Gday guys,

thought to ask a quick question.

would a 303 barrel do for 7.62x39 cartridge?

I inherited a 303 barrel off a SMLE its in guite good condition, but as usual, due to my preference in lower power cartridges, I like to re chamber into 7.62x39mm.

The question is would the barrel work ok?
I couldnt find info about the size requirement for the 7.62 x39 cartridge, but I think the bullet size is about right both .303 and the 7.62x39 has .311 diameter bullet.. so I reckon it should work.. but then again, I am n expert in these calibers.

is this a good idea?
I have an old H&R action that I have been thinking to convert into a .300 whisper single shot, but this barrel came through and I think I should save money on barrels.

7.62x39 chamber is way smaller than that for .303 so you just ain't going to be able to recut it. Plus you're going from a rimmed to rimless cartridge..
Even recutting a 303 chamber for 7.62x54r leads to some "interesting" fired cases - they all have a double shoulder & split necks (.303 Bren converted to 7.62x54r)

gelandangan wrote:

Gday guys, thought to ask a quick question. would a 303 barrel do for 7.62x39 cartridge?

It would work great. The bore is more or less the same. You would have to cut off about 1.3 inches of the barrel shank and rethread and rechamber. I am thinking about such a project myself.

@English Mike
Yes I know that the chamber is different size Heck the two cardridge placed side by side would already proof that. No I wont just cutting the 303 chamber short either. The camber will be done on "virgin" area of the barrel and with proper 7.62x39 chamber reamer by a gunsmith.
Thanks for your concern.

@Phil
Yes, I think the bore is the same. but the question would be whether the groove shoulder and lands, the twist of the rifling be good enough for typical projectile of a 7.62x39.

I dont want to waste money and time then found out that they are not really compatible.

I've heard of conversions from 7.62x54R to 303British done by a Canadian company that brought in World war 2 era Soviet firearms, because there was no 7.62x54R ammunition avalible at the time (Cold War was still going strong I believe)

The conversions qualities were "decent" at best, to junk at worst, but I havn't heard many complaints about accuracy from the conversions.

Sorry but can't help you when it comes to the 7.62x39mm Russian.

Dimitri

Gelandangan, since the .303 uses a heavier, longer bullet than the 7.62x39mm the rifling should stabilize the lighter bullets fine. Wickipedia shows a 1 in 10" twist for the .303 Enfields. Loading manuals show the same diameter bullets for both cartridges as well as loads using the lighter bullet designed for the 7.62x39 in the .303s. I don't think you'd have any problems there.

Pumpkinslinger wrote:

Loading manuals show the same diameter bullets for both cartridges as well as loads using the lighter bullet designed for the 7.62x39 in the .303s. I don't think you'd have any problems there.

Good point. There are a couple of guys at the club that are plinking at 50 yards with 125 gr bullets in their 303s.

What do you think about this project?

Take a beater No 4 action and a barrel with a bulge 4 inches from the muzzle.

Set the shoulder forward, cut of the requisite amount of the shank and rechamber.

Lop the barrel off so that it has an 18 inch length.

Adapt the magazine well so it can accept AK magazines.

The bolt face is 0.1 inch larger on the 303, so that will be where the majority of engineering effort will be.

FALPhil, sounds like a project! Doesn't the No. 4 have replaceable bolt heads? "All" you'd have to do is make one for the 7.62x39 case head and screw it in. Let us know how that works out.

FalPhil,

Yeah like Pumps does, I also think it is a good project.
Shouldn't waste a good action or barrel just because it is no longer good for the original chambering.

be careful about that, i have 2 sks and 2 russian rifles , both I was told were same as .303 bullets (.311) , ummmm not always ! i have one in each of the 2 sets of rifles , that is .308 and 1 in each of the 2 sets that is .311 and i have friends who have even had the bores slug out at .317 , before you fire anything i'd slug the barrel on those old russian and sks rifles to be safe Just my 2 cents worth

Hi wolfie
Yes I agree if you are using old russian barrels into a british gun, you got to make sure that the barrel is of its advertised bore.
However, if you are doing the other way around, ie, making a russian gun out of an old british one I could maybe safely say that the bore is of the advertised size. Of course I would have to mike them out before using too..

HI

I know a gunsmith here in OZ who has been doing the .303 to 7.62x39mm for a while, uses the org 303 barrel, rechambers and use SKS mag. seen several, works just fine.

MK

Welcome to HuntingNut mickay. Grab a beer and pull up a stump mate. Good to see yet another aussie here.

What part of oz ya from mate?

Cheers, Vince

Hi Mickay
Welcome mate.
Do all that Vince said about beer and stump..

Now you are settled, could you tell me the name of the gunsmith? is his prices reasonable? is the result good?
What city is he on and if you could a phone number.

I am really interested in doing this coz this old enfield barrel just sitting next to my desk gathering dust everyday.

HI

Thanks for the welcome, I am Queensland born but sadly living and working in N.S.W.

Gunsmith is Barry Cockinos his work is top notch. Details sent via P.M.

See you.

mk