| leeenfield |
| (.275 member) |
| 30/06/15 12:03 AM |
BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
I've been meaning to share this project on the Forum for a long time now and have finally, I think, figured out how to share the pictures. Progress has been very slow, but I have only been working on it a little at a time and, after all, I don't need to have another rifle in a hurry. A couple of years back, I got the idea that I would build another rifle, which I had not done for decades, and after thinking what it might be, I remembered that at the back of the gun room was an old LE MK1* that I had picked up in the 1970's. It had been cut down many years ago and the bore was washed out. I bought an oversized (.316) bullet mould for it, but didn't even try it before I sent the barrel off to be re-bored/re-rifled to a .303-.375.
And so it began. The rifle is not intended to be an exact reproducion of the BSA pre-WW1 sporters, but rather a recreation in the style of that period. When finished, it will be stocked in Canadian hard maple, with walnut forend tip and grip cap.
So let's have a look. Unfortunately I did not take a pictuire of the rifle as it was before started, but here are the photos I have [image]
IMG_0280 - Copy by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] [image]
IMG_0287_1 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] 
IMG_0286_1 by Jim Reain, on FlickrThen the machining for the volley sight was welded and re-shaped while the barrel was off for re-boring. The re-bore/re-rifle was done by Ron Smith of Wimborne, Alberta and, since I intend to shoot cast bullets, is done in a 1/22-16 gain twist.
[image][url=https://flic.kr/p/v4GqWd]
[/url]IMG_0284_1 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] [image]
IMG_0285_1 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] Then, the sights:
[image]
IMG_0279 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] [image]
IMG_0280_1 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image]Next. fitting the butt
[image]
IMG_0293_1 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] [image]
IMG_0290_1 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] [image]
IMG_0291_2 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image][image]
IMG_0377_1 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] Fitting the buttplate:
[image]
IMG_0380 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] [image]
IMG_0383 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] [image]
IMG_0382 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image] Next, to make the gripcap using VonGruff's suggestions for doing so while keeping my fingers attached. Thanks VonGruff.
[image]
IMG_0284_1 by Jim Reain, on Flickr[/image]Thanks for taking the time to look. I'll try to post more pictures as I go along.
| FrankFarmer |
| (.300 member) |
| 30/06/15 03:02 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Looking good!
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 30/06/15 04:04 AM |
|
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Interesting project - should be a fun shooter.
| LesLeeSpeed |
| (.300 member) |
| 30/06/15 07:48 AM |
|
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Hi Leeenfield,
Great photos. Keep them coming as the build progresses, I have the same project in the wings at the moment, but using a heavy barrel from a 303 range rifle. Sticking to the original calibre.
LesLeeSpeed.
| VonGruff |
| (.400 member) |
| 30/06/15 11:18 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Yes indeedy, watching with interest to see another fine rifle emerge from a disused "sporter"
| leeenfield |
| (.275 member) |
| 01/04/16 05:53 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
It's been a long winter with quite a few hours spent in the workshop on this project. For those who are interested, here is an update. The rifle has been mainly completed. What remains to be done is to convert an old magazine to 5 shot capacity and to fit it to this particular rifle. This job will have to wait for rainy days, although the way our spring is developing, I may be spending more time in the workshop than I would normally expect.
After completeing the butt, I began to get impatient about doing the fore-end so I decided to hurry things up a little by re-using the original walnut fore-end as a temporary measure rather than spending some more time starting from zero on a piece of maple. This is where the story begins.
By scrolling up in the posts one can find pictures of the original wood work. Here are a few close-ups of what I started with.
And 
And 
And 
So here it is with the recess for the volley sight filled-in
And an ebony forend tip installed
I now think that I may keep this fore-end permanently, for historical sentiment, since it has been part of this rifle for 120 years and the match of the walnut to the maple, although not perfect, is not bad.
Here are some pictures of the whole thing
And
And
And some close-ups
And 
And 
And 
And 
And 
And 
Thanks for looking. I hope that the pictures have been posted OK and that I did not bore you with too many of them
| Roy |
| (.300 member) |
| 01/04/16 06:20 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Looks wonderful - well done indeed that man!
You have really brought this beauty back to life.
A cracking job.
Thanks for sharing,
Roy.
| VonGruff |
| (.400 member) |
| 01/04/16 03:14 PM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
That is a very good fix of the lobbing sight recess and while the walnut and maple are different there is every reason to have used it for the continuity of the historical use it has been put to.
Is it a trick of the light or do I see a comb flute on the left of the stock but I dont see one on the right. I wondered if you were left handed.
Yhere is something fundamentally satisfying in taking a slab of wood and whittling a stock out of it and when it is done so nicely it is also a treat for those of us who like to see them.
| leeenfield |
| (.275 member) |
| 02/04/16 01:27 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Thanks for the kind words gentlemen. It is nice to see that someone appreciates the job. It is just a trick of the light, Von Gruff, the comb is fluted on both sides.
| TexasJohn |
| (.300 member) |
| 02/04/16 06:21 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Thanks for taking the time to share this journey. I really like watching these project come together.
John
| hollowedpoint |
| (.224 member) |
| 05/04/16 04:36 PM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Wow it's awesome, it's great to see it coming from Canada.
