since im making a wildcat cartridge,the .323 PH, i saw that a norwegian gun smith has some P17 receivers that he sell for 100 us ,are they worth the price and how much will it cost to make it into the cartridge? or is it best to use a other receiver for it?

Mr Rigby,
the enfield can make a fine rifle, but it requires ALOT of work. Remingontons and Winchesters are preferrable over eddystones.

In the states, it's cost effective to buy a CZ 550 in 416 vs building one on an enfield, if someone else is doing the work.

jeffe

Jeffe is right on this issue. They take alot of work, especially milling the "ears" off. I have a "sporterized" one that I picked up for next to nothing, it has a fairly nice fajen stock on it an has had the ears milled off. I intend to build it into either a .35 whelen or a 9.3x62, but have been have too much fun shooting it with the service barrel.



On a side note: Mine is an eddystone, but I had it mangfluxed before I purchased it. The gunsmith that I plan on haveing rebarrel it when the time comes has built several eddystones and is well aware of making a relief cut in the barrel before removing it.

I have often wondered, in terms of "smithing" would be remotely be justifiable (not really accurate, but "Sell the wife on this" if I picked up a surface grinder (harbour frieght and grizzly have them "cheapish") for 600-700 bucks, rather than "pay" for it to be done by someone else...

I already have a superspacer to hold the action........

jeffe

The p17 can make a nice custom rifle, just like any surplus military action a fair amount of work is required. ou might find you could purchase a CZ action (new) and it will not cost any more $, but there also might not be as much satisfaction in the finished rifle, especially if you can do some of the work yourself. The ears can be ground off with a hand grinder and a belt sander, and the area finished by hand and fitted to the scope base by hand with a file (sure a universal grinder is faster and easier). You should have a jig for drilling and tapping to insure the holes are centered on the action. You might have to use a carbide bit to drill the hole and then anneal so you can tap. Triggers are easy, a speedlock kit and converting to cock on opening is more work and of questionable value. It all depends on your ability and patience.

I have a very nice surface grinder. Actually, it is more for setting up my tools for the mill, but it is of course nice for other operations, like surface grinding actions.
But, for grinding of the ears on an enfield, or the bump on the rear bridge on a M98, I always do 98% of the work on a bullgrinder. We are talking minutes of work, hours saved.

I use a solid carbide end mill for this no grinding until it gets to a hand file