Lee enfield project

derk22

derk22

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i already posted this in hunting and sporting arms, i just figured it should also be here.

and yes the rifle shoots fine.


Hey what do you guys think of my new project? I decided to do this because after owning hunting rifles that cost up to a $1000 i have always noticed that my lee enfield had the smoothest action. However it was long beat up already sporterized and a little bit rusty and a little bit wiggly so i decided to do something about it. The new outcome is something that is tight compact witht he original smooth action.

WHAT I DID
removed old wood stock
grinded down pitting
sanded off old blueing
smoothed with various grit papers and steel wool
cut down barrel to 18.5
re-blued bolt
re-blued inside
installed synthetic stock
installed rail and new optic
painted


Awaiting range report

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.303 blast in an 18.5" barrel would be a little bit unpleasent (read: Lee Enfield No. 5 jungle carbine). However, if you can handle the recoil, it certainly looks like a handsome rifle!

Although I've always thought the No. 5 was a very nice looking rifle but the general concensus was their was too much recoil with such a short barrel. That and the wandering zero (which your No 4 Mk 1 won't have).

Nice project, I bet it's nice, small and convenient to use!
 
Looks like an old Lithgow, any idea when it was made - the stamps are the 'old' style, First War veteran???

I can't honestly say I love it (I have a 1918 Lithgow waiting for wood - it has a new barrel fitted) I'm more of a milsurp guy, but I certainly can appreciate it from the perspective of a working rifle. It'll never jam, the new stock won't warp, it'll survive anything you throw at it, and it'll still hit like God's right hand with the correct bullet. Also it is an update of the Canadian hunting rifle, there should be a law somewhere that says if you're a Canadian you must own an LE. So from that perspective I like it - and sure as hell it will work, and take anything you'll meet in North America. I guess at the end of the day, I rather see more of these in circulation, and in use, than see them get crushed or dewatted.

PS, under no circumstances post this in "milsurps" :eek:
 
Lol I seen this comin. But it was already beat up pretty hard so this was an Easter option to tracking parts although that is also very rewarding and I've done it with a .410.
Good points though and I pretty close share that view
 
Yeah, the more I look at it, the more brilliant it looks. There's a good chance that your mods will have that rifle working well into it's second century, there aren't too many designs that function as well in their second hundred years as they did in their first, besides you've probably saved a No5 for me :D
 
what rail is that you are using? I have a sporter with parker hale base, but one of my parker hale rings stripped, and can't find a replacement. Would love to get something more accessible.
 
That looks really nice. Having a unuseable rifle due to the state it was in before or having a nice compact hunting rifle, you have made the right choice. A muzzle break would definitely help with the blast from the short barrel. Nice work!
 
A L-E sporter!

Maybe this is what I should do with the badly bubbaed riefle I have.

The saga of my trying to get the front lower fore stock off as well as the open sight is detailed some where here, a horror story. And I already cut about 1.25" off the barrell, to the rear of the front sight. I would cut it back a bit more and have it recrowned professionally.

What sources for the plastic butt and fore stock are there?

I am intrigued and maybe have a project here.
 
the stock i bought from wholesale sports, i dont see it on the website but i just walked in and said "hey do you guys sell synthetic stocks for a lee enfield? " and they found me one.

The rail mount is a ATI rail. its 55$ and is easy to install. in a couple days ill have a range report and i'll be able to see if it holds zero
 
That looks pretty good to me. I have a #4 mk1 that has been sporterized. I just got a nice rail for it too. Now I need a synthetic stock. Which one did you go with and how much did it run? I figure I can sell my micrometer sight to help offset the cost.

Cheers,

Evilgrin
 
Gotta chime in with my beloved No4Mk1 Savage 'cut-down' converted to JC and then commercially re-parked. It's my truck gun even if I cannot afford a real-man's truck :ninja:

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Puts them all into a pie plate at 100 m... good enough for the zombie invasion of 21 May that never happened! :D

Nice project with the desert tan Krylon and tweaked No1Mk3.

Cheers,
Barney
 
derk22 said:
the stock i bought from wholesale sports, i dont see it on the website but i just walked in and said "hey do you guys sell synthetic stocks for a lee enfield? " and they found me one.

The rail mount is a ATI rail. its 55$ and is easy to install. in a couple days ill have a range report and i'll be able to see if it holds zero
Click to expand...

cool. can't wait to hear if it does. That is exactly what I want.
 
Your N0 1. mk III

derk22 said:
the stock i bought from wholesale sports, i dont see it on the website but i just walked in and said "hey do you guys sell synthetic stocks for a lee enfield? " and they found me one.

The rail mount is a ATI rail. its 55$ and is easy to install. in a couple days ill have a range report and i'll be able to see if it holds zero
Click to expand...

Derk, thanks. Did you ask specifically for a stock for a NO 1 mk III from Wholesale Sports?

I guess the question, also be rephrased, will any plastic stock fit any of the SMLE, from pre WW1 up to WW2?
 
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ATI has synth stocks for both the No4 MK1 and No1 MK3, they are however different SKU numbers.

ATI Also has no drill scope mounts for both rifles, i picked one up for my No4 MK1 a few weeks ago and it was very easy to install, haven't had it to the range however so I don't know for sure how solid it will stay.
 
Any range report yet? I have my no4 mk1 torn apart to be polished. Going to cut the barrel in a lathe and put an 11 degree target crown on it. I am very interested in how accurate it is with 18 1/2" barrel. With the longer barrel after 3 shots my rifle would start shooting all over the place. Letting the barrel cool down for 5 mins would bring it back on target but I'm hoping this is less severe with the shorter barrel. Needless to say I think this was an excellent project idea. Let us know how she shoots!

Cheers,

Evilgrin
 
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