MINISTR Y OF DEFENCE (ARMY DEP AR TMENT) INSTRUCTION HANDBOOK F O R U S E W I T H T H E R.S.A.F . 7.62 mm CONVERSION KIT FOR CONVERSION OF -303 IN. ENFIELD BOL T ACTION RIFLES WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKI n s t r u c t i o n H a n d b o o k f o r u s e w i t h t h e R . S . A . F. 7 . 6 2 m m C o n v e r s i o n K i t lunendment A n I n p r o v e d d e s i g n o f C h a r g e r G u i d e , w h i c h p e r m i t s t h e a u t o m a t i c ejection of enpty chargers, has been approved by the British Ministry o f D e f e n c e . A l l f u t u r e k i t s w i l l I n c l u d e t h i s I i r p r o v e d t y p e o f G u i d e . T h e f o l l o v / l n g a m e n d m e n t s s h o u l d b e m a d e t o t h e H a n d b c « k : - Page ^ After 'N.A.T.O. 7.62 mm Cartrldgel,add the following sub-sectlo»;- ' T h e C h a r g e r G u i d e S e c u r i n g R i v e t . This Is a flat headed rivet which both secures the Guide In position e n d a c t s a s a s t o p t o p r e v e n t t h e e n p t y c h a r g e r f r o m f a l l i n g o n t o the top i»f the magazine.' Page 7 To t h e l i s t o f e q u i p m e n t , a d d ; - 'A No.45, .082 In. (2,1 mm)dla. drill.' Page 13 A f t e r ' C a r e f u l l y w i t h d r a w ; t h e d r i f t ' a d d t h e f o l l o w l n g ; - 'If necessary , tap the Drift In a second time to seat the Guide more securely . Then, using the hole In the Charger Guide as a drill bush, drill a hole ,082 In.dla. (No.45 drill) through the left hand side of the rifle body . R e m o v e a n y s m a l l b u r r s a n d p u s h t h e R i v e t t h r o u g h t h e G u i d e a n d B o d y f r o m t h e I n s i d e . S u p p o r t t h e R i v e t h e a d a n d c a r e f u l l y r i v e t t h e s t e m t o s e c u r e , ' Royal Small Anns Factory, Enfield, Middlesex.August, 1965.WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKInstruction Handbook for use wir.h r.ho R . S . A . F. 7 . 6 2 m m C o n v e r s i o n K t r. Amendment No. 2, The following amendment should be made to the Instructions for CHAMFERING THE BODY:- (1) Amend the diagram (FIg.2) as shown:- on page 8 (II) After the title to this diagram, add the following note:- NOTE On some rifles, this chamfer may require further adjustment to avoid fouling the magazine. " Royal Small Arms Factory. Enfield, Middlesex. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK6 J ' G7 >- INSTRUCTION HANDBOOK f o r u s e w i t h t h e R.S.A.F. 7.62 mm CONVERSION KIT for conversion of -303" Enfield Bolt Action Rifles SECTIONS 1. Rifies suitable for conversion 2. Description of the Kit 3. Constant torque breeching 4. The conversion method 5. Proof and adjustment 6. Sighting 7. The No. 5 Rifle conversion R o y a l S m a l l A r m s F a c t o r y Enfield, Middlesex, England 1 February, 1963 WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKSECTION I R I F L E S S U I T A B L E F O R C O N V E R S I O N The R.S.A.F. Rifle Conversion Kit is a set of replacement components designed to convert certain of the -303" calibre British Service rifles to fire the N.A.T.O. standard series of 7-62 mm. high velocity rimless cartridges which are of higher chamber pressure than the -303" cartridge. The Conversion Kit is designed and made to the traditional standards of high quality associated with the Royal Small Arms Factory and has received approval from the British Ministry of Defence (Army Depart ment). No machining alteration of any existing parts is required. The Kit will convert all the rifles of the No. 4 Series, i.e. Marks 1, 1*, 1/2 1/3 and Mark 2. A slightly different kit is available to convert the No. 5 Rifle, or Short Jungle Version as it is sometimes known. All the variants, with their Service nomenclature before and after con version, are listed in the following table:— S E R V I C E N O M E N C L A T U R EDISTINGUISHING FEA TURES BeforeAfterBolt Removed Vi a : T r i g g e r P i v o t e d On: Rifle No. 4 Mk. 1Rifle 7-62 mm. L.8.A.4 C a t c h t o r e a r o f bridge Trigger Guard Rifle No. 4 Mk. 1*Rifle 7-62 mm. L.8.A.5 Gap in R. side of Body Trigger Guard Rifle No. 4 Mk. 1/2 Rifle 7-62 mm. L.8.A.2 C a t c h t o r e a r o f Bridge B l o c k b r a z e d t o Body Rifle No. 4 Mk. 1/3 Rifle 7-62 mm. L.8.A.3 Gap in R. side of Body B l o c k b r a z e d t o Body Rifle No. 4 Mk. 2 Rifle 7-62 mm. L.8.A.1 C a t c h t o r e a r o f Bridge Body Rifle No. 5Short Rifle with Flash Eliminator While any rifle already giving satisfactory service is convertible, the per formance after conversion depends to a considerable extent on the condition of the original weapon. To obtain the best possible results the rifle should be very carefully examined