P14 Replacement Barrels

Hi there,
I'm new to the forum and I'm from Down Under. I note you mainly deal with M17s & P14s in original condition. I'm looking at buying a couple of P14 sporters, one has had the ears milled and has a nice scope set up. The other one has had the ear tips cut and is also set up with a scope, not as neat as the first one but still looks good. Now they both have the original stocks but they have been sporterised and they are both in 303-25. I already have a K98 Mauser in 303-25 with a varmint barrel that shoots sub moa groups at 100m.

I plan to rebarrel one to 303 Brit thus my query in relation to finding a replacement barrel. Now to paint a picture for you here in Australia a rebarrel will cost you AU$530 minimum. The barrels alone around the $300-$360 then the fitting is extra. I know surfing the net you can get cheaper barrels in the US, as I use to purchase them from the US and get them posted until all the restrictions and export permits things started. I have a few friends in the US that can send me the barrels down to me so I need to know if anyone is selling any P14 barrels in 303.

The other rifle I plan to rebarrel in 458 Lott. That one I will source locally and cop the hefty price for it. The laminated sporter stocks I plan to buy from the US also.

Any assistance would be most welcomed.

Cheers

Jorge

shipping barrels out of the US is next to impossible,
non of my suppliers will do so.
i have 3 customers out of the US, and sad to say, i cant help them,
maybe find a new barrel maker in your country that will make one based on the dems of a take off.

Welcome to the forum :)
And there are several of us here that appreciate a well crafted sporter as well as the original configuration.

Dan

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dan Wilson

Welcome to the forum :)
And there are several of us here that appreciate a well crafted sporter as well as the original configuration.

Dan

---

Thanks for the welcome Dan.

chuckindenver I have a mate in the US that gets me stuff like that to me. I just need to know where I can source a barrel cheaper than here, as we get robbed as the smiths are far and few between due to what happend back in 1996 with the gun buy backs.

If I know of someone that sells them my mate can do the rest.

Cheers

Jorge

contact Krieger barrels, they have a sister company, Critian {spelling} that makes a nice 1917 and P14 barrel.
remember one real important thing...
its a Felony to ship a barrel to Aus, and other places in Europe.
check the customs laws,..
however, its not against the law to ship them from there to the US...laws....sometimes they just dont make since.

I can get my hands on a SMLE No1 MkIII heavy barrel in pretty good condition. Could this barrel be rethreaded to fit in a P14 action?

no, the 17 and 14 have a very large receiver ring.
pick up a copy of Frank De Has BOLT ACTION RIFLES and your eyes will be open.

Quick update on P-14 barrels in Australia.

There are some being prepared as we type. I know the people involved.

Features are:

1. They will be externally identical to original.
2. Rifling is .303"/.311" dia., LH twist, 1:10" twist rate, 5 groove. 120deg included flank angle on lands.
3. Chamber is pre-cut SAAMI basic with throating for Mk7 ball.
4. Breech thread will be slightly short to allow gun-plumbers to set back to headspace.
5. Mk 1* lug clearance will NOT be cut on initial production.
6. "Smith to cut front sight keyway after breeching.
7. Price unknown as yet. MUST be fitted by Non-Bubba who knows how to inspect receivers and bolts.

As soon as they are ready and tested, I will post back here.

Goodday,

Also from downunder, I have recently retired after nearly 39 years in the Australian Customs Service and now look forward to having the time to get on with some of my projects.

One of which is a sporter on a P14 action - and I need a barrel! Any further developments on this?

Also for Jorge - who makes laminated stocks for the P14? I haven't found anyone yet. I have one nice Bishop stock (walnut) that I may use, and I also have a duplicarver so I can carve a stock to any shape I like (or can find an original for) and then duplicate the inletting to suit my plans.

Glad I found this forum - seems others are having the same problems I am! Maybe we can sort them out together.

More on the P-14 barrels in Oz:

The test batch of blanks has been drilled and are in the process of reaming for bore size. A blown seal on one of the machines slowed things down a bit.

CNC shop has the profiling and threading data. Test dummy due any day, apparently.

I guess they could use similar data for M-17 barrels in .30-06 or .308Win as well.

Same folk are working on replacement SMLE barrels too. A few months away yet, though. So many ideas, so few resources!

Keep us informed on what is happening, I would be interested in both P14 and P17 barrels. Stuart.

So did anyone make a barrel in the end?

Exporting barrels requires an export license in the USA. There's nothing impossible about it other than the fact that many if not most manufacturers don't want to bother with the hassles and paperwork even though they all hold the DDTC registrations because they are forced to do so by the Federal Government. Small importer/exporters like myself bite the bullet and pay for the very expensive DDTC registration on a yearly basis so that we CAN get the job done. The service costs a lot of money so the smart way to do it is in bulk. A one-off isn't cost effective at all. I just shipped nine new barrels, (not P'14), that leave for Canada by air freight tomorrow via my forwarder in Boston so it can be done.

Military surplus barrels are not importable to the USA at this time but those of us in the trade are working to get that changed now that we have a firearms friendly administration. I'll be at the NRA Annual Meetings late this week with a laundry list of things that need to be brought to the attention of the new administration. Never say never. It's a very long time.

Any updates on this thread re P14 barrels being made in Australia?

I can't add to Bruce In Oz's message about the P14/M17 Barrel being locally manufactured. Haven't come across any stocks of said trial. A couple of local smiths are able to produce a profile same as original. Depending on your time and patience, it will get done this decade at least.

The most helpful suggestion that I have is contact Tom at TBone Shipwrighting in Sydney. Tom's adverts appear regularly on these pages and he's a moderator on the Lee Enfield Forum. Tom often has those barrels come in from the US, usually twice annually. Probably a better bet than getting one made up.

Hope that's of some help.