Knowledge on buying a Lee enfield
- Thread starter rockymountain8
- Start date
The rarer the more money. WW2 rifles are more. Then come the factory/markings/sights etc. 303 is expensive to shoot, reloading does not make it much cheaper unless you are willing to pull bullets from surplus ammo which one guy did (look at the milsurp and reloading forum).
As milsurps go, Lee Enfields are relatively affordable. If you get a decent example with matching numbered parts you can rest assured that it won't go down in value. Don't even think about getting a "sporter" to restore—fitting the wood takes a lot of practice. Based on the rifles I've owned, I suspect the probability of finding an excellent shooter for reasonable money is higher with No. 4 rifles as they are generally newer and came from the factory with simpler bedding. Many commercial sellers have gone crazy with pricing, but in a private sale you should expect to go very close to $1000 (or, of course, higher) to get a good one. If you lower your standards and accept mismatched rifles that are still in military configuration you can shave a few hundred bucks off but may end up with a "project" (or someone else's old project). I've purchased many LEs that came to me looking fine but were soon found to have issues. Watch for obvious signs of tinkering such as poor fit between the rear of the forend and the butt-socket.
milsurpo
milsurpo
I really like the no.4 or no.5(some say no.5 has accuracy problem because of thinner receiver)
If you reload you will want to resize neck only(something like the classic lee loader, which is not very expensive to get), they have loose chamber and wont get many reload doing full resize with a press.
I started reloading for mine as i did not see any .303 brit ammo(that and .410 which were wayy expensive) in any store for the past 6 year(they got some this year but its 90$/box for 303 and 50$/box for 410..)
If you reload you will want to resize neck only(something like the classic lee loader, which is not very expensive to get), they have loose chamber and wont get many reload doing full resize with a press.
I started reloading for mine as i did not see any .303 brit ammo(that and .410 which were wayy expensive) in any store for the past 6 year(they got some this year but its 90$/box for 303 and 50$/box for 410..)
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I was recommended the No4 Mk1 due to the better iron sight and thicker barrel but I'm also interested in the No1 Mk3 due to the history
As reasonably priced ammo is way harder to find than the rifles, you may want to start out finding a source of ammo first and then buy the rifle.
No need to "wait" for anything. There are loads of full stocked LE rifles available these days ... LOADS of them.
IMO reloading 303 for a LE is not for a rank beginner. The LE has numerous quirks that are easy to fall into for a new reloader.
LOL .......... LOL .........
You aren't going to find a decent full stock LE for less than $1000 these days. There are sporters listed for $600 and more.
Thanks, but last I checked, $1200 is more than $1000?As reasonably priced ammo is way harder to find than the rifles, you may want to start out finding a source of ammo first and then buy the rifle.
No need to "wait" for anything. There are loads of full stocked LE rifles available these days ... LOADS of them.
IMO reloading 303 for a LE is not for a rank beginner. The LE has numerous quirks that are easy to fall into for a new reloader.
LOL .......... LOL .........
You aren't going to find a decent full stock LE for less than $1000 these days. There are sporters listed for $600 and more.
I personally like the #1 Mk3 better but that's just me. For my older eyes the rear sight configuration ( forward mounted notch vs peep) works better and I like the aesthetics and history of those. If you have any gun shows near you head down and have a look at what's on offer. Many sellers of milsurp are very knowledgeable and like to pass on their knowledge.
If you haven't found this YT channel check out Forgotten Weapons.
If you haven't found this YT channel check out Forgotten Weapons.
Ok thanks, there's one near Winnipeg happsning this weekend I'm hoping to go to.
If you're after shootability and not collectability, then any post war 'FTR' or 'new' factory rifle is a good candidate. A lot of No 4 Mk I's (star and no star) got updated to the No 4 Mk II standard after the war and you'll see them stamped with a '1/2' or '1/3' after the No 4 on the receiver. They got new barrels/parts, and the trigger was hung from the receiver instead of the bottom metal of the mag well.
The tolerances are typically better on post-war rifles that have been well cared for, so they'll shoot better and last longer with fewer issues, generally speaking, and because it's not overly collectable, you don't have to worry about wearing out parts and just swapping them out as needed.