before conversion, with special attention to the following points:— All Parts and in particular the Body, Bolt and Bolt Head should be free from serious damage or excessive wear. 0 WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKHiiad SpAcii should be within the repair limits of -064" to -072" (1-63 to 1 -83 mm.) This is important as it is an indication of the state of wear of the rifle, and the Kit is designed to produce correct head space for the 7-62 mm. , p , , r cartridge when apolied to a rifle which had correct -303" head space (xmA -Ib^iaaisU&yi^before conversion^(^xfc«^xto-»s Trigger Pulls should be crisp and distinct, and their weights should be within the limits: 1st Pull — 3 lb. to 4 lb. (1-36 kg. to 1 -82 kg.) 2nd Pull — 5 lb. to 6i lb. (2-27 kg. to 2-95 kg.) Correct Stocking should be maintained if the rifle is to shoot accurately. If small corrections to the stocking are necessary these can conveniently be carried out when re-assembling after conversion and are dealt with in Section 5 "Proof and Adjustment". 3 WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKSECTION 2 D E S C R I P T I O N O F T H E K I T The Kit consists of the following parts as shown in the above photograph Fig. 1. The Barrel (J) The exterior shape of the barrel is similar to the -303" version except that the breeching face is relieved by -07" (1-77 mm.) The space thus created is filled by the Breeching Washer (2). The Chamber design is based on the N.A.T.O. standard Proof Chamber, It is hard chromium plated to a thickness of -001" ( 03 mm.) to reduce wear, ease extraction and facilitate cleaning. The rifling is four-groove, right-hand, of 12" (304-8 mm.) lead and of conventional form. 4 c ' . - J ' ' 1 WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKThe Extractor (3) The claw of the extractor is extended to suit the smaller diameter of the 7-62 mm. cartridge. The extractor utilises the existing spring and pivot screw . The Magazine (4 ) The Magazine, like the -303" version, holds 10 cartridges stacked in a double column. The difference in length between the -303" and 7-62 mm. cartridges is taken up by a channel fitted in the front of the magazine case which also acts as an auxiliary bullet guide during feeding. The Magazine Platform and Spring can be removed from the Case by depressing the rear end of the Platform and allowing the front end to emerge through the opening just forward of the lips. The Spring can be separated from the Platform by moving it toward the front while raising the first fold clear of the two guide lugs on the Platform. The left lip of the Magazine is extended to form an ejection face for the 7-62 mm. cartridge. It is important that the sharp edge of this face be maintained to ensure efficient ejection. The Charger Guide (5) The Charger guide takes the form of an adaptor or liner fitted into the existing charger stops in the rifle body. It will accommodate any of the chargers at present in use with the N.A.T.O. 7-62 mm. Cartridge. The Foresight Block Fixing Pin (not illustrated) This is an oversize taper pin provided to allow reaming of the foresight b l o c k a n d b a r r e l . WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKSECTION 3 C O N S T A N T T O R Q U E B R E E C H I N G The No. 4 Rifle having been made in other factories and countries throughout the world, there exists a variety of breeching conditions and a common cause of inconsistent and inaccurate shooting with this rifle is strain of the body and barrel threads due to excessive breeching torque. The constant torque breeching technique has been developed to eliminate the wide variations in breeching torque which normally result when replacement barrels are fitted to bodies of varying age and conditions. In conventional breeching, the barrel is screwed home until its breeching face abuts the front face of the body. The breeching face of a constant torque barrel is finished to receive one of a series of breeching washers of graduated thickness whose function is to compensate for errors or previous overstrain in the body thread or breeching face. By this technique the barrel can be screwed to the body at a torque known to be within the elastic range of the body and barrel materials. As a result, a barrel breeched by this means can always be subsequently removed and re assembled without affecting the accuracy of the body-barrel joint. For those users not wishing to breech by the constant torque method, an approximate method, described on pages 12 and 13, will give satisfactory results provided that the body is in first class condition. 6 WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKNext >