303 Carbine

20 February 2016, 21:31

Gerhard.Delport

303 Carbine

I have a sporterized 303 that shoots very accurately.

However I am starting to think into turning it into a carbine with a barrel lenght of 18" and then adding a silencer.

Reason is that I am looking for a quick handling light rifle for bushpig but next year I will also be getting involved with anti poaching operations.

The rifle will be topped with a 4x32 TV view Tasco that I have used on the 303 for many years...

Any suggestions on such a project?

23 February 2016, 03:48

Mark

I know nothing about anti poaching but I suspect a silenced carbine would not be the weapon of choice. However most certainly there is going to be some protocol to follow so anything said here is of no consequence.

Now, in regards to shortening what you have in preparation for a silencer I would say to ask whatever gunsmith that will be doing the installation. My concern is the twist of the rifling needs to be fast enough to stabilize whatever bullet you will be shooting and you might possibly be looking at a rebarrel instead of a hacksaw.

23 February 2016, 20:22

Gerhard.Delport

Thanks Mark,

Unfortunately in South Africa rebarreling is not so easy.

I have a few component gunsmiths that can do the job.

With regards to tbe silencer that would be no issue as its legal in South Africa.

24 February 2016, 03:36

p dog shooter

Sounds ok to me but I would buy a real scope for it.

24 February 2016, 06:05

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by p dog shooter:
Sounds ok to me but I would buy a real scope for it.

Hahaha...

P dog, this is one of the original tasco's from the mid 80's myself and numerouse clients has shot game out well over 200m with the 303 and scope setup.

The tv view and magnification gives me a wide view and very clear as well.

When the scope stops giving me accurate shots I will not worry about it.

My question though is if the 303 will still shoot accurately with a 18-20" barrel.

I am not sure about the twist of the barrel and if the twist will have an influence in stabilizing the bullet compared to a 25" barrel.

24 February 2016, 07:10

Mark

Well the Lee Enfield No5 carbine had a barrel length of 18.5". I suspect that length was not chosen causally so I would not go less than that, and possibly an inch or two more.

24 February 2016, 13:39

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by Mark:
Well the Lee Enfield No5 carbine had a barrel length of 18.5". I suspect that length was not chosen causally so I would not go less than that, and possibly an inch or two more.

Thanks Mark,

My dad had the Jungle Carbine and I loved it but he sold it before he passed away in 2014.

This is the reason why I am thinking of a short barrel "carbine" project as quick and handy rifle that delivers a lot of punch down range.

24 February 2016, 17:04

p dog shooter

quote:
P dog, this is one of the original tasco's from the mid 80's myself and numerouse clients has shot game out well over 200m with the 303 and scope setup

I have had several Tascos fail from that time period.

I am glad you are willing to trust your shots to it.

24 February 2016, 20:32

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by p dog shooter:
quote:
P dog, this is one of the original tasco's from the mid 80's myself and numerouse clients has shot game out well over 200m with the 303 and scope setup

I have had several Tascos fail from that time period.

I am glad you are willing to trust your shots to it.

I have shot the scope a lot on a few calibers and it performed well on each.

22 March 2016, 04:52

A.J. Hydell

quote:
Originally posted by Gerhard.Delport:
I have a sporterized 303 that shoots very accurately.

However I am starting to think into turning it into a carbine with a barrel lenght of 18" and then adding a silencer.

Reason is that I am looking for a quick handling light rifle for bushpig but next year I will also be getting involved with anti poaching operations.

The rifle will be topped with a 4x32 TV view Tasco that I have used on the 303 for many years...

Any suggestions on such a project?

I've gone thru enough Tasco scopes to know they're junk. You can do better than a Tasco. However, I really like the idea of a suppressed .303 carbine. A silencer for poacher control on your .303 is a great idea.

22 March 2016, 08:52

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by A.J. Hydell:
quote:
Originally posted by Gerhard.Delport:
I have a sporterized 303 that shoots very accurately.

However I am starting to think into turning it into a carbine with a barrel lenght of 18" and then adding a silencer.

Reason is that I am looking for a quick handling light rifle for bushpig but next year I will also be getting involved with anti poaching operations.

The rifle will be topped with a 4x32 TV view Tasco that I have used on the 303 for many years...

Any suggestions on such a project?

I've gone thru enough Tasco scopes to know they're junk. You can do better than a Tasco. However, I really like the idea of a suppressed .303 carbine. A silencer for poacher control on your .303 is a great idea.

A.J.

True I can do better than the Tasco.
The project did not manage to get off the ground the few days I was at home.
Have discusse it with my gunsmith and he is willing to take on the project.

Ultimately a red dot system that is small and compact like a Trijicon using both ambiant light and batteries will be exactly what will round off this carbine for smooth fast handling and shooting out to 150m odd

I am home again in July and will get the project started.

25 March 2016, 11:44

sambarman338

Though some velocity would be lost by shortening the barrel, I doubt whether it would be enough to invalidate the existing rifling twist and I don't recall that the twist was changed for the WWII jungle carbine.

The main problem in 'silencing' such a short barrel could be that the suppressors for centre-fire rifles tend to extend back along the barrel and you might find it fouling the fore end, so maybe 20 inches would be better - the No. 5 jungle carbine exceeded that length with the flash hider. I assume you realise you can't silence any supersonic calibre beyond muffling the noise from the muzzle.

25 March 2016, 20:04

Grizzly Adams

Got a No. 4 shortened to 18", for a bear gun. Never chronographed it, maybe now I will,

Never noticed any difference. Very handy, but I'll bet a silencer would negate that.

Grizz

Indeed, no human being has yet lived under conditions which, considering the prevailing climates of the past, can be regarded as normal. John E Pfeiffer, The Emergence of Man

Those who can't skin, can hold a leg. Abraham Lincoln

Only one war at a time. Abe Again.

25 March 2016, 22:45

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by sambarman338:
Though some velocity would be lost by shortening the barrel, I doubt whether it would be enough to invalidate the existing rifling twist and I don't recall that the twist was changed for the WWII jungle carbine.

The main problem in 'silencing' such a short barrel could be that the suppressors for centre-fire rifles tend to extend back along the barrel and you might find it fouling the fore end, so maybe 20 inches would be better - the No. 5 jungle carbine exceeded that length with the flash hider. I assume you realise you can't silence any supersonic calibre beyond muffling the noise from the muzzle.

Thanks for the info...

I have been hunting with silencers for the last 6 years and my goal is to only suppress the sound "bang" at the muzzle.

This works well as the "crack" of a supersonic bullet dont seem to bother game as much and is a lot less harsh on my ears.

25 March 2016, 22:48

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by Grizzly Adams:
Got a No. 4 shortened to 18", for a bear gun. Never chronographed it, maybe now I will, Never noticed any difference. Very handy, but I'll bet a silencer would negate that.

Grizz

Hi Grizz,

Let me know if you did managed to shoot a few over the chronograph.

With a reflex silencer you should still have a light handy rifle as it does not extend in front of the barrel.