[Eb1]

I am wanting a NEF Handi-Rifle to be chambered in .303 British. It has been mentioned to use a 7.62x39 barrel and re-chamber. Is this the correct method? Or should I have a custom barrel made.

Any insight on this conversion is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Riss]

IIRC the 303 is actually larger than the 7.62x39. Don't quote me but it think that is the one out of the so called 30 cals that is different. And if thats the case the results would be traumatic to the shooter and the gun.

[Eb1]

You are confusing me. I don't understand what you're saying.

The reason I picked 7.62x39 is because it is .311 instead of .308. The .303 British is a .311 or a .312 caliber bulltet.

Of course the Re-Chamber is for the shell casing. I think you misunderstood me.

I have a Lee Enfield that I do not want to chop to use for hunting. I want to use the .303 British cartridge for hunting, but I am not going to sacrifice my 1943 Lithgow to put a scope and make it light enough to carry.

So re-chambering a handi-rifle of the same caliber .311 or 7.62x39 to chamber a "longer" .303 British case would be the obvious choice.

I was asking if it would be possible, and who someone would recommend.

P.S. you can shoot .308 bullets out of a 7.62x39 without failure to the shooter or the rifle.

[Riss]

No. It is me that is mistaken. The 7.62x39 is as you speak. Not to be confused with the 7.62x51 which in whose bore the 7.62 will not fit. I stand corrected. You are right. It's possible as long as you can find a chamber and do the work. Hardest part would be cutting the bolt face if need be for a different rim diameter. Otherwise its a job that can be done at home. Any competent gunsmith with a 303 reamer can do the job.

[FN5.7shooter]

Why not just call up the factory. IIRC they do all kinds of customs chamberings based on common bore sizes. Have you checked with them?
Hardest part would be cutting the bolt face if need be for a different rim diameter.
The Handi rifle is a single shot it has no bolt face that is one reason the Contender/Handi-Rifle series is so popular you can cover a lot of ground if the bolt face is eliminated. I have a Handi-Rifle and Contenders. Many barrels for the Contenders and one for the Handi. Handi rifles have to go in for fitting the barrel so they are less Handi for caliber swaps. Get a Contender if you want to swap calibers often.
The rifle is not that much money the barrel can be replaced for less than a good chamber cutter. I would purchase a chamber cutter and have at it. :evil:

[rcmodel]

Might want to measure the rifling twist rate on the 7.62x39 barrel and see if it will be compatable with the .303 British.

rcmodel

[Eb1]

RcModel,

I think that is the one question that will need to be answered. I will call the factory and ask them what they can do for me.

Thanks, all.

[Jim Watson]

Do they even make a 7.62x39 HR?

Rifling twist in most such is 10" (or 9.84= 4 turns per meter) which is fine for .303.

[Eb1]

I have seen them in 7.62x39. They don't have them on their site right now, but I have seen them.

I hope this works out. I think it would be cool to have a Handi-Rifle in the old almost forgotten caliber. And a dandy caliber it is...


.303 = 1 in 10 twist (that is correct..)

[RecoilRob]

Going from rimless to rimmed means the extractor will need some attention too. But going that way is WAY easier than the other way round. Should work with just some judicious grinding.

[Eb1]

No Go from NEF/H&R.

They will not make a rifle in .303 British. Looks like and T/C with a custom barrel. If I want this completed.

[Clipper]

7.62X39 to .303 should be child's play for a halfway competent gunsmith.

[Jim Watson]

Did you ask if they had a 7.62 you could have rechambered to .303 at your own expense?

[Eb1]

No, I will call back.

[Old Grump]

If you get a 7.62 barrel it would have to be more than just chambered unless you reload and are willing to neck down your 303 brass to 7.62. In that case you might as well just get a 308 and be done with it.

[Eb1]

Hey, old grump. 7.62x39 is .311 and .303 British is .311. Go figure.

Sorry to say, but your wrong.

[Jim Watson]

OG

We wre talking about 7.62 x 39 Russian, which is of large enough groove diameter to use for .303 British.

Unless H&R uses .308 barrels, of course.

[Norsecat]

Look for a 30-30 barrel and re-chamber that to 303.

A 303 will over cut a 7.62x39 chamber but many have .300 bore and 308 groove barrels. My Ruger 77 has a 308 groove barrel and some fired cases are hard to extract so a 303 my have to be 308 bullet reloads.

[Sunray]

An NEF 7.62 x 39 barrel isn't necessarily .311" in diameter. Most American made 7.62 X 39 barrels are .308". In any case, I'd be surprised if the chamber area of a 7.62 X 39 Handi-Rifle(that isn't made now, if it ever was) is long enough to take the much longer length of a .303 British. There's .698" difference in the case length alone. Plus there's the rimmed vs rimmless issue.
If you want to hunt with a .303, (it's regularly used for moose and everything else, up here, for eons.), go buy a bubba'd, scoped, No. 4, check the headspace and work up a load using 175 or 180 grain bullets. 150's will do nicely for deer.