I have seen an article in which a Lee-Enfield is converted to(silenced?) .45 ACP and have heard about LE converted to 7.62X25 Tokarev giving 2 MOA accuracy. I consider pistol caliber bolt-action rifle curious items for the interesting combination of small power and overkill mechanical strength. Altho I want at least one such item, it never surpassed my priority for "serious" centerfires. Last month there was a VG condition Spanish Destroyer carbine on a Canadian auction site, regretably, I passed.

Now that my interest in pistol caliber bolt-action comes back, can someone tell me where can I locate pistol-caliber barrel blanks or barrels that has pistol caliber bore diameter? Barrels must be at least 18.5" long and NOT in .25 or .32 cal to accomodate Canadian laws. Help appreciated.

The Lee Enfield converted to .45 ACP that you speak of was the De Lisle silent carbine produced during the Second World War. It was a magnificently built and very effective weapon for it's time. I don't know whether any would be available today, and, even if they were, what the legal formalities for owning them would be in Canada. The new Lee Enfield based pistol caliber carbines that you mention are made by Armalon Ltd of the UK in a number of pistol calibers. If you like, I shall try to get you their address, but you will have to ask them for further information. Good luck and please don't hesitate to mail me if I can be of any assistance.

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Mehul Kamdar

For easy of building I would find a LE that has been converted to fire 7.62 millitary or .308 winchester. The case head demensions are the same on the 308 case a a 45 acp. All that would then be nessary to make a working carbine would be a barrel. Any good barrel maker should be able to make a barrel or correct bore demsions. I would then make a block to fit in the mag well so that you could addapt modell 1911 mags to work a a feedimg method. The gun would have a long bolt cycle for a pistol round but it should work.
Ray

M-1, I came within a hairs breath of building just such a rifle as you describe here, only I was going to use a Springfield action. Other than the long throw on the bolt, it should work fine.

What got me off this project was I found a small BSA Martini action, the little single shot falling block actions, and I had it rebarreled at .357 Magnum with no other changes. Just reblued and refinished stock and began hunting. It was quite effective Jackrabbit rifle out to 100 - 125 yds. Trajectory didn't seem that much different from hunting with .22LR at those ranges.

All in all, it was a very fun gun for plinking and light varmint hunting. One just must understand going in the limitations of what they are building. It will NEVER be fast or flat or have very long legs.

They might not be the most practical rifles now, but they were 130 years ago:

even now most people love to plink with pistol caliber LA�s.

Its fun and cheap.

I hate that ugly side shifting, stick out in the way safeties!! I have lots of those "fun guns", but I will never buy one with such a safety!

Hermann

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Thanks for all replies.

Mehul Kamdar,
Sure I would like to hear more info, if they have a website that's great too, cuz I need a model to give me an idea how things should be changed for a short caliber. Thanks a lot!

Sorry, I haven't been able to find a website even though I tried on several search engines, but I do have an address: Armalon Limited, 44, Harrowby Street, London W1H 5 HX. Tel: (020) 7262 1881 Fax: (020) 7402 0959. Their pistol caliber carbine was called the PCR and apparently is still in production. Please try snail mail for the moment. I'll delve into my archives and try to turn up something better shortly.

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Mehul Kamdar

[This message has been edited by mehulkamdar (edited 04-11-2002).]

Brownells shows a 28" .45 cal., .451 dia. bore unturned bbl. blank on page 33 of catalog #54 for $130.25 (US). I have seen some in the Gun Parts Corp. catalog but I don't a newer one around.

Sorry, I still haven't found a URL but my IInd edition of Rifles of the World (DBI Books) has a photograph. Please try and get a copy - it might help. Good luck.

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Mehul Kamdar

Lothar-Walther has rifle length blanks in just about any caliber you would like, including the 25ACP 0.251 bore. They should have what you are looking for. even if you wanted a 9mm Makarov bolt action (9.3mm)

Great, thanks for info, people.

Mehul,

Thanks for your effort. I pulled out my march issue of "Small Arms Review" and remembered where I heard about the .45 Enfield -In the magazine. You are right about that De Lisle being the first .45 Enfield, in WW2.

Mentioned in the article is that GG&G of USA think this modification have great tactical use and have assigned one of their division to produce an advanced model of De Lisle carbine.

The new carbine is based on originally .308Win Lee-Enfield, with a 16" take-down quality barrel, integrated handguard and silencer around the barrel itself.
The wood is refinished with synthetic coatings and all metal exterior is coated with Teflon. Retail price is at an unaffordable $1450