Thread: Why not?

So this morning I took the 303 fullwood no 4 with a 5c aperture sight out for some goat shooting. Ive got a ruger american in 223 to replace something but felt like a change. I'm still learning to love the ruger.
Anyhow worked a treat and while cutting legs off for dog food I thought why doesn't someone make a rifle this good in current small and mid calibre up to say Grendel.
What's so good about it?

Very Smooth action no bolt slop
Short throw bolt 50 or so degrees I think
Short stroke bolt, rear lugs mean it can be shorter by the bolt head length at least
Cock on close
Brilliant bolt handle, trigger geometry think "mad minute"

For a hunting, pest control rifle I would imagine it would have no equal except a satanic semi.
Has anyone else thought the same thing.
I have a no3 mk1 sporterised by bubba sitting here and I am now thinking of looking into how hard it would be to turn it into 7,62x39. I've got several cases of ammo that will take quite a while in my baikal to get rid of.

Yup - I've been working on a similar project - but still in 303, just downloaded a bit, a 125gn at 2500-2600 with 30 gns of powder (I've found this amount suppresses really well). Still with a hand-guard so that the rifle is still usable after 10 quick shots. I'm waiting on a router table so I can "pattern cut" the stocks. I'm using No4 Mk 11 actions (I have 2 sporterised ones on hand).

The biggest issue is a "nice" scope mount that is low and robust - none of the ones on the market (now or most of the past ones) appeal.

photo of your 5c aperture set up please....and I agree completely...the norinco 7.62x39mm was close in that its a rear locking bolt action...but nowhere near as smooth and a SMLE.
we modern folk dont like rimmed cartridges aparently they are old fashoined and inefficent,a pity as the SMLE prooves they feed and eject very well.

@Marty Henry - are you thinking x39 because of the chamber similarities? It's certainly convenient that you can set the barrel back and move the shoulder forward and not have to re-ream.

I seem to remember that the challenge was the extractor and getting mags/feed ramps to work right. Ultimately not a huge deal in a fun project, but did seem to be where the real effort was. It's a shame that AK mags are suddenly quite rare - they're the obvious choice for feeding the rifle.

That and the large wodge of ammo I have. Yes the setting backs easy it's the other stuff that's a hassle.
I have played with a friend's envoy and the modified bolthead for the 308 seem to grab the case ok. Magazines I suspect could be the hard bit but maybe AK shorties of howa mini ones although I've always had a dislike of single stacks.

@Tentman, is that yours? It looks to be running a 308 mag and apart from the frankienstien look its sort of what I'm thinking, I would keep the original stock style though

I'd like to make a 9x39 bolt action.

There is a Chinese bisley I think the brand is that's a bit agricultural and a bit hit n miss quality wise then there's the cz and ruger for quite a few $ more in 762x39 if you don't want to build one

The one pictured isn't mine, I just pinched the picture from the web. I like the idea of duplicating AR ergonomics, there is no doubt that its an easy platform to shoot well with . . .

Yes the one pictured is I believe a 308, there is a similar one that youtuber "Bloke on the Range" shoots "Frankenrifle" , his is based on an AIA action in 7.62x39 and shoots exceptionally well, quite inspirational!