2 Groove Enfield

S

Stormwind

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Ok, Just curious. I know the Lee-Enfield No.4 normally has 5 groove rifling in the barrel. But I see alot of 2 grooved barreled Enfields for a cheaper price.

What I would like to know is how much of an effect does this have on accuracy? Is the difference really that noticeable?
 
My 2 groove Longbranch shoot very well, but only flat based bullet. Cast bullets thumble in it, and boat-tail are not giving good results.

My 5 groove SMLE eats everything I put in it, shoot cast and boat tail ok.
 
Military testing of both No4 LE and M1903A3 Springfield barrels during WW2 didn't show any appreciable degree of accuracy change from the standard 5gr and 4 gr barrels. This led to the 2 gr barrels being adopted to speed production. My M1903A4 sniper rifle has a 2 gr barrel as an original installation and it is an excellent shooter.
 
I was hitting a 20" gong at 550m with my 2 groove Long Branch last weekend with iron sights. Pretty damned good accuracy to me.

That was prone unsupported and offhand.
 
I have gone through this several times before, but I'll do it again. SOME day, people are going to start using the SEARCH function.

When I was in High School, we had a very active long-range shooting group here and the old military range was just across the road from the school. We shot there on Sundays.

These were very serious shooters with the very best equipment. At least 3 or 4 would end up at the Dominion shoot in Ottawa and at least 2 would make it to Bisley. I had a $10.66 2-groove Number 4 to shoot against the Fulton-regulated, Martin-sighted, Holland-and-Holland-bedded, Parker-Hale Ball-burnished SMLEs and their ilk.

The consensus among these guys (who were some of the best in the world) was that a 2-groove Number 4, if bedded correctly, could keep up with a 5-groove out to and including 600. After 600, the 2-groove was at a disadvantage. They also considered that the Number 4 was at a disadvantage at ranges past 800, compared to the older SMLE.
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smellie said:
I have gone through this several times before, but I'll do it again. SOME day, people are going to start using the SEARCH function.

When I was in High School, we had a very active long-range shooting group here and the old military range was just across the road from the school. We shot there on Sundays.

These were very serious shooters with the very best equipment. At least 3 or 4 would end up at the Dominion shoot in Ottawa and at least 2 would make it to Bisley. I had a $10.66 2-groove Number 4 to shoot against the Fulton-regulated, Martin-sighted, Holland-and-Holland-bedded, Parker-Hale Ball-burnished SMLEs and their ilk.

The consensus among these guys (who were some of the best in the world) was that a 2-groove Number 4, if bedded correctly, could keep up with a 5-groove out to and including 600. After 600, the 2-groove was at a disadvantage. They also considered that the Number 4 was at a disadvantage at ranges past 800, compared to the older SMLE.
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Click to expand...

I apologise, I'll do that next time.
 
Not directed at you personally, friend, but rather toward the Human Race in general. You just caught me at a bad time.

I do hope this is of some help to you.

Let us know how she shoots for you. I find that a flatbased Sierra 180 Pro-Hunter, seated to the OAL of a Ball round, ahead of 37 grains of IMR-4895, tends to come out at about 2250 ft/sec, which is right on the by-test, proven-most-accurate velocity for a bullet of that weight in a Lee-Enfield. Several fellows on this board have tried that load and I think all have come up with decent results.

DO have fun!
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