At this point, this is all theoretical, but I've always wanted to build a Bolt Action in 30. M1 Carbine.
My thoughts are to possibly sleeve the boltface of say a '94 or '95 Mauser with a silver soldered steel ring, to reduce it down to M1 size and then fit a standard M1 magazine and modified release to the floor plate so that it detaches with the floor plate when necessary.
I realise that the .30 M1 is no elephant killer, but I think it would make a neat little truck rifle, with a full stock and short barrel.
Is it possible? What are your thoughts?

Roger.

Any thing is possible, but why not just use an M1 Carbine? If you really gotta have a pistol caliber bolt gun, find a Spanish "Destroyer" carbine and go with that.

More and better bang for your buck I'm thinking and save you some dough and aggravation too.

Eric

We're not allowed to have self loading rifles here in Australia, spanish destroyers are like hens teeth to find, especially here, and I have a pile of 30 M1 ammo I can use.
I'm more interested in the technical side and the challenge than the actual using of the gun.

Roger

quote:

Originally posted by Eric:
Any thing is possible, but why not just use an M1 Carbine? If you really gotta have a pistol caliber bolt gun, find a Spanish "Destroyer" carbine and go with that.

More and better bang for your buck I'm thinking and save you some dough and aggravation too.

Eric

Jeffe has a Destroyer in the works cal 7.65, I believe.

They're chambered originally in 9mm Largo.

Make a scout rig for the rear sight base, add a aperture sight at the rear of the receiver.

Get all the kinks worked out so I can build one, too

quote:

Originally posted by yumastepside:
At this point, this is all theoretical, but I've always wanted to build a Bolt Action in 30 M1 Carbine.

I've heard of folks making manually operated repeaters on M1 carbines by removing the gas piston and filling the gas port but your regulators probably won't let you even touch a self-loader, right? Have you thought about working with a SMLE or No.4 action instead? A fella might follow the mods used to create the WWII DeLisle carbine but for the 30 carbine round. How about starting with a CZ527? It comes in both 22 Hornet (smaller and shorter) and 7.62x39 (longer and wider) so a fella might have enough wiggle room to whittle on the bolt face and magazine to make it feed. Keep us posted.

Go single shot in an Encore.

....once again, you are missing the point!It's not in the buying, its all about " building the impossible ", I'm a fitter/fabricator by trade, I'm looking for the challenge, the concept of building something not available comercially, building something from bits and pieces that I have on hand.
I'm after ideas, technical assistance, practical or theoretical, it doesn't matter.
Isn't handloading and wildcatting about making something you can't or don't want to buy ??

Roger

short answer - yes, its do able, and pretty much as you have lined out. remember to use low temp solder (like force 44) to put the bushing in .. and check it from time to time.

you might even be able to use a m1 carb mag as a pattern ..

my destroyer is a parts proposition right this minute, but its going that way .. an m1 round would be a bit long for the destroyer ...

oh, there's 10 ways to make the boltface work .. but what you've said would work, with keeping the temps in check
'

I have most of the work done on almost excatly what you have planned

Mauser 1903 Turk, small thread shank, front ring cut down to small ring.
Bolt face remachined like FN single shot, new extractor
Trigger guard, opened up to accept the M1 magazines
Santa Barbra barrel, 22 inch light weight contour.

Items left to do.
Make a latch to hold the magazine in place and cover the rear mortise of the guard.
Drill and tap for peep, scope mounts, front ramp and sight
Stock

Will make a really light plinking rilfe when done.

James Wisner

Sounds good Jim,how about some photos ? Even as a work in progress.

Roger

There was a fellow on another forum that made a .223 rem on a 98 mauser. He put the bolt in a pail of ice fill almost to the face then had it tig welded then machined for the 223. Just might give you an idea.

Rad

I think I'd probably start with an Omark 44 (Sportco), if you don't think that would be too heavy an action for you to lug around. I have one converted to .22 LR and it works fine. Of course, it is a single shot, but it wouldn't have to be if you have access to a milling machine.

Why the Sportco? Sveral reasons:

1. They are very vailable in your neck of the woods since they were all built there.

2. Replaceable bolt heads, plus bolts already available for 5.56/.223. I'd either get an existing .223 bolt, or a .223 bolt head for the standard M44 bolt and open it up a bit (if needed) for the .30 carbine case.

3. As the M44 is a solid bottom action (no magazine opening), with a bit of careful measuring, you can open (mill) it up to take a standard 5-round M-1 carbine magazine, and cut in a loading ramp to boot, if you want to. Don't have to work/fabricate around some already existing action/magazine configuration of a different cartridge.

4. Sportco barrel blanks are inexpensive, and already come in .30 calibre. Just grab a blank and chamber it for the .30 carbine round. That means you can use the original stock as the barrel contour will already match. Plus, they are available with 1-in-14" twist so you won't overspin the hell out of those light carbine bullets.

May be some flaws/dificulties I've overlooked, but at least that's my first suggestion off the top of my head.

Edited to add:

Another good reason for the Sportco is that they come with a good clone of the Remington M700 trigger and a BETTER safety. Plus any replacement trigger which will drop into a Model 700 will also drop into a Sportco.

