Looking for a custom Lee Enfield - anyone interested?

[Lee Enfield]

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post this, but I'm looking to get a custom Lee Enfield made. Please let me know if you are interested in doing this job, or if you can point in me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it.


I'm looking to get a Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.2 rechambered in 7.62x39. It would also be converted into a carbine. The general design would retain the original Lee Enfield No.4 look (e.g. uses the original magazine, front sight, etc.), but with some of the following aesthetic changes listed below. I also have an image of the design I am looking for.

- Jungle carbine stock (a little different from No.4's), w/o beveled wood for side sling mount
- Jungle carbine rubber butt plate w/o side sling mount
- 18" barrel
- Shortened forestock, top wood section 7.8" (98mm)
- 3 vents (I can send these measurements)
- Additional No.4 Mk.2 magazine converted for 7.62x39 rounds

I also hope that an SKS 10 round stripper clip can be used in the internally converted Lee Enfield magazine, but I don't want to assume that this works.

Thanks in advance.

[Colt46]

Or modified from an existing action?
I'm not your guy, but am curious.

[Wyosmith]

Where are you?
Are you talking about something like I Lee Speed?

[emcon5]

I saw one of those recently. Some rocket surgeon "Customized" a 1946 ROF (F) No 5 Jungle carbine. They removed the front sight/flash hider assembly and replaced it with what looked like a nail, put it in a hideous sporter stock, and converted it to a blind magazine by attaching some sheet metal to the bottom of the stock. Not sure how they did it, could have been hot glue.

It was.....stunning.....

[Lee Enfield]

I'm looking to get a No4 customized close to a jungle carbine No5, with some added touches. In addition, the largest part of the mod would be chambering the rifle to a 7.62x39. It would retain most of the original look. I'm located in the midwest.

I do have an image I made of what I want that I can send via email to whomever is interested in the project.

[Scorch]

I would be interested in the project. Send me a PM.

[Lee Enfield]

Email sent. If anyone else is interested please PM me.

[emcon5]

I'm looking to get a No4 customized close to a jungle carbine No5, with some added touches. In addition, the largest part of the mod would be chambering the rifle to a 7.62x39. It would retain most of the original look.

This guy used to do exactly that: http://www.specialinterestarms.com

He had a 7.62X39 conversion that used a single stack AK mag.

Discontinued, unfortunately.

[JT-AR-MG42]

I think you will like the carbine in the SKS caliber.
It almost self ejects the cases and the cheekpiece is removable for iron sight shooting.
I enjoyed shooting this carbine more than either my FN-FAL or M-14.

This one is an AIA that I believe has been discontinued. The stocks are teakwood from Vietnam?, so that may explain why they were never imported directly into the U.S.





You won't see many on the line at Perry, but it is a fun shooter and is really accurate with 'better than Tula' ammo.
The supplied 10 round magazines required a few passes with a file to the right of the feed lips to give 100% reliable feeding.

My nephew turned 15 last month and got this carbine for his birthday (he just had to pick this one! from over 300 to choose from) so am looking for another,
but they don't show up every day.

Really wish American laws would let me drive north and get one in .308, like this one from Marstar.
https://www.marstar.ca/product_image.../AIA-M10B1.jpg

or to see this one made!
http://www.casr.ca/mp-enfield-1.jpg

Will look forward to seeing photos from your project.

JT

[Lee Enfield]

Nice rifle, JT-AR-MG42. Must be tough to part with, but I'm sure your nephew is enjoying it very much.

And, the SKS caliber will be fun I'm sure . The primary motivations for me to get it in 7.62x39 are practical in nature, such as price per round and general availability, as well as a little less kick for a carbine. I did think for a bit to just stick with the SKS, but I like the Lee Enfield design better.

[emcon5]

You know, for the price you are going to be into this, you can have a real No 5 and handload down to 7.62X39 velocities.....

[tahunua001]

This guy used to do exactly that: http://www.specialinterestarms.com

my own experience with SIA has been less than stellar. gross underestimation of completion times, terrible customer service(when it was present at all), combative when faced with criticism and to top it off, when one of the parts broke during install he gave me a catalog code for a 3rd party fabricator so I could buy a bulk batch of the parts and have spares handy.

I'm sorry, but I can not and will not recommend special interest arms to anyone.

[emcon5]

my own experience with SIA has been less than stellar.

Not the first time I heard that. I believe it is just one guy.

I have toyed with a 7.62x39 conversion, but in the end decided to take my own advice, and just load down for .303 using H4895 and their 60% rule.

