P14 318 WR

[csmiffy]

Sometimes I start thinking about things and this is one of those times.
In an article/thread on here about the 318WR, it mentioned that WR at one time used P14 actions to make them. Some very quick digging suggested a P17 would be a better fit.
As I have some possible donor actions for this (toasted 303 barrel and or no bolt), would it have been as easy as using a P17 bolt and mag follower? Does anyone here know what else they had to do?
There is a masochist in me that would one day like to do one but I am certainly doing myself no favors.
It's hard to find things like reamers here. It would be way easier to do a 318-06 just for the brass alone.
I have a rifle waiting on me to get the gorse out of my pockets and buy 300HH reamer but freight adds another 50-60USD to the price and I get distracted.
Barrel would be even worse I'd imagine.
Thoughts peoples?

 

[Wyatt Smith]

The 338-06 is very close to the 318. The only way I would deal with feeding the 318 would be if I found a really nice vintage rifle chambered as such.

 

[Red Leg]

This is my between the wars Cogswell & Harrison .318 WR. It would have been built on a P-14 action. Amazing how a British gunmaker could turn one of the things into an elegant rifle.

 

[fourfive8]

Sometimes I start thinking about things and this is one of those times.
In an article/thread on here about the 318WR, it mentioned that WR at one time used P14 actions to make them. Some very quick digging suggested a P17 would be a better fit.
As I have some possible donor actions for this (toasted 303 barrel and or no bolt), would it have been as easy as using a P17 bolt and mag follower? Does anyone here know what else they had to do?
There is a masochist in me that would one day like to do one but I am certainly doing myself no favors.
It's hard to find things like reamers here. It would be way easier to do a 318-06 just for the brass alone.
I have a rifle waiting on me to get the gorse out of my pockets and buy 300HH reamer but freight adds another 50-60USD to the price and I get distracted.
Barrel would be even worse I'd imagine.
Thoughts peoples?

Depends on whether you want to actually use it and shoot it or just want to build a conversation piece to talk about in the abstract. If you had a 318 WR you could talk about how it was Bell's favorite caliber. But he couldn't find reliable 318 ammo so he burned it up shooting cormorants on the wing for practice. As @Wyatt Smith posted, the 338-06 is the 318 WR ballistic twin and superior choice in every way.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Interesting. I have my late wife's grandpa's junker P14 taking up space in my gun closet. I thought about using it for a build but removing those ears would be just too much hassle. End product would still be a butt ugly affair. Or so I thought. That one of Red Leg's is certainly pretty enough.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

@Red Leg above Cogswell & Harrison is a perfect example of a fine rifle I would go through the effort of sourcing ammunition and or components.

 

[fourfive8]

If so inclined, go for it. You might be able to cobble together enough brass to load some supply with correct headstamp but finding any quantity of it will be forever a challenge. One possiblilty is that GC could make some if not worried about wait time- you'd have to call them. Good luck finding modern, quality, premium hunting bullets of .330 diameter. I think Hawk makes 200 gr .330 RN soft point bullets but they are simple cup and core and I would not consider that bullet a modern, quality, big game hunting bullet. PRVI makes a .330 FMJ bullet that would be OK for plinking. So who knows for source of any quality .330 hunting bullets?

Bell really liked the ballistics of the 318 WR and it was one of his favorites if not his favorite caliber.... but.... If reliable factory 318 WR ammo had been available 120 years ago, history would surely have been different. As it turned out he started using his 7X57 shooting 173 gr RN FMJ ammo by DWM. He could get it in quantity and he said it was as reliable of factory ammo as he had ever used. The rest IS history.

You might be able to find some old factory ammo somewhere like this Kynoch with RN FMJ

 

[Aaron N]

There’s always 8x68! I’d say it has a bit more panache than 338-06, factory loadings, and you can still get 250g woodleighs.

 

[rdog]

I built a 318 WR about 1 year ago out of a M98 Parker Hale 270 W, Barrel by Swan gunsmithing in Brisbane Australia , made brass out of 30/06 an easy process with CH dies, bullets from Woodleigh, & Bertram & an all copper bullet from Atomic 29, it is a moa performer & thumps wild pigs down like hit by lightning could not be happier. Bertram also make proper head stamped brass . I do not see any problems with brass & bullets with a little effort on your part, a 338/06 you have to form brass also other than there is a lot more bullet options ,i do not see any issues with a 318 WR build.

