.223 No.4 Revisiting

[Bruce_in_Oz]

"Accurate Mag" in the US make a 10 round, steel, .223 / .204 Ruger etc mag.

The trick is that, like the old Sako 75, the .223 part is an insert in a standard 7.62 / .308 "shell". this simplifies things for folks building on Remington 700, Surgeon, Savage 110 actions, etc.

Because the AM mag is set up like an AI mag, (double column tapering up to a single feed), it may be the way to fly.

Alternately, rustle up some after-market .223 mags for the old Remington 788. These are fairly simple, single column affairs and could be easily black-smithed into a larger "shell", be it a No4 or whatever. Ditto the old Tikka mags (and clones) of similar design. Regarding the "shell", the somewhat "squarer" Indian 2A1 magazine case might well be better suited for housing such inserts, and shouldn't take TOO much fiddling to lock into a No4.

Yet ANOTHER .223 mag alternative, for those living in reasonably enlightened places, is the single column 5.56 mag intended for the "politically correct" AK-based sporters.

[newcastle]

Hello all.
The reason this stalled is because the gunsmith that was helping me out got sick and had an operations some months earlier in the year and he is the only one I know that has experience with Lee Enfields. I emailed his son to check up on condition on Friday oddly. This will probably be another 6 months or so before there is any significant movement on my end but I am still highly interested in it. However as Peter states, if it doesn't feed fire extract and eject consistently well it will just be an exercise in frustration, so I anticipate along road of tweaks and experiments.

[Surpmil]

I assume we are all thinking the same thing: insert selected .223/5.56 mag into .303 No.4 mag and braze or weld in place?

[browningautorifle]

braze or weld in place?

With aluminum mags? How's that going to work? Maybe a mini 14 mag would weld in.

[newcastle]

I assume we are all thinking the same thing: insert selected .223/5.56 mag into .303 No.4 mag and braze or weld in place?

That is what i as thinking but the key i suspect will get getting it aligned perfectly before welding and then keeping it in EXACTLY the same position as one is welding it - we all know how finicky feeding is and the slightest wee movement will screw it up.

[tiriaq]

The AICS .223 magazine almost fits the mag. well on a No. 4 receiver. The front of the well must be opened out slightly. The magazine catch will probably work as is. The AICS magazine is .308 length. It will accept .223 cartridges with VLD bullets seated out.
I have a very indifferent receiver. Will open it out, see how this magazine will work. Somewhere I have a Sako varmint barel altered for the No. 4. Will be able to test feeding.

[tiriaq]

Took little cuts on either side of the magazine well, toward the front end, to allow the AICS magazine to come up into the receiver. The bolt will push the round forward nicely, but the tip of the bullet hits below the chamber. The magazine does not go all the way forward in the well; there is a gap of about 3/8". I think a feed ramp could be installed in this space.

[newcastle]

Could you take many many pictures please and post them? Would the feed ramp have to be in the magazine or on the receiver?? Could it be shaped plate steel stuck down the front of the magazine.

[Surpmil]

With aluminum mags? How's that going to work? Maybe a mini 14 mag would weld in.

I wouldn't use aluminum mags, or if I did, I'd put an insert in the mag well instead.

But then I wouldn't bother with .223 at all. 7.62x39 using SKS-D mags: now that's an idea I like.

[browningautorifle]

Most encountered .223 mags are AR, thus aluminum.