Sometimes the Sportco can use a .005"-.008" thick shim on one side of the trigger housing to make a replacement trigger fit perfectly tight in the action, but any "Remington 700" after-market trigger, such as the Timney, Shilen, Rifle Basix, Canjar, Jewell, etc., will still work fine even without the shim so long as a person doesn't try to adjust it below about 2 pounds pull weight.

You could find a cooper M38 in hornet and just open up the bolt face and change the barrel. There are not a lot of options for a "mini" bolt action. For full size, PTG makes Rem 700 bolts for the 5.7x28 that could be opened up.

Just pick up a Marlin lever .30 Carbine and leave the custom work to something better.

Rework a Brno ZKW465 Hornet ?

......which part of using what I have don't you understand ?????????

Roger

Sorry, Yuma, I apologize.

I just went back and re-read your first several posts on this thread, and didn't see anything that said you wanted to use something (an action) you already have, but I may well have missed it again. I saw your comment on "bits & pieces", but to me that meant maybe an extractor (to be converted), perhaps some other things to modify, like a floorplate, magazine spring, etc.) Sorry if I didn't understand you meant meant the most major part, like the action itself.

I recommended the Sportco (Omark Australia Model 44) because with your being "down under" I felt you could likely find a pre-owned one at a pretty good price, and that there would be a number of serendipitous side-benefits. The conversion, although some work, could be fun.

If you want to build one on a M 93 or 95 Mauser, I'm sure that could be done too, though it will likely be tougher to make it a repeater. Still, you could likely figure out a way to insert a standard M-1 Carbine 10-round magazine through the existing floorplate and do it that way.

Have fun and please show us pictures afterward, whichever way you go....

I'm guessing that feeding will be the hardest thing to overcome.

Isn't the bolt handle the only locking lug on the Destroyer?


Thanx for the information tin can. Now I know.

See post below for explanation.

quote:

yumastepside: which part of using what I have don't you understand ?????????

Well, I read an article years ago in Guns & Ammo about converting a 9mm Beretta into a Chevy Beretta so I suppose it is possible.

quote:

Originally posted by yumastepside:

My thoughts are to possibly sleeve the boltface of say a '94 or '95 Mauser with a silver soldered steel ring...

quote:

Originally posted by yumastepside:

......which part of using what I have don't you understand ?????????

Sorry, that initially sounded more hypothetical than: "I already have a '94 or '95 Mauser..."

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:

quote:

yumastepside: which part of using what I have don't you understand ?????????

Well, I read an article years ago in Guns & Ammo about converting a 9mm Beretta into a Chevy Beretta so I suppose it is possible.

I apologise if my comment seemed derogatory, but it seems that every time I ask about something, everyone tells me to go and buy this or that and the reply gets away from the original subject....if I want to know how to fix my Chev, I dont want to be told to buy a Toyota !!

Again I apologise if my reply sounds unappreciative.

Roger

That would be an extra short action. And sleeving the bolt would work.
You will need to extend the bolt stop and ejector.
You could cut the whole action in half remove a chunk out of the middle of the action and out of the bolt. Weld the action back together. Silver braze the bolt together and get a new stock.

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
I'm guessing that feeding will be the hardest thing to overcome.

Isn't the bolt handle the only locking lug on the Destroyer?

-two rear-mounted locking lugs

quote:

Originally posted by yumastepside:
......which part of using what I have don't you understand ?????????

Roger

Roger,
Most of the guys on this forum mean well but don't read with comprehension as well as they mean. I believe that what your looking for here is some encouragement. Having the fabricating skills you possess with some determination and ingenuity you should be able to build your dream truck gun. You know it can be done. If you screw up, throw it away and start anew with another action til it finally comes to fruition. Then you can show it off with the pride such a project deserves. Then go out back and reduce some Roos.

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:

quote:

yumastepside: which part of using what I have don't you understand ?????????

Well, I read an article years ago in Guns & Ammo about converting a 9mm Beretta into a Chevy Beretta so I suppose it is possible.

Did it run like a speeding bullet on ethanol?

quote:

Originally posted by jpl:

quote:

Originally posted by yumastepside:

My thoughts are to possibly sleeve the boltface of say a '94 or '95 Mauser with a silver soldered steel ring...

quote:

Originally posted by yumastepside:

......which part of using what I have don't you understand ?????????

Sorry, that initially sounded more hypothetical than: "I already have a '94 or '95 Mauser..."

Exactly.

Yumastepside, I can relate to your thinking. If this project is what is going to float your boat, then make it happen. Lord knows I've done my share of 'cuz it keeps my brain busy thus blocking out the other b.s. I'm otherwise forced to deal with everyday' type projects. Come to think of it, such projects are probably how I have survived this long.

If common sense was the law, there would only be about 10 guns to chose from in about 7 calibers/gauges. I shudder at the thought.


I once saw a Model 98 Mauser shortened to shoot 9mm Parabellum (outstanding workmanship!). Now one might ask....Why? And the response has to be 'because he could'.

Do it and share with us the photos. You'll probably get emails wanting you to make them one, and even more emails wanting you to make it in some other caliber (how about something featuring a 38 Super necked to .256)