I loaded up some Speer 150 SPs that chronoed at ~1950 FPS that were pretty nice to shoot. Going to try some Horn .310 120gr next, designed for 7.62X39.

[Lee Enfield]

I plan on keeping the rifle for a long time, and handing it down. So, I figure in the medium run, the total cost of ammo in 303 Brit outpaces the total cost of ammo in 7.62x39 and the rifle's conversion.

Handloading 303 to bring down the velocity is a good point, but I believe cost would still be a factor. Also, I do want to be able to just travel to just about anywhere on the fly and buy ammo for relatively cheap.

[emcon5]

Kind of a tangent, but I wonder if Mossberg plans to introduce a MVP in 7.62x39 that takes AK mags. They already have a .223 that uses AR mags, and a 308 that uses M-14/M1A magazines.

I would buy one of those.

[Wyosmith]

Emcon5 that's a good idea.

Or another one is to make them in that bore size and chamber but supply them with the AR mags for the 7.62x39.

The mag well of the 223 would need no modifactions at all. The AR mags already fit. I'd bet the Mossburg would have none of the jamming problems we sometimes see with some ARs in that caliber.
What a cool little whitetail gun that would be.

While they are at it they need to offer the rifle in 6.8 SPC and maybe 6.5 Grendel too.

Time to make some phone calls and write some letters.

[CowTowner]

Being the owner of one of SIA's "Enfield K" conversions, I can tell you the process is a PITA. If Scorch is interested, then let him fly.
I enjoy shooting the rifle, don't get me wrong about that. But the bolt head mod, the magazine adapter (Uses WASR single stack mags) along with the other work done by SIA are the reason he has stopped making them. Although, if you want one suppressed, he said he would consider building one of those. I will acknowledge it took quite some time to get the work and kit in my hands so I could finish the rifle.
I wish you luck with the project.
If I had it to do over again, I would buy a CZ 527 and have a good smith do some voodoo to it.
And no, mine isn't for sale. It is a great rifle to shoot.

[sprouticus]

You might try giving Brian at BDL a call, he is very knowledgeable about the Lee Enfield rifles.




http://www.bdlltd.com/Home.html

[Lee Enfield]

I contacted him already. He doesn't rechamber to 7.62x39.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

[emcon5]

You do realize this is a little more involved than just a simple re-chamber, right?

The bolt will need to be modified to work, the .303 case is a lot larger than the 7.62x39.

Maybe you could use a Ishapore .308 Bolt, I don't know if that would fit in a .303 Enfield.

The SIA bolt head replacement was probably about as much of an easy button for the bolt head problem, but that is no longer available.

[Lee Enfield]

Yes, I understand that this project is intricate, but I'm hoping there is someone out there that can and is willing to move forward with this project.

I know the bumping of this thread can seem like it's nagging, but I try to keep it at once a day so that it allows those potential gunsmiths who don't frequent the sub-forum as often to see a recent thread. I may even be in the wrong sub-forum this whole time

Maybe it will help to post a picture of the rifle design? It probably won't help to show the exterior design I had in mind but maybe it's something different to try out to get someone on board.

[emcon5]

You might ask a mod to move your thread here:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=8

Or close this one and start another.

[James K]

Well, you can't just "rechamber" a .303 barrel to 7.62x39; you will have to rebarrel, which will run up your cost considerably. The No. 5 butt pad is probably the worst recoil pad ever put on a rifle, but the 7.62x39 recoil is fairly light, so it might not bother you much.

I think converting the magazine to the much smaller based cartridge will not be easy, but it can be done, though at some significant cost, and maybe at the expense of a few magazines.

Modifying the No. 5 clip guide to accept SKS clips would not be difficult but would be time-consuming and probably costly, as it would involve welding up the existing guide and recutting the slot, probably with a Dremel tool.

Are you planning to do the work yourself, or have a gunsmith do it, or a combination? The problem I see is that you will spend a lot of money, wreck a fairly desirable collectible (if the No. 4 is in good shape), and end up with a rifle that you will like but which will likely be little interest to anyone else should you ever try to sell it.

Jim

[Lee Enfield]

Yes, I understand that there must be a rebarrel done, and I'm sure the conversion implies many more internal details. I'm hoping there's a gunsmith out there that can do the majority/all of the conversion, and the aesthetic detailing is secondary.

I really want the rifle to match the original design but with a little bit of a personal touch. So, I figure a No.5 style rubber butt pad matches nicely, and functions better than the brass one.

I plan on keeping this converted piece and not selling it.

[James K]

As long as you know what you are getting into, have at it and I hope you have an active gunsmith who will help you.

Jim