Thread: BSA model E 303

Good work, I always find it extremely satisfying to resurrect an abused rifle.

It will be better than when it started especially the stock even though the prudent thing would be to get another.
Stock that is.
project #2 is a parker hale safari 7x57 with a fecked barrel that's turning into a 270 with a really tidy re-used FN 270 barrel but that is happening second.
Still need a bolt for that too but that's another story......

Forgive me if it's mentioned above but what did john do to clean the barrel? is there a chemical solution to clean gunk out?

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Originally Posted by Russian 22.

Forgive me if it's mentioned above but what did john do to clean the barrel? is there a chemical solution to clean gunk out?

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My Gunsmith Jim you mean?
Not 100% sure-we were at the gunclub and a squad was up so didn't hear everything he said.
he didn't rate hoppes as much as other stuff. I think KG 12 may have been mentioned?
he gave it heaps and it could do with a little more. When I did it, it destroyed my cheap ass brush and my newly purchased foam cleaner wouldn't go all the way down the barrel properly so I didn't get much out on my go. I just though the barrel was a bit rough.

Originally Posted by csmiffy

My Gunsmith Jim you mean?
Not 100% sure-we were at the gunclub and a squad was up so didn't hear everything he said.
he didn't rate hoppes as much as other stuff. I think KG 12 may have been mentioned?
he gave it heaps and it could do with a little more. When I did it, it destroyed my cheap ass brush and my newly purchased foam cleaner wouldn't go all the way down the barrel properly so I didn't get much out on my go. I just though the barrel was a bit rough.

Yeah.

Cool. I'll keep it in mind if I see a cheap 303 pop up

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@Russian 22 just remember while my barrel is better than I thought it still isn't that flash

You have a p14 action there not a standered 303 Enfield. So speak to boyds and ask for a p14 stock... the 2 piece 303 stick won't fit at all. The p14 action can be very accurate though if the tolerances are still good.
Good luck

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

Forgive me if it's mentioned above but what did john do to clean the barrel? is there a chemical solution to clean gunk out?

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I have had a badly fouled/ rusted 45 barrel made useable by lapping it with silica flour which is sort of valve grinding paste. It was done with a wool mop covered in a paste of this and light oil and about 100 passes through the barrel.
The stuff coming out was a horrible dark brown but when finished there was white metal, and you could see the rifling and the pitting.
Shot fine for a black powder cast bullet rifle.

Originally Posted by GunGirl762

You have a p14 action there not a standered 303 Enfield. So speak to boyds and ask for a p14 stock... the 2 piece 303 stick won't fit at all. The p14 action can be very accurate though if the tolerances are still good.
Good luck

@GunGirl762 Yup all over that one-If I ever reload for it I might have a play stepping up the loads to suit the action but if the barrel shoots like crap maybe not.
Ricks Microfit gunstocks seem to do a better range (and a better website)-now that the ITAR rules are changing I may just be able to suss out a cheap one and bring it over. That 100 dollar export think a PITA
Just trying to keep the dreaded costs down and have a practice fixing everything on the stock-bit of an apprenticeship so to speak
I even have another little idea for the stock (sort of) but have to do a bit of metal work which I'm much better at first-then some woodwork, which will be the tricky part. I wont say more on that just in case it doesn't work the way I'd like.
I also have to stop playing around and bloody finish it so I can shoot it sometime this decade lol
@Russian 22 @Marty Henry my gunsmith mate highly recommended amongst others the Collings no. 90 barrel solvent-I think that's what he used on mine.
I think the other one was a slip 2000 product-water based but awesome.
There was another one that was a lube which he said was incredible but I had to forget that one didn't I? lol

This may prove useful to csmiffy and anyone else restoring old guns. Lots of tips and tricks, home made solutions, and other neat stuff for fixing, cleaning, or otherwise working on guns in regards to cleaning solutions and techniques. As usual, do some extra reading on any item you decide to try, they may be mildly to extremely dangerous if misused.... some may even damage your gun!

Homemade Firearm Related Products


Aside from plain old elbow grease, I'm a big fan of Wipe-out for all but the worst bores. It's pretty impressive how bright and clean it can get most sad looking bores. Won't obviously fix any metal erosion, but it does a wonderful job on the rest. I'm usually not a fan of wonder-chemicals, but a fellow ran it through the bore of a rifle I'd bought at a gunshow for the action and ended up with a nice bright shiny bore... now I'm a believer as they say.

For really terrible old barrels, especially those with red rust or lumps of unknown material that score brass jags and resist brushes, a cell phone charger powered electro cleaner often works great to get through the majority of the junk to see if it's worth going further. Actually found rifling in an 1894 that was assumed to be shot smooth, and surprisingly grouped to 15 cm after that... not great for most guns, but for ghost rifling I was surprised to say the least. Only caveat is that electrocleaners are able to damage a barrel if used for too long or too high power, so best to choose a power supply that provides the minimum voltage and amperage to actually have an effect, hence the cell phone charger. Plus it has the added benefit of being less likely to electrocute you

@canross I can just see that as the next stuff article "Man electrocuted by rifle barrel"!

did this a while back but horrid at posting them when I do it. Just a tip-use the proper drill for doing holes for plugs otherwise you get ragged edges. Already knew I'd done it way back when but brutally obvious once they were in there. Hopefully some sanding and steaming bring it out a bit.
Geez don't plug drill use up heaps of wood for a little dowel. Saved all the cuttings, there was heaps, just in case... well just in case.
Left them proud to sand back
I even saved the shavings from the original holes I drilled in case I had to fill in any cracks etc. and they may come in use for the problems above.



Rifle assembled in time for @Pengy and his mid winter festival which I ultimately missed, for a try-still needs something done about the bits gone from the fore-end, bedded once I know if the barrel is shite and refinished.