Hi. ive been a long time watcher but this is only my second or third post. i have a hankering for a 17AH. is it possible to have a bsa international MKII martini action modified to take this case? If it is possible how much work is involved? I have one complete rifle and know of another i could get quite cheaply. if it is possible it could be a fun project. any input and advice is most welcome.

Cheers

You may find a faster response in the gunsmithing forum.

muck

For most folk changing the International Mk II rim-fire to a central-fire configuration is not a practical at-home undertaking. The exception would be if you were a skilled machinist with his own machine tools.

The conversion is also relatively expensive compared to other available options, if done professionally. It involves filling the rimfire striker hole, and making a new, properly positioned central-fire striker hole in the breech-block, as well as modifying the striker mechanism. And you'd still be only getting to a beginning point, from whence you could re-barrel, modify the extractor, etc. An alternative very seldom used is boring and chambering a barrel off-center so as to use the current striker mechanism and location.

Far better overall is to use one of the many small originally central-fire Martini actions, such as the Cadet version made for the Auzzies, or various of the commercial ones used in small rook rifles by Greener, Francotte, et. al.

There should be a good many of those in your area already as they were bought in large numbers by the Australian government for Cadet training, and then later surplused. They were used in much of your part of the world by both Kiwis and those other blokes to your West (the ones who are still learning to rugger) for conversion into .222 rimmed, .22 Hornet, .32 WCF, etc. I should think contact with one of the rifle clubs in the Auckland or Upper Hutt areas could quickly lead you to one of those available for purchase.

It would be ideal for the .17 Ackley Hornet.
All you would need then would be a new barrel, and perhaps a new extractor. I currently have one in .22 Ackley Hornet, which is a genuine 0.5 MOA performer, and have owned numerous others in .218 Bee, the original .310 Greener, .222 Rimmed, etc.

Best wishes in your effort, and GO - ALL BLACK!!

quote:

Originally posted by NZ Hunter:
Hi. ive been a long time watcher but this is only my second or third post. i have a hankering for a 17AH. is it possible to have a bsa international MKII martini action modified to take this case? If it is possible how much work is involved? I have one complete rifle and know of another i could get quite cheaply. if it is possible it could be a fun project. any input and advice is most welcome.

Cheers

NZH, if this proves to fall into the too hard basket, there is a guy advertises in the back of NZ Guns & Hunting(?) that he can reline a 22 RF barrel to the 17 HMR cartridge, this might be a option for you.
Steve

Just be wary if you use a centerfire martini for your conversion, the firing pin profile may not be suitable or may be too large (cant remember ) if it was an original 310 martini. Also if you get one and mod it, have a new hammer/striker spring installed as they dont have a lot of force in them. Apart from that, go right ahead they are a great little action and I'm surprised someone hasn't began remanufacturing them.

I've seen a BSA martini mod12/15 made into a 17AH. The block/firing pin has to be worked over to change the firing pin location and probably the size of the pin/hole and you need a new barrel. Also, a new firing pin spring is a good idea to stop the primers cratering. In NZ you will need a reamer - the accuracy g'smiths I approached did not have one. I was told categorically that the BSA martinis after the mod12 variations (Mk I, Mk II, etc.) were not suitable for conversion to centrefire. It was possible but it wasn't going to happen in their workshops. I've heard of a gunsmith around the Wellington/Upper Hutt area who has done the trick but that's as far as the trail went. In the end, I did the easier pathway - got hold of a BRNO 465 Hornet (the mod Fox works as well) with a rusted out barrel (they are all rusted out whatever the seller says, after 50 years of neglect) and had it rebarreled. It will feed from the magazine (don't lose it - another will cost you about $200 if you are lucky) and there are no gunsmithing problems to fix at $???/hour.

NZ Hunter, to answer your question.....yes the BSA International can be converted into a centrefire and rebarrelled into 17AH. It is not as hard to do as some make out.
I have a MkII International in 22 Hornet and know of another in 17 MkIV......Cheers