.303 To .22 Short Adapter

[Tom in N.J.]

Last September I purchased, on-line, two .303 British to .22 Short chamber adapters. These are 'broad arrow' and 'EFD' marked. The rear of the adapter is held in place by a little spring loaded ball. They fit all of my four of my British rifles, unlike the U.S Hoffer-Thompson adapter which was made for a special chamber in a .22 barrel. What were these used for in British service? The rod for removing the empty case is from a Hoffer-Thompson set.

Information

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[Baal]

EFD is a firearms dealer in England that specializes in refurbishing Enfields. Possibly it refers to them? Can't help you with any of your other questions though.

[Son]

That marking is from the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield. The adaptor would be a training aid so the full size .303 could be used perhaps at an indoor range. I can't recall seeing that particular one before, but others similar were to fit into a .22 barrel with a .303 chamber to use the full functions of loading, feeding, firing and ejecting rounds while shooting .22LR at a target.

[Mk VII]

This appears to be the Parker patent ".303 *** .22 system" [darned censorship!! Look it up in Skennerton.]
http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_R...8_303***22.htm [this won't work either until you put "see you em" in place of the asterisks.]
Repeatedly put up to the War Office, and just as repeatedly rejected, the system was briefly adopted for official use. Hitting a hard cement floor on ejection must have dented the mouths, just like the Hoffer-Thompson system, and the erosive smokeless or semi-smokeless powders of the time would have worn them out quickly.

[breakeyp]

The adaptor should accept a .22 LR round, not short based on examples I have. There are two types that were used for a .22 version Lee Enfield No.1 variant rifle--.22RF short rifle Pattern 1918 . It had a special chamber to accept the rounds fed through the magazine. The other use was in a conversion kit for the Vickers machine gun. I have sucessfully chambered both types in my rifle and Vickers barrels if I remember correctly--it has been a while since I had both out together.

[Tom in N.J.]

breakeyp, You are correct!!.. Two passes with a .22 caliber brush and one patch, and the adapters now accept the .22 long rifle cartridge. Must have been hardened oil or grease. I was reluctant to force a long rifle cartridge into the adapter when resistance was encountered. The .22 short chambered in the dirty chamber just fine!....