.44-40 lee enfield

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I wouldn't worry about modifying the ejector screw unless needed. The SMLE is designed to eject empty cases by the friction of the case rim against the left wall of the receiver. The ejector screw was primarily designed for a drill in which loaded rounds could be partially cycled and ejected to unload the mag. A secondary use was as a fail safe if friction didn't eject the cases. (G'day Bob. remove your ejector screw and give it a try with an empty case. I'm always being amazed at how ingenious the designers and developers of the SMLE were.)

If you have access to a 429-428 barrel blank why f**** around silver soldering it to a SMLE barrel shank? Just thread it suit. From memory its 0.997" x 14 TPI and a 55 degree included angle (ie Whitwoth form) V thread rounded crest and root. Measure the original barrel threads to confirm.

@Hunter4752001
I'm not saying your wrong on how the SMLEs eject founds but, if you run your finger up the left hand side of the receiver on the inside you will feel a small protrusion. On the rifle schematics this is labelled the ejector screw. As the bolt is pulled back the extractor pushes the case rim slightly to the left, as the bolt is pulled back the rim of the case hits this protrusion and the case is ejected.
When I built my 444 on a No4 action I had to modify the extractor to compensate for the smaller rim. The case would not eject until I modified the ejector screw protrusion to contact the case rim. Then all worked as it should.
It was handy growing up with a father who was an armourer in the military and loved working on the old 303 before they introduced the L1A1 FN 7.62x51 semi auto, better known as the SLRin Australia.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@S

Yes the old Lee extractor, ejector works amazingly well, I read when they converted them to 223 Range rifles it works with no modification, same up to 45/70 & 45/90 !

I have one of those shell conversions a Winchester to .32 S&W, shoots well really, I got it in a bag of second hand cases & thought bugger the bottoms turns off, then saw it was a shell shrinker !

View attachment 445777
View attachment 445779

I see in Canada it is a common practice to used the barrel shank/knox & thread a new barrel into them, most likely from the use in the old days of a company who converted Carcanos ?

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There is a very fine Gunsmith in BC I think who does projects like that now (see above) & we have many guys building 45 ACP Delisle Enfields here in NZ

@Sarg
I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news so I will give the good first.the 45-70 and 45-90 eject with no modifications because the case rim is slightly larger than the 303 so no problems.
Introducing a smaller rimmed round requires modifications.

When my gunsmith converts the SMLEs to 223 or 7.62x39 it is a major operation.
He inlets the bolt face, adds a sliding extractor and a plunger ejector. He has been doing these mods for years and it works beautifully.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

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The nice way to do the magazine here .

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Problem here of coarse is the mag is at the back to use the latch & I think the set the barrel back on these & shorten the bolt ?

@Sarg
In that conversation the barrel is set back and the bolt is shortened to match..
My gunsmith made one the same and I think but could be wrong he made one in 9mm.

Last time I saw him ie was converting an smle to 357 mag using a desert eagle mag.
Bob

 

[Hunter4752001]

All my 303s will eject fired cases even if the ejection screw is removed. So did the 45 Colt version, even though it ejected a good inch and half before the ejector screw. 45 Colt has a rim diameter .002" smaller than the 444 Marlin and 44 Mag ie effectively the same.

For a demonstration from 'Bloke on the Range" see:

Not too sure about the 45-70 conversion. I did one decades ago but had to use cases with the rim turned down to fit. The 45-70 rim diameter is greater than the diameter of the boltway. There maybe a way of relieving the diameter where it joins the barrel, not something I'm comfortable with.

 

[Sarg]

Hi Bob yes I said I think the bolt was shortened & barrel set back bud.

With the others I should of said the extractor normally doesn't need work & the ejector screw might/most likely could, as a few of mine did when modified to 308Win/7.62 but these have no Rim & all mine were on No4 actions & as I remember some of these had a ejector on the magazine lip & others had that screw modified some how, maybe longer ?

I think modifing each model could be different, old MLE/MLM - SMLE & then the No4, then of course all bets off with the P14 lol

Yes I think with the 45/70 they open the front of the action, barrel stop collar a little, I'm most likely not saying that correctly ?

I had no need to modify anything when using 444 Marlin cases in my Old MLE actioned Lee Speed when I used them to form .375Ex, but not saying some one else needed to to get theirs to work, some times things work & in others not !

I see my English mate just makes up a replacement bolt head for 223 & 9mm conversions with no other mods but I remember a Canadian saying the extractor worked on his 223 conversion with no mods, but I can't say for sure it did .

These look good, English replacement bolt head for No4 .

 

[camerl2009]

Hi Bob yes I said I think the bolt was shortened & barrel set back bud.

With the others I should of said the extractor normally doesn't need work & the ejector screw might/most likely could, as a few of mine did when modified to 308Win/7.62 but these have no Rim & all mine were on No4 actions & as I remember some of these had a ejector on the magazine lip & others had that screw modified some how, maybe longer ?

I think modifing each model could be different, old MLE/MLM - SMLE & then the No4, then of course all bets off with the P14 lol

Yes I think with the 45/70 they open the front of the action, barrel stop collar a little, I'm most likely not saying that correctly ?

I had no need to modify anything when using 444 Marlin cases in my Old MLE actioned Lee Speed when I used them to form .375Ex, but not saying some one else needed to to get theirs to work, some times things work & in others not !

I see my English mate just makes up a replacement bolt head for 223 & 9mm conversions with no other mods but I remember a Canadian saying the extractor worked on his 223 conversion with no mods, but I can't say for sure it did .

These look good, English replacement bolt head for No4 .

