavy 30cal subsonic projectiles like in 300 blackout and eliminate bolt machining and magazine feed issues.
Anyone know if reamers for 35-40 krag are around?

Sorry meant 30-40 krag

why try to reinvent the wheel...you can load heavy projectiles in the .303 brit and can make them go slow if you want..... seems like a lot of pissing around and $$$$ spent to get what you already had.

Trail boss powder and cast Bullets from Robert in tokoroa is the way I would go.

Originally Posted by The bomb

Trail boss powder and cast Bullets from Robert in tokoroa is the way I would go.

I'm keen for some subsonic for my suppressed 303
I dont reload though, anyone out there reload for others ?