Really love the pistol grip buttstock and the ebony forend is a nice touch!
I Wish I had the ablitly to make such a sweet stock. Thanks for posting, it did not "bore me at all"
| Brithunter |
| (.300 member) |
| 10/04/16 06:55 PM |
|
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
While one has to admire your skill in the stockmaking for me the pistol grip is the wrong profile and looks odd. Suppose I am to used to the British style:-
The horrid butt pad has been replaced and a monte carlo comb is not always needed or wanted.
Parker-Hale did of course rework some military stocks for target and sporting use and this is the pistol grip on a P-14 one:-
It is actually quite comfortable to use. Sadly I have no photos of the BSA sporting rifle with cape rib that i used to won.
| Old_rifle_nut |
| (.300 member) |
| 16/04/16 07:05 AM |
|
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Might I ask who did the welding up of the volley sight hole, or was that you?
Thanks,
Jim
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 16/04/16 07:42 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Leeenfield
Beautifully figured timber that maple butt stock of yours!
We have our own type here but any pieces I've seen were not as fancy as yours.
Lovely to see an old rifle getting out & about again!
Don't forget to show us how you redo the magazine into a 5 shot please & your loads of course!
Cheers
93x64mm
| Brithunter |
| (.300 member) |
| 17/04/16 08:17 AM |
|
|
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Quote:
Might I ask who did the welding up of the volley sight hole, or was that you?
Thanks,
Jim
The hole was bored out round then a plug fitted and BSA did that when they did the conversion back in the early 1950's. This is a BSA commercial conversion. Someone wrecked the original stock and the barrel was a sewar pipe. I have owned it for years but about 5 or 6 years ago we got a new BSA made barrel from Knibbs and it was fittied by a gunsmith in Yorkshire. This Parker-Hale modified stock was one that I had laying around so until we can get some thing more in keeping it will do. The bore is mirror bright and has been Ball Burnished by Parkers.
There is no welding the plug is either sweated in or silver soldered in place:-
You can just make out the round mark of the plug. I will see if I can get a better photo of this and also get one from the BSA Model E as I still own another that has it's original BSA stock fitted.
Hope that helps.
| Old_rifle_nut |
| (.300 member) |
| 18/04/16 05:50 AM |
|
|
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Brithunter:
Sorry, I was not referring to your BSA P-14, but rather on LeeEnfield's rifle.
Jim
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 18/04/16 07:41 AM |
|
|
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
leeenfield, well done man. Looks great and what a sweet hunting rifle it will be.
As for bullets that will work, I'd be thinking of the 220gr. Hornady or 200gr. Sierra FN's meant for the .375 Winchester, or - if wanting heavier bullets, the 235gr. Speer, perhaps with the lead nose bobbed and cupped at bit, if not just shot-as-is. should be able to get something like 2,400fps with them. In 9.3x57's tests, they proved quite a deep perpetrator when driven at that speed.
| Dogfish858 |
| (.300 member) |
| 21/04/16 07:00 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Just wondering when RKS did the barrel. Been wanting one.
| leeenfield |
| (.275 member) |
| 21/04/16 09:03 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
So in answer to questions raised:
OldRifleNut - the volley sight hole was TIG welded by a friend of mine:
DogFish - Ron Smith did the .375 barrel three years ago. Earlier this month he finished several barrels for me that had been arranged with him last summer
| Dogfish858 |
| (.300 member) |
| 22/04/16 03:43 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Leeenfield pm'd
| leeenfield |
| (.275 member) |
| 08/02/17 09:32 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
It has been quite a while since I reported on the progress of this rifle. When I left off, the magazine needed to be done. Now it has been.
I started with a badly damaged mag from a No.4 rifle and cut it to the desired profile of a 5 round sporting magazine
Next, I cold-formed a bottom plate to match the profile
Then off to a very talented welder who MIG-welded the two.
For a follower I removed the sturrup from a Pattern 1 follower and fitted a later accordion-type spring.
After much grinding, filing and fitting, this is the result.
After quite a bit of work tweaking the feed lips of the mag and profiling the feed ramp of the action, it now feeds as slick as a whistle.
Here is a picture of some rounds loaded with a custom 280gr cast bullet and a 260gr 38-55. I have shown an original .303 Mk VI, a 375x21/2 and a 38-55 for comparison.
I have shot the two cast bullet loads, but only with reduced charges of SR4759 so far. At 1250fps the rifle barks nicely and shows signs of accuracy. It's very pleasant to shoot. In a few months when the snow is gone, I'll get serious.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 08/02/17 10:07 AM |
|
|
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
An easy shooting, low pressure load with a jacketed bullet, is 42.0gr. H335 with a 220gr. Hornady .375' bullet. The velocity will be in the 1,900fps to 2,000fps range and was very accurate in my .375 Win. M94.
Ken Waters did a .303/.375 or .375/.303 some time ago, calling it the .375Rimmed iirc.
| lonewulf |
| (.300 member) |
| 08/02/17 05:25 PM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Very nice job on that mag.
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 09/02/17 07:12 AM |
|
Re: BSA SPORTER RECREATION
|
Quote:
Very nice job on that mag.
Not wrong there!!!
Would have been a slow job getting the feed right - one mistake & curtains!
Glad it's all coming together for you mate.
Cheers
93x64mm