Just an FYI, I did not see them but apparently the local shop has some SMLE's in 45/70. My stepfather went by there yesterday and saw them said they looked like they would make great cab guns. they have a carbine barrel not long barrel. the guys at the shop said that they are function perfectly no problem feeding or anything. NOt sure what the price is. Just thought some of you might find this interesting. apparently they have 2 right now and have sold 4. don't know where they are getting them.

shop is Gilman-Mayfield in Fresno, CA if anybody is interested.

Red

Seen quite a few arround here.

Be Warned though, the Lee action, with it's rear locking lugs is unkind on brass if you want to reload. I get two reloads out of a case in .303 only.

Seen a good number of P14 (the .303 predesessor of your P17) in .45-70. These are serious rifles, fully capable of taking the hottest rounds and, being a Mauser action essentially, the cases last 20+ shots with sensible loads. HYad a 14" barreled carbine built on a p14 action for a while. Good little rifle.

Dago,

I think what you're describing is the Gibbs Summit Carbine. I saw one of these at a gun show in Shreveport three years ago and it looks like a neat toy - all nickeled out and what not. These were converted from some of the later Enfield actions by Gibbs Rifle Company a few years ago and according to the Gibbs website, they have sold all of them.

As best I recall, the rifle wasn't priced unreasonably and would probably make a neat thing to play with if you had the cash. Not really my style of rifle, but I might not pass one up if the price was right and I had to dough in my pocket.

Tex

can be opened out to .45-90, becomes a real thumper not far short of a .458.

Can an SMLE action really take that much of a pounding?

quote:

Originally posted by Dago Red:


shop is Gilman-Mayfield in Fresno, CA if anybody is interested.

Red

Hey Dago, do you know what they were asking for them? I might need to make a drive up . . .

Lee enfield No 4 Mk I, Mk I*, Mk II, and No 5 actions can take 7.62 Nato fine. With the bigger case head on the .45-70, .45-90 I wouldn't use loads that go above 48,000 PSI (measured by the copper crusher method).

I've thought about them. I recall them being under $400 retail. Gibbs web page

I have one. I love it. Mine was built on the #4 action (some of the later Gibbs were built on the #1 mark III action, which is weaker). The #4 was also converted by both Gibbs and the British Army to the .308. Mine had a heavy 22" "Navy Arms" barrel(much heavier than my Marlin). Because the gun was designed for the .303, ammo can loaded to a much longer OAL than a normal 45-70. I had 500 gr Hornady RN SP loaded to 2.93" OAL for it. Do a search under "Ron Card" and 45-70 for a very informative article on this gun. Also, there was a American Rifleman article on the Gibbs 45-70 conversion (I think around September 2003).