P14 to 8x57R (JRS)

[DickE]

Coverting a P14 Action to a 8x57Rimmed. Now having feed issues. Anyone having any experience with such a conversion?

 

[Sniperhandle]

Coverting a P14 Action to a 8x57Rimmed. Now having feed issues. Anyone having any experience with such a conversion?

You are going to have to alter feed rails. The 303 British has a lot of taper in the case.

Check D'Arcy Echol's Blog for good info on what it takes to alter feed rails.

 

[DickE]

You are going to have to alter feed rails. The 303 British has a lot of taper in the case.

Check D'Arcy Echol's Blog for good info on what it takes to alter feed rails.

You are going to have to alter feed rails. The 303 British has a lot of taper in the case.

Check D'Arcy Echol's Blog for good info on what it takes to alter feed rails.

 

[DickE]

Do you have experience with this type of modification? Because I don't. I know if you take out too much, and where, could go down the rabbit hole very fast

 

[Sniperhandle]

Yes, I have done one Mauser to Magnum. Read through D'Arcy Echols blog, It pretty much has all the info you need.

And yes, If you take too much it's hard to put it back.

 

[Jon Leary]

The follower can affect feeding also. try different followers before modifying the receiver.

 

[Sniperhandle]

I just compared a Piece of 303 British to a 7x57R, I don't have a piece of 8x57R and it doesn't look like it is going to take a whole lot to get it feeding.

 

[M60A3TTS]

They are both rimmed cartridges, and the P14 is set up for the 303 right out of the box, cant see where it is a problem. I have have a P14 in 7 RM that doesn't have any problem, and a 17 in 300WM with no issues. Are you using a 303 mag or a M1917 30.06 mag? They are very different. As noted the followers can be an issue and there is more than one for either caliber, with no real rhyme or reason as well, but I had one follower prevent the bolt from going forward.. ever.

You may have to massage the extractor, a bit. Again the P14 and 1917 interchange but may not work well with you cartridge. The 17's work better with non rimmed,but have much larger surface, so usin one may take some contouring. The P14 has a much smaller claw and seems to work almost with anything.

 

[Will Henry]

I really can't see it taking too much but the P14's can be surprisingly fussy. I've had some in 303 Epps which were real problems. One, I rebarreled to 30/40 Krag, and it was balky. The 303 and 30/40 are pretty similar. I always chuckled when people would suggest using a P14 for a belted magnum, so you didn't have to open the bolt face. Opening the bolt face for a magnum is nothing. Altering the receiver and getting a P-14 to feed a 308 Norma can be a long afternoon's work.
The 8x57R should be a great conversion. I would expect the changes that may have to be made would be at the shoulder location and slightly ahead of that. How do the cartridges stack in the box? WH