The tolerances are typically better on post-war rifles that have been well cared for, so they'll shoot better and last longer with fewer issues, generally speaking, and because it's not overly collectable, you don't have to worry about wearing out parts and just swapping them out as needed.
I also prefer the no1 platform, and I still shoot better with leaf sights.
A good condition aussie (lithgow) no1 mk3 are worth the price. They always shoot well. They never patterned off of the no1 to the no4. My lithgow was ftrd in 53 with a new barrel.
I actually like my no1, and lee speed sporting rifle the best.
A good condition aussie (lithgow) no1 mk3 are worth the price. They always shoot well. They never patterned off of the no1 to the no4. My lithgow was ftrd in 53 with a new barrel.
I actually like my no1, and lee speed sporting rifle the best.
Keep your eyes open for a sporter which is a normal military version with the wood cut down but not the barrel or action. Such rifles can be restored with a set of wood. That wood is getting harder to find now, but it's still out there. Setting up a No.4 in its stock is not just a drop it in and tighten the screws job, but the resources are all online to tell you how to do it.
You can get familiar with the rifle as a sporter and later restore it when you're ready and have the parts to do so.
The important thing for someone starting out is an excellent barrel and a matching bolt. Almost anything else is pretty easy to correct. Two groove are as accurate as five groove by the way, but a little more difficult to judge the condition of.
.303 is a good choice as it's probably still one of easiest rounds to find. Look and ask around for ammo at the shows. Same with rifles; people have stuff they don't bring to the shows.
Good choice for a person starting out: tough, simple, relatively cheap for what you get and lots of info out there. We all love the firearms smorgasbord, but the guy who has one rifle he knows very well and shoots very well is what wins in war or the hunt.
The Enfield is a fine rifle, but have you considered a more modern bolt in a calibre like .308 instead? These will come with a buttpad that isn’t made of metal, a better trigger, more features and more importantly ammo can be had for cheaper, esp during sales. There are also alot more ammo types, depending on your need. If a used sporter is $600 like someone mentioned and you want a reliable rifle, something more modern could suit you well, unless you want a piece of history as a collection piece then please disregard my post.
I never thought to do that, to restore a sporter in good condition instead of just buying a rifle still in its original body. Thanks for the adviceKeep your eyes open for a sporter which is a normal military version with the wood cut down but not the barrel or action. Such rifles can be restored with a set of wood. That wood is getting harder to find now, but it's still out there. Setting up a No.4 in its stock is not just a drop it in and tighten the screws job, but the resources are all online to tell you how to do it.
You can get familiar with the rifle as a sporter and later restore it when you're ready and have the parts to do so.
The important thing for someone starting out is an excellent barrel and a matching bolt. Almost anything else is pretty easy to correct. Two groove are as accurate as five groove by the way, but a little more difficult to judge the condition of.
.303 is a good choice as it's probably still one of easiest rounds to find. Look and ask around for ammo at the shows. Same with rifles; people have stuff they don't bring to the shows.
Good choice for a person starting out: tough, simple, relatively cheap for what you get and lots of info out there. We all love the firearms smorgasbord, but the guy who has one rifle he knows very well and shoots very well is what wins in war or the hunt.
Over the years, I have rebuilt quite a number of Lee Enfields to service configuration. Have also assembled others from assorted parts. More recently I have been assembling rifles from odds and ends of parts, converting them to .22 rimfire. Faux training rifles. Undertaken as projects, just for the sake of doing them.
The days when sported rifles could be restored to service configuration at reasonable cost are long gone. A SMLE restoration will be more costly than a No. 4.
Surplus rifles were modestly priced at one time. No longer. Any Lee Enfield, either original or FTR'd will have a significant price tag. Matching numbers, a fine bore, clean intact stocks and substantial original finish will command a premium.
The days when sported rifles could be restored to service configuration at reasonable cost are long gone. A SMLE restoration will be more costly than a No. 4.
Surplus rifles were modestly priced at one time. No longer. Any Lee Enfield, either original or FTR'd will have a significant price tag. Matching numbers, a fine bore, clean intact stocks and substantial original finish will command a premium.