View attachment 445800

I dont see much difference between the mle and the smle only major difference is the charger bridge and barrel profile.
Smle mags work in an mle bolts look the same other then the dust shield on the mle ect.
I may need a new firing pin for my mle didn't notice it but it was rough only put 10 rounds through it and 5 of those pierced primers I did polish it a bit haven't had it back to the range since my range banned steel jacketed ammo.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

All my 303s will eject fired cases even if the ejection screw is removed. So did the 45 Colt version, even though it ejected a good inch and half before the ejector screw. 45 Colt has a rim diameter .002" smaller than the 444 Marlin and 44 Mag ie effectively the same.

For a demonstration from 'Bloke on the Range" see:

Not too sure about the 45-70 conversion. I did one decades ago but had to use cases with the rim turned down to fit. The 45-70 rim diameter is greater than the diameter of the boltway. There maybe a way of relieving the diameter where it joins the barrel, not something I'm comfortable with.

@Hunter4752001
Well I'll be. I knew it wouldn't eject live rounds but didn't know about the empties.
Is the No1Mk111 the same.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hi Bob yes I said I think the bolt was shortened & barrel set back bud.

With the others I should of said the extractor normally doesn't need work & the ejector screw might/most likely could, as a few of mine did when modified to 308Win/7.62 but these have no Rim & all mine were on No4 actions & as I remember some of these had a ejector on the magazine lip & others had that screw modified some how, maybe longer ?

I think modifing each model could be different, old MLE/MLM - SMLE & then the No4, then of course all bets off with the P14 lol

Yes I think with the 45/70 they open the front of the action, barrel stop collar a little, I'm most likely not saying that correctly ?

I had no need to modify anything when using 444 Marlin cases in my Old MLE actioned Lee Speed when I used them to form .375Ex, but not saying some one else needed to to get theirs to work, some times things work & in others not !

I see my English mate just makes up a replacement bolt head for 223 & 9mm conversions with no other mods but I remember a Canadian saying the extractor worked on his 223 conversion with no mods, but I can't say for sure it did .

These look good, English replacement bolt head for No4 .

View attachment 445800

@Sarg
My No4 wouldn't eject the 444 without mods.
To modify the ejector screw all I did was remove it the drill it out with a 4mm drill. Run a 5mm tap into the hole and screw in a grade 8 grub screw with loctite on it. When you get the right position for ejection leave it for the loctite to set.
The beauty of the No4 is its strength and you don't have to worry about feeding issues with full length cases and the 265gn flex tip.
There's no flies on a 444 launching a 280 gn Woodleigh RNSP at close to 2,400 fps. Recoil is getting very noticeable in a 7.5# rifle tho.
Bob

 

[Boyd Brooks]

@Boyd Brooks
What sort of project are you having done at Epps.
Bob

Sorry for the late response.
I’m having a 450 Marlin built on a Doumolin action, with a Boyd’s laminate stock. They have had all the parts for 19 months, just can’t seem to get them together. Last time I talked they just needed to do the bluing and put it together.

 

[camerl2009]

I think I will keep an eye out for a .44 barrel take off hopefully something comes along. I did find a cheap no4 just waiting on the seller to get back to me.
I like the idea of the "parts bin" gunsmithing not elegant but something that works.

Haven't shot much since covid started 1 my range wasn't open here and there because of lockdowns and I just let my membership go because no use paying $360 when I cant go. Finally got to pull a trigger today on my cooey model 60 out back at my friends farm shooting some soup cans felt like i was 8 years old again.

 

[yumastepside]

After reading this, I've got a bug to build one in 45 long Colt......along with all my other projects...

Roger

 

[Sarg]

Holy heck @yumastepside & you have the most projects in the Southern Hemisphere lol !

I think also a 45 LC would be cool, they are a few about here in NZ suppressed & look it is no problem shooting .458 bullets in the .451 of the .45 LC barrel as long as the case can release the bullet, I have used much larger bullets in barrels for years, haven't seen any dangerous extra pressure, thou I'm sure it is raised, I had a 45LC-410 H&R years ago & used full length brass to have more case capacity than 45/70 (mainly at the start to get the bullets nearer the rifling) many years later ended up with another that some one had rechambered to 45/70 (wish they had not but it was cheap) it digusts what ever I feed it but I wouldnt try my .458 500gr FMJ heavy loads I used on Buff in it with out more testing & no reason to do this now days, with normal loads all seems well, primers & ejection are fine !

 

[yumastepside]

I used to have a revolver in 45LC for metallic silhouette and still have a 12g adaptor in 45LC/410, so ammo and cases are not a problem. A nice short carbine, maybe full wood like a Tanker would be the ducks guts !!!.....imagination gone wild

An NZ version and another from the net...

Roger

 

[Bryan Austin]

Hope the 44-40 build works out. Glad to see more interest in this great cartridge.

 

[camerl2009]

Hope the 44-40 build works out. Glad to see more interest in this great cartridge.

Perfect for deer sized game and under anyway.

Still looking for parts .44-40 take off barrels dont come up often.

For those not in the know I like bigger heavy bullets generally these move slower but with the right bullet shape their perfect for north America and give less meat damage.
I really want to try my snider out on moose one of these days but wont happen same with the .458 win mag best I can do is black bear.

 

[Bryan Austin]

Perfect for deer sized game and under anyway.

Still looking for parts .44-40 take off barrels dont come up often.

For those not in the know I like bigger heavy bullets generally these move slower but with the right bullet shape their perfect for north America and give less meat damage.
I really want to try my snider out on moose one of these days but wont happen same with the .458 win mag best I can do is black bear.

Maybe it can handle the 44-40 High Velocity loads. Does the body good at 265 yards
44-40 High Velocity Loads...since 1903!