 

[steve white]

Depends on whether you want to actually use it and shoot it or just want to build a conversation piece to talk about in the abstract. If you had a 318 WR you could talk about how it was Bell's favorite caliber. But he couldn't find reliable 318 ammo so he burned it up shooting cormorants on the wing for practice. As @Wyatt Smith posted, the 338-06 is the 318 WR ballistic twin and superior choice in every way.

Probably almost as good as a 35 Whelen...

 

[fourfive8]

I built a 318 WR about 1 year ago out of a M98 Parker Hale 270 W, Barrel by Swan gunsmithing in Brisbane Australia , made brass out of 30/06 an easy process with CH dies, bullets from Woodleigh, & Bertram & an all copper bullet from Atomic 29, it is a moa performer & thumps wild pigs down like hit by lightning could not be happier. Bertram also make proper head stamped brass . I do not see any problems with brass & bullets with a little effort on your part, a 338/06 you have to form brass also other than there is a lot more bullet options ,i do not see any issues with a 318 WR build.

For the benefit of the OP, linked pages and sites should be listed for currently available 318 components since a statement was made about how available they are.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Not had to find components, atomic 29 are in southern South Australia, and have a web site (and will custom turn most size projectiles) Bertram’s in Victoria, just need to look up who their stockist in UnZud is( linguistic tease for our NZ brothers there) and woodleighs should be up and running again properly soon, after their fire. The 318 is a brilliant cartridge and can be driven hard in the right rifle. I keep trying to talk my gunsmith mate out of his, but he likes it too much.
gumpy

 

[Rule 303]

The M17 would make the easier conversion as its extractor and mag box & follower are set for the 30-06. The P14 mag box is a bit wider and has groves stamped into it. The P14 extractor is set up for rimed cases. Also if the extractor on a M17 is weak/faulty you can replace them with Rugger M77 Extractors. Bill Rugger based his bolt on the M17 to some extent. Note, Mauser Extractors will not function properly on an M17, don't ask med how I know

 

[csmiffy]

Well while it might indeed end up a talking piece, I would be just as likely to grab it as the 243, the 8x57 or the 416 remington which I have carried a bit but had little opportunity to shoot much.
Interesting comment about the ruger M77 extractor. Not sure if they are cheaper or more available than a P17 unit here in NZ but still handy.
Bit like why I would like a 300HH. It's just cool
A 300 win mag would be way easier but it's not the same is it.

 

[mdwest]

My wife’s 300 H&H was built on a p14 action. Hers is a particularly nice rifle with excellent walnut, and a very nice deep blue..

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Logically speaking, you'd be better off getting a .338 WInchester Magnum (due to ease of sourcing factory loaded ammunition & reloading components). But alas, these are matters of the heart and one does not always let logic prevail.

I say go for it. Douglas barrels will provide you with a premium grade .330 caliber barrel. Rhino in South Africa makes excellent premium grade core bonded solid shank expanding bullets.

318 Solid Shank (25 Units) | Rhino Bullets

These are bond-core bullets with a drilled hole in the front part of the bullet and it features a solid copper shank at the rear, which is indestructible. The thick wall jackets attempt to keep petals intact, and expansion gets arrested where the drilled hole stops. The net result is that it...

www.rhinobullets.co.za

As for brass, Bruce Bertram can easily provide this. Although he is currently only manufacturing brass for certain "High Demand" calibers and has no idea when he will manufacture new production runs for the .318 Westley Richards or .425 Westley Richards amongst other calibers.

If you do manage to get your hands on vintage Kynoch brand .318 Westley Richards ammunition (or brass) in good condition, then collect it immediately and anneal the brass cases. I know a technique for modifying Berdan primed Kynoch cases to take conventional boxer primers. Each brass case will last you 5 reloads if prepared properly. Although it is extremely labor intensive.

Brass can also be made from the .30-06 Springfield cases.

You can build .318 Westley Richards caliber rifles on the following actions:
-Mauser M98
- Pattern 14 Enfield
- Enfield M1917
- Springfield M1903A3
- BRNO ZKK600