Thread: BSA model E 303

Got this from a fellow member a month ago-like this when he got it so not his fault.
Remember me asking about 303 ammo etc? it's for this.
Happy with price and condition as stated. all good.
The black stuff is paint-tried gentle scraping off some to see if any bluing underneath. Everywhere I tried-nope, none, so to the wire wheel it went.
Either the paint did something to it or they polished what was left off, but only bluing left is on the extractor.
Did some welding and peening to the floorplate to take out 100 years of slop. Didn't do a photo as you would be able to tell.

This is the pics of the second attempt to fill in the rear sight hole that was left over from when it was sporterised.
First attempt was to drill and tap the action and fit a 3mm screw through the center of the plug, tig it over and polish it back-yeah fail.
Got close to final polishing and you could get it to rattle sort of-right out you come.
The hole is slightly oval and the base isn't flat. On the mill it went with a carbide fly cutter (nothing even close in a carbide end mill etc) and I managed to flatten the pocket alright but the hole stayed oval and even had a bevel at the front. Seemed to cut ok but couldn't justify continuing to cut more out just in case. Close enough to the rear of the receiver bridge. considering the little chamfer I found maybe I should have.

Instead of a nice round plug, a bit of judicious hand fitting was required and then it was sweated/soldered in old school

Final polish back showed the remains of a small chamfer at the rear of the plug's recess. See comment above.
Bugger-if it was for someone I'd be pissed but due to its age/condition, and its for me, I'll chalk it down to experience and leave it.
I'm not polishing the rear down anymore and once its blued and a scope base fitted, you wont notice it.
A gunsmith inclined type person at the shooting club is going to try to sort me some bases and drill/tap it to suit for a suitably low price so I/m happy with that. Minimum price for a tap is 20 bucks if you can get them.
Next is bluing-Cant justify the money for a proper job so have to have a chat with afore mentioned gunsmith and work out the cheaper home type jobbies. He does have some chemicals there so it may just be cheaper for him to do it.

More to come as the stock needs plugs filled, cracks fixed and bits glued, bedded etc. so it will give me a bit of practice.
If it shoots ok and the dollar drops, I'll consider getting a stock in from the US unless anyone local has a reasonable one for an even more reasonable price, but that's for later.

Interesting to see a stripper clip loading original sporter rifle. They just could not leave out that neat feature.

I got quoted under 400 bucks for a Boyd stock in the cheapest form possible. A walnut 2 piece. Whether or not it fits depends on the year of manufacture. War models seem to require a bit of coaxing.

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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 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

Ah the good old p14 BSA sporting conversion. If you mill the charger slots off, the action will accept 375 holland length stuff. Timney still do triggers for them

Originally Posted by Walker

Ah the good old p14 BSA sporting conversion. If you mill the charger slots off, the action will accept 375 holland length stuff. Timney still do triggers for them

i rechambered mine in 264WM awesome bang stick

@Russian22-Two piece stock? Its not an SMLE. Think mauserish. Richards microfit stocks were recommended to me-Some great looking stocks and from cheap to dear. Not just yet I think. Unless one pops up really cheap i'll wait for the budget to expand if and when I ever rebarrel it.

@Walker-yes it may one day turn into something else-The PO was suggesting a 9.3x62 (or was it 64?) I looked it up-cranky round. I already have a 416 Remington magnum which has obviously scared all the cape buffs and lions etc. away so don't really need a 375HH.
In saying that, some of the factory ammo at one of the larger local gun stores the H+H ammo is cheaper than some of the new stuff-crazy-may just happen but not for a while.
Just have to get the stock sorted and a scope fitted and see how it goes first. Showed to some of the guys at the gun club on the weekend and even though the barrel isn't flash, the consensus is that it should still be OK. If it does 3" its ok, any more than that I'll be very happy.

@Cordite-From my minimal dr google research, the BSA model E was the top of the p14 conversions.
They straightened the floorplate, re-barrelled and restocked it.
Also drilled/tapped it for a side peep sight. Obviously some machining on the action but not enough to completely remove the stripper clip slots.

Originally Posted by csmiffy

@Cordite-From my minimal dr google research, the BSA model E was the top of the p14 conversions.
They straightened the floorplate, re-barrelled and restocked it.
Also drilled/tapped it for a side peep sight. Obviously some machining on the action but not enough to completely remove the stripper clip slots.

mine has that infill plate on top with the bsa emblem no side mount fitment.

@csmiffy have I got this right in that you filled the big round circular hole! Think it's the first pic in your second post.
If so very nice job.
Had my gunmaker fill a hole screw hole on my BLR where someone had tried to fit a saddle ring. Harder than it looks always seem to get that out line on one side. But nice job all the same

Originally Posted by Sideshow

@<u><a href="https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.nz/member.php?u=7681" target="_blank">csmiffy</a></u> have I got this right in that you filled the big round circular hole! Think it's the first pic in your second post.
If so very nice job.
Had my gunmaker fill a hole screw hole on my BLR where someone had tried to fit a saddle ring. Harder than it looks always seem to get that out line on one side. But nice job all the same

@Sideshow

Yes, nice job on the big hole. You could also have put a gold coin in there, just for that bling effect! (-: Shame you can't glue in a button compass as the steel in the gun would have to be demagnetised for it to work.

Here's Larry Potterfield of Midway USA on a method how to fill in those old screw holes. Never disappointed when watching his videos - a real craftsman at work.


@csmiffy

Thanks, I didn't recognise it was a P14 conversion (more a complete remanufacture really).

Yep nice way of doing that, but his voice sure dose grate....

Years ago I did abit of work with p14's, you could get p17 bolts and make 270's etc or keep the 14 bolt and do any magnum. Even had some 'cock on open' sears cast.