SMLE (Lee Enfield) Conversion to .45 Win Mag

[MOO1072]

Hi, need some help with a SMLE conversion. A friend and I have been inspired by the De Lisle Silent Carbine. The De Lisle Silent Carbine was a World War 2 conversion of the Lee Enfield Rifle which was fitted with a silencer and chambered in .45ACP.

Because silencers are considered naughty by lawmakers here in Australia, we cannot legally build a true reproduction so we've decided to go off on a tangent with our project and chamber it in .45 Winchester Magnum, and have no silencer fitted. With a barrell length of 18 Inches, and a big thumping .45 bullet it should make a handy, hard hitting close country carbine.

The original De Lisle Carbine used either M1911 magazines or the 20 rd Tommy gun magazines. These mags are a bit short for our purposes, (And tommy gun magazines are naughty too) so I am considering using .44 Magnum Desert Eagle Magazines.

I need help from someone with access to both a Desert Eagle .44 magnum magazine and some .45 Winchester Magnum Ammo. If they could try loading the magazine and then simulate feeding from the magazine to test the combination it would be much appreciated.

If anyone is interested I will keep the site posted with the progress.

Thanks
Moo.

BTW. We are using actions from sporterised/butchered SMLE rifles. There is no way we would dare destroy one of those beautiful original Lee Enfields.

 

[Robert]

Hi, need some help with a SMLE conversion. A friend and I have been inspired by the De Lisle Silent Carbine. The De Lisle Silent Carbine was a World War 2 conversion of the Lee Enfield Rifle which was fitted with a silencer and chambered in .45ACP.

Because silencers are considered naughty by lawmakers here in Australia, we cannot legally build a true reproduction so we've decided to go off on a tangent with our project and chamber it in .45 Winchester Magnum, and have no silencer fitted. With a barrell length of 18 Inches, and a big thumping .45 bullet it should make a handy, hard hitting close country carbine.

The original De Lisle Carbine used either M1911 magazines or the 20 rd Tommy gun magazines. These mags are a bit short for our purposes, (And tommy gun magazines are naughty too) so I am considering using .44 Magnum Desert Eagle Magazines.

I need help from someone with access to both a Desert Eagle .44 magnum magazine and some .45 Winchester Magnum Ammo. If they could try loading the magazine and then simulate feeding from the magazine to test the combination it would be much appreciated.

If anyone is interested I will keep the site posted with the progress.

Thanks
Moo.


BTW. We are using actions from sporterised/butchered SMLE rifles. There is no way we would dare destroy one of those beautiful original Lee Enfields.

Moo,

You better forget about ftom the start, as the 45 Win Mag rim will probably be bigger in diameter than the SLE bolt body

Here some dimensions:

.45 Win Mag
Rim diameter 18,98mm
Case body diameter 14,39
Case lenght 47,88

.44 Magnum
Rim diamter 13,06mm
Case diameter 11,61
Case lenght 32,64
OAL lenght 40,89

With a little bit of luck the .45 Win Mag could fit in the original SMLE mag. LOL

R.G.C

 

[MOO1072]

Hi Robert,
I think the .45 Winchester Magnum I'm considering is different to the .45 Winchester Magnum you have in mind.

The specs for the .45 Winchester Magnum I'm considering are as follows:
Type Pistol
Place of origin USA
Production history
Designer Winchester
Designed 1977
Manufacturer Winchester
Produced 1979
Specifications
Parent case .45 ACP
Case type Rimless
Bullet diameter .452 in (11.5 mm)
Neck diameter .473 in (12.0 mm)
Base diameter .476 in (12.1 mm)
Rim diameter .480 in (12.2 mm)
Rim thickness .049 in (1.2 mm)
Case length 1.198 in (30.4 mm)
Overall length 1.575 in (40.0 mm)
Case capacity 38 gr H2O (2.47 cm³)
Primer type LP
Maximum CUP 40000 CUP

By way of disclaimer, these specs were sourced from the source of all worldly knowledge on the internet, Wikipedia, but these specs indicate that the rim diameter and OAL for the .45 Win Mag is slightly smaller than the .44 Magnum. Hence the question in relation to .44 Magnum magazines.

Thanks,
Moo.

 

[Robert]

Moo,

Sorry, this one is not in my CIP listings, mostly concentrated on tifle calibres.

R.G.C

 

[MOO1072]

Have had a change of heart and have decided to go with the .44 Magnum and the .45 Winchester Magnum is just too un-common. Magazines and factory Ammo are available for the .44 Magnum. Loaded with the Hornady 265gn FTX should be a real thumper.