7.62x54R Rechamber job?

[1858 remmy]

Hey, i want to rechamber a bolt action rifle to 7.62x54R, now before any of you start crying and saying just buy a mosin and dont waste your money, i already have a very nice mosin....and i really just want to do this as a project.
Im not sure what type receiver would be the best for this project. i would definitely have a custom barrel made so i guess i need help in deciding which action/bolt to get.
I was also thinking about buying a h&r handi rifle in 7.62x39 and just having a gunsmith rework the barrel to fit in the 54r shells.
well let me know what youg uys think,
-remmy

[CowTowner]

I'm all for the idea. Why? Because it's your money and you should do something you want to do with it every now and then.
What do you really want? A custom bolt action could be made with a Mosin action rather cheaply. Have a custom barrel made and fitted along with a sporter stock. The single shot idea shouldn't be to difficult to have done. Even a barrel for a Thompson pistol seems doable.
Have fun!

[tobnpr]

If you're gonna do it... DO IT...

Hex receivers are preferred, "supposedly" a bit stronger, but I've yet to hear of anyone blowing one up- and many have tried. I think Iraqveteran on Youtube did try it once.. and I've seen several .300 Win Mag conversions off them.

There's a REALLY interesting thread over at socamo.com- there are some guys that are heavily into modding the MN platform over there and like to play. One just had a custom reamer made based on his own design for a "7.62 x 54R improved" along the lines of the usual Ackley criteria- blowing out the case neck and eliminating most of the taper for greater powder capacity. Really interesting stuff...

Good luck and keep us MN fans posted!

[Jim Watson]

Agreed. You can do about anything with a single shot, cheap or deluxe.

There have been some quite nice MNs set up. I don't follow the field, but wonder if there has been any work on speed locks and other modern innovations, like used to be done with American Surplus.

Anything else will be tougher. If you could find a Siamese Mauser action, they are made for rimmed cartridges. Frank DeHaas said it should work in 7.62x54R.

A single shot bolt action would not be hard but if you want a repeater on something besides MN or Siamese, it will be tough.

[Clark]

Putting a 7.62x54r reamer in a 7.62x39mm handi rifle and modifying the extractor, sure sounds like less work than building new upper for a handi, like did.

[4V50 Gary]

Take the Machine Shop I and II class at TSJC. Then take their Conversions class. You can do it all yourself. After all, it's your gun, your money, your time.

[T. O'Heir]

Giant pictures aside, is there enough chamber area to convert a rimless single shot with a case length of 1.528" and a case head diameter of .447" to a rimmed 2.106" long case with a .567" rim diameter?
A bolt action that's already in a rimmed case wouldn't be difficult though. Pay attention to the mag length though.

[Gunplummer]

I did a Type 99 Arisaka in 8MMx54R once. Just using up parts laying around. I made a new bolt with a Russian style extractor. If you modify/make a magazine well with the back tapered towards the trigger group it will feed OK. Because of the diameter of the rounds I could only get three in, but as you pushed them in the rims stayed ahead of each other because of the extreme taper of the rounds. I never had a jam once I got it worked out, but it takes the patience of moss to get there. The rim wants to hang on everything. Anyway, I would imagine nearly any bolt action could be converted if you have the time and money.

[mapsjanhere]

I wonder if you can make your fellow shooters on the gun range throw a gasket when you start stuffing 7.62x54R into a SMLE - and it shoots.

[Cheapshooter]

If you're gonna do it... DO IT...

Hex receivers are preferred, "supposedly" a bit stronger, but I've yet to hear of anyone blowing one up- and many have tried. I think Iraqveteran on Youtube did try it once.. and I've seen several .300 Win Mag conversions off them.

I think you got it a little upside down! The OP wants to chamber another rifle to 7.62X54.

Hey, i want to rechamber a bolt action rifle to 7.62x54R, now before any of you start crying and saying just buy a mosin and dont waste your money, i already have a very nice mosin....and i really just want to do this as a project.
Im not sure what type receiver would be the best for this project. i would definitely have a custom barrel made so i guess i need help in deciding which action/bolt to get.

[taylorce1]

Find an old Enfield P14 action and it should be a pretty easy to barrel to the cartridge you want. A Siamese Mauser might be an option but you might be limited on magazine space. Both of those actions are designed to feed rimmed cartridges from an internal box magazine, but realize it won't be a cheap conversion.

[Geezerbiker]

I'd agree the P14 Enfield would be about perfect for this project. The bore is even the right size. If you can pull the barrel without damaging it, you could set it back, recut the chamber and put it back on. Odds are it'll feed the 7.62x54R just fine...

There's should be plenty of these around that have been poorboy sporterized and could be had for a reasonable price.

No matter how odd, every man should have the rifle he wants... My problem is the rifle I want changes ever few years...

Tony

[mwells72774]

H&Rs are easy. There's a lot of talk about this on greybeard's. Basically they take a 12ga barrel and cut it off at the end of the chamber and thread it for a matched barrel blank.

[skizzums]

man, that's a great idea. the 54r ammo is still flowing for 90$ per 440 and doesn't seem to be drying up soon. please keep us posted on your job. I wish I could help, but I am a novice, but a mosin lover.

if someone would make an ar to run 54r reliably, I would sell my first born for it.

[Gaucho Gringo]

Unfortunately new Handi Rifles have officially gone bye bye as of a week and 1/2 ago. No more ever to be made, which instantly doubles or triples the price of them. You could buy 3 or 4 MN for that price.

[tobnpr]

I think you got it a little upside down! The OP wants to chamber another rifle to 7.62X54.

Thanks for correcting me...

Obviously, I needed to have another cup of coffee

[silvermane_1]

well 1858 remmy, there is a such a bolt rifle that isn't MN that you may want to "base" your bolt rifle off of, it called a Romanian PL, it basically a bolt action version of a Romanian PSL DMR, the PLs are sorta rare though, but they're out there.

[Gaucho Gringo]

Too bad Winchester 1895 rifles are so expensive as more of them were chambered in 7.52X54R than any other caliber, something like 70-80% of them. The downside is that almost all of them got sent to Russia during WWI. Wish someone would make a reproduction in 7.52X54R.

[Clark]

I bought an 1895 Win this year in 30 Gov [30/40].
I bought a 25 Krag Ackley reamer and dies and I am going to rebarrel it in 2015.

[Geezerbiker]

I remember reading somewhere the Russians couldn't pay for the second shipment of 1885 rifles in 7.62x54 and the rest of them were sold on the US market. I'd like to have one in this caliber just for the oddity of it but I can't afford one either...

Tony

[Clark]

Tony, you have mixed up 1885 with 1895.
I have done that 100 times.
There is help.
It is called "1885 is a falling block, 1895 is a lever" therapy.
My family helped me through the tough times of confusing my guns.

[mapsjanhere]

If it exists, it's on gunbroker http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=457668350

[Gaucho Gringo]

At that price not the rifle to be shooting cheap corrosive ammo in. I guess I will have to stick to my MN rifles, I am thinking shooting black powder with lead bullets in one of them.