Is the P14 enfield action suitable for magnum cartridges like the .30-338?

no...
send it to me for safe keeping...

Just kidding, excellent action, but a 30-338 is a tad small for that huge action. A springfield or mauser would handle that. and a 300 wsm will more or less match it, with less trouble in a factory rifle.

jeffe

What kind of work is required for feed rails etc.? Why is the .30-338 too small? what do you recommend for this action?

585 Nyatti. When in doubt...Whup it out.

Oddball,

Out of curiosity, have you seen the 577 TRex videos here? That is a P-14/P-17 action. What the guys here are hinting at is the fact that it takes a bit of work to make these actions into a nice gun, and if you go through the trouble and expense you might as well make it a caliber worth your while. You would be money ahead, probably a LOT of money ahead by using an action that is easier and cheaper to convert, unless you have some special reason you want to do it your way.

Which most everyone here in the gunsmithing forum can readily relate to in some for or other.

You can purchase a vz 24 mauser for less than $100 to get the action you want and then customize the rest. You could then have a very nice 30-338 for $1000 or you could take any standard magnum rifle such as a 7mm and rebarrel/ rechamber to the 30-338 for about the same. If you have a 30-06 you could simply re-chamber, open the bolt face and go at it. My 30-338 is built on a Winchester model 54. Very light easy to use and quite the shooter.

I am having a Lott built on a 1917 that was already built into a 458WM. It was about $800 to cut the old Enfield up, open the bolt face, restock, add sights and so forth many many years ago. The Lott conversion is $120 for the new magazine box built by a metal guy locally, $450 for a new stock sans checkering, around $300 for the barrel rechamber, feed rails work and some other nice touches. It will end up around 9.5 lbs. The model 54 is closer to 7.

The 1914 will work for you but the action is much larger and stronger and the 7 lbs is a lot easier to carry around all day for deer and bear.

Good luck with your project.

Frank

Oddball,
The 30-338 is the right length for the action, but there is a lot of work involved to get it to feed . I just finished a P-14 in .358 Norma Mag. Had to open up and shape the feed rails, make a follower, & modify the magazine box. How much do you want to spend?