Project 2A1 Rascal The saw and pencil come out.

[Sandgroper]

Neither. It's going to be in 308 necked up to 9mm aka 9mm Rascal.

Interesting David - looking forward to seeing how this develops. Not sure if I'd want to be next to you on the firing point with that short barrel however

Bah Humbug! It's all part of the charm and fun of shooting carbines. Looks like I'll be shooting next to you in 2015 and I have plenty to choose from...

[DW58]

What prompted you to decide to build a cut down version of the smle. ? Is this going to be in .303.

It's not an SMLE - it's an Ishapore 2A1 in 7.62x51mm.

[ovenpaa]

Yes, it is/was a 7,62x51 Ishapore 2A1 that went to the USA and was chopped by Navy Arms/Gibbs to become a 'Jungle Carbine' then headed over here and lost its woodwork and came to me as a barrelled action with matching bolt in a plastic stock. I knew I would never be able to find the original parts and even if I did the barrel had been shortened so I hunted down the ironwork needed, sourced some old wood and decided to rebuild it in a short barrel version and this time chambered in 9mm-08

The idea of the 9mm-08 is .308 brass is readily and cheaply available and easily opened up to suit the equally cheaply sourced 9mm/.355" pistol bullets in the 115 to 147 grain range. Put the two of them together and I have a compact rifle with a magazine that holds 12 rounds that can be shot with subsonic ammunition, 25/50 yard 1200fps stuff right up to 300 yard 2500fps+ and so far it has cost me not much more than the fuel to get to a well known shooting centre.

[Alpha1]

Looks like it could be a fun project keep us up to date with progress lots of pictures please. Especially the machining bits.

[waterford103]

Which barrel will you be using ?

[ovenpaa]

It is a Lothar Walther 'Special Rifle Steel'

[Blu]

It is a Lothar Walther 'Special Rifle Steel'

Pretty good barrels, I have one coming in the next week or so for a project I have going at the moment.

[ovenpaa]

Blu agreed, they are good barrels at sensible prices plus they are one of the few that supply the more unusual calibre barrels.

[ovenpaa]

Hmmm, wonder what a Mosin M44 carbine with a 12" barrel would be like??!!

I doubt you could easily get to 12" however you could go a fair bit shorter than the standard 20"

Given the price of the donor M44 you could work out with a handy length rifle for quite a reasonable cost, I am not sure I would want to shoot such a thing with Heavy Ball though...

[snayperskaya]

Hmmm, wonder what a Mosin M44 carbine with a 12" barrel would be like??!!

I doubt you could easily get to 12" however you could go a fair bit shorter than the standard 20"

Given the price of the donor M44 you could work out with a handy length rifle for quite a reasonable cost, I am not sure I would want to shoot such a thing with Heavy Ball though...

MN44 short.PNG

Now that's what you call a boom-stick!!!, at 10ft you could put a big hole in something and set fire to it at the same time!.If you Google "Obrez Pistol" you'll get an idea of how short a Mosin can get.