I have an older Zastava action (circa 1963) with the floorplate release in the guard. It is very nicely finished and quite smooth considering its origin and was originally a 7 M/M REM MAG. I would like to convert it to .458 LOTT. The magazine is obviously too short for the Lott and I would gladly trade anyone for a long magnum guard as long as it had the release in the trigger bow. If no-one was intersted in that, who would you recommend, besides Dennis Olson, to modify my guard and receiver to accomodate the LOTT?

Have you talked to Mark Penrod?

I'm not familiar with the gentleman but, if you let me know how to contact him, I will.

just about anyone with enough sense to make the proper cuts on the receiver to make it feed can make the magbox and weld it on properly. The Zastava actions , no matter who was importing them, are all cut on the front. I don't suggest doing this, and that should be cut equally in the front and in the back.

You should find someone good with bigbores, and who can meet your budget and timeline. Should a true giant of a gunsmith like Mark Penrod not be able to meet those, you certainly can try some of the other gunsmith's around.

You should be aware that this is not going to be a budget build. There will be lots of cuts made, and lots of one-off (not unique, just fairly trying setps) to make this work properly. The key being properly.

Though, you know, Malm could do this fairly well, and I am ccertain he is aware and has done this type of work before.

No matter who does the work, the barrel needs a recoil lug on it.

jeffe

I just finished using the same action for a .300 Winnie. How much longer is a .458 Lott than a .300 Winnie? The .300 Winnie cartridges feed fine through my magazine? Are you sure you have the true magnum action? They have a little cutout on the front receiver ring, and you should be able to see how the regular magazine box was lengthened.

Next, before you start, please consider a few other things. First, are you going to be happy with the trigger safety on the gun, or are you going to want a 3 position safety.

Another thing is how shiny they were polished. You might want to have the action and the barrel bead blasted and rust blued so that it all looks the same when you get done.

The Lott brass is .120 longer, but I think the OAL of the 300 Winnie may be longer.
Butch

I appreciate the advice given here and I concur about cutting the action forward only. I think that would be an invitation to disaster. When I was in RSA, I stopped at a gunshop in Nelspruit, SABI Rifles. He was making 500 Jeffreys on 98 Mausers and told me how he did it. First of all, he diddn't use the Mauser magazine box but, manufactired one out of SS. He told me he cut the action forward 1 1/2 m/m (.060") and 3 1/2 m/m (140") in the back. Looking at my Zastava, there is quite a bit of room at the rear to be able to do all the extending necessary there. The only thing that might happen is to cut into recess for the third lug and I don't want to do that. I guess SABI's idea would be best. Any thoughts?

Mark Penrod
Penrod Precision
312 E College Ave
North Manchester, IN 46962
Tel: 260-982-8385

Thanks!