BSA Hunter 222 rebarrel to PPC

I have a BSA Hunter 222 (well actually I have 3 of them but that is a different story).

Does anyone have experience with rebarrelling one of these and opening up the bolt face and magazine to either 22 or 6 mm PPC (or alternatively, something on the 7.62x39 case).

Opening up the bolt face and trimming the extractor looks very straight forward.

I am not so sure on the magazine. I have tried a few 22 PPC rounds I had lying about and clearly the feed lips would need to be opened up a little to let even a single (non-staggered) round through. The magazine box is also quite narrow and although it appears you could still get 'a litttle bit of stagger' out of it I'm not convinced you could get it to work as anything other than a single shot without a wider magazine layout.

I was thinking of a very lightweight sporter in 6mm PPC to double as a walkabout wallaby and small deer gun.

If it is all too hard has anyone rebarrelled a CZ 7.62x39 to PPC - how was your magazine length and did it feed ok?

The further alternative would be to lengthen the BSA to comfortably accommodate a 6mm-223, but that wouldn't be anywhere near as exciting as the PPC!

Thanks,
Ben

Take it out to Robbie Tiffen, if it can be done he will do it.

It isn't a difficult task to alter a magazine for another cartridge either lengthways or widthways PROVIDING that your floorplate is of suficient size to cover the different sized mag.
I have just lengthened a Zastava M85 magazine to accomadate a lengthened Grendel cartridge by cutting the rear of and making a new back from sheet steel so to get a bit of width just cut it in half front and rear and weld in a strip. You may even be able to get away with just cutting the rear and keeping the locating notch on the front and spreading the front walls slightly then bending it again just in front of where the shoulder will be then welding a strip in the rear. Just make sure it is smooth on the inside so the cartridge has nothing to stop its free movment. I believe that the shape of the case, ie shoulder width and base width are important to get the best loading characteristics. Look at the cartridge you want to use and measure 1 1/2 times the shoulder and the case head and look to have the magazine at these dimensions at these junction points.

Von Gruff.

I found the 6mmPPC to be a bit disappointing in the field - im sure "The Claw" will chip in here:D
Hence why it s now a 20PPC.
Magazine and the feed will be your headache with the bsa - i did mine on a sako ppc to take that out of the picture.
Zastava might be the best bet - in the states that seems to be the track they are going down for that very reason.

They are fine weapons are you really sure you want to do that to one.

Just about every culler it seemed owned one once it seemed and would never sell it. They were always a bit hard to get your hands on.

I guess age may have caught up with the old buggars and some of these sorts of firearms are starting to hit the market.

What condition are the three in????.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Scribe

They are fine weapons are you really sure you want to do that to one.

Just about every culler it seemed owned one once it seemed and would never sell it. They were always a bit hard to get your hands on.

I guess age may have caught up with the old buggars and some of these sorts of firearms are starting to hit the market.

What condition are the three in????.

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The one I am proposing to attack is pretty rough - it was actually originally 22 Hornet but the barrel has been replaced with another BSA barrel - this time in 222.

My second is in very good completely original condition - although it has the American style stock which is not quite as sought after.

My third is an Alan Carr stocked/Din Collings metal work (with Krieger tight neck match barrel) custom, now in 223 (Erin Boyds old gun for those that read NZ Guns). It is exquisite.

Thanks everyone for their help so far.