with no hunting season open and long winter nights,I'm thinking of a project.The criteria is it can't be too expensive and not entail anything I can't do myself and hopefully will result in something functional.My thinking is a 303 truck gun-you can pick up a bubba'd no.4 303 for about 100 bucks,I'd paint the stock with some sort of durable non slip coating, maybe cut and recrown the barrel down to 18''and install a tru-glo fire sight which should work nicely with the peep sight.if it doesn't already have a recoil pad,I'd install one, add a sling and that should be that-voila'-the truck gun which will spend its time behind the seat in my pick up,and I'm not going to be too worried about protecting it from dings.Theres all sorts of options-restocking it ,adding a scope-but all those cost money..and besides this would likely be for under 100 yard shots so the peep sight and tru glo front sight should suffice-and besides it carries nicely.Anybody else do a winter project like this?I got the idea from another thread here on shortened 303's.
303 truck gun
- Thread starter ratherbefishin
- Start date
The idea appealsto me, too. A lee enfield #4 Mk1 woud make a hell of a scout or truck rifle, especially with a 18 or 20 inch barrel. The issue aperature sights are good as is, or it's relatively easy to mount a scope.
Or a LE #5 is already short barreled and ready to go as is.
Or a LE #5 is already short barreled and ready to go as is.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
do you guys have the equipment to cut and crown a rifle barrel properly?
its a bit harder than a shotgun barrel
then again, i guess you really cant do worse than most milsurp crowns anyway, so dont mind me. id be inclined to go for a Mosin M44 instead though: already short, no headspace issues, and can be had in almost factory new condition quite cheap -- the bore on mine looks like it just rolled out of a Savage or Remington factory.
its a bit harder than a shotgun barrel
then again, i guess you really cant do worse than most milsurp crowns anyway, so dont mind me. id be inclined to go for a Mosin M44 instead though: already short, no headspace issues, and can be had in almost factory new condition quite cheap -- the bore on mine looks like it just rolled out of a Savage or Remington factory.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
I recomend 20" barrel
I have a few really bubba'ed enfields, one I turned into a nice little tanker by splicing some wood on to the sporter stock, turned out real nice. But I back on topic
shorter then 20 " and your going to really notice the muzle blast
I have a metal lathe and the tools required to properly cut and crown a barrel so its not a big deal.
My 303 truck gun is a sporter done by GlobeCo many years ago, they cut the barrel (pity it was a 1947, 5 groove) and then machined the charger bridge and rear sight off. Ground off all the markings, then polished and reblued it. I bought it for $25 a few years back for parts, (it had a mag still) but the barrel is in such nice shape I have kept it and have replace the butt. It had a recoil pad that someone put on at a strange angle.
If your going to do this start with an enfield that has already had the barrel cut back, there are lots out there.
I may have a picture somewhere of it.....
here it is as I got it
I have a few really bubba'ed enfields, one I turned into a nice little tanker by splicing some wood on to the sporter stock, turned out real nice. But I back on topic
shorter then 20 " and your going to really notice the muzle blast
I have a metal lathe and the tools required to properly cut and crown a barrel so its not a big deal.
My 303 truck gun is a sporter done by GlobeCo many years ago, they cut the barrel (pity it was a 1947, 5 groove) and then machined the charger bridge and rear sight off. Ground off all the markings, then polished and reblued it. I bought it for $25 a few years back for parts, (it had a mag still) but the barrel is in such nice shape I have kept it and have replace the butt. It had a recoil pad that someone put on at a strange angle.
If your going to do this start with an enfield that has already had the barrel cut back, there are lots out there.
I may have a picture somewhere of it.....
here it is as I got it
I agree, if you got one with the barrel already cut and crowned somewhere around 20 '', that would be a significant advantage.Cutting it with a cut off saw and filing it then using grinding compound and a brass bit will do a passable job for crowning,albeit not as good as a lath but as long as it had hunting accuracy that would be acceptable
I've been thinking of doing this for awhile. I think a synthetic stock and 19-20" barrel would be perfect. Could even buy some spare mags for easy reloading.
If I do it, it would be a non-serial matching Enfield and hopefully an already cut barrel.
If I do it, it would be a non-serial matching Enfield and hopefully an already cut barrel.
theres a ton of bubba'd 303's around,and the ammunition is readily available,I think you could pick a nice one up for under $100,and its not something you need to baby,and it will kill a deer or moose just as dead as anything costing 10 times as much-if you hold it straight. I'm of two minds-the #4 existing ghost ring peep sight with a truglo front sight* would be very acceptable for typical short range off road shooting and carry nicely too -but a 2 1/2 x scope would probably be a bit easier for my eyes.
* I can't use open sights anymore-can't focus-but I found I could shoot acceptably with a ghost ring and tru glo front sight
* I can't use open sights anymore-can't focus-but I found I could shoot acceptably with a ghost ring and tru glo front sight
either would be fine-its the #4 peep sight I like for the truck gun set up.I do have a 9,3x57 with a Norma peep sight ,but they are scarce as hens teeth.I had a nice 6.5x55 with a peep sight and short barrel I but gave it away to a young fellow with a family who wanted to hunt but didn't have much money-and he pretty much did what I'm looking at-made it into a nice truck gun,with a non slip coating
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
I took the easy route. I fairly recently lucked into and picked up a pair of Jungle Carbines. No alterations to be done and they're ready to go as is.
. I fairly recently lucked into and picked up a pair of Jungle Carbines. No alterations to be done and they're ready to go as is.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
i dont know much about Lee Enfields, and thought the jungle carbines were kindof neat and wanted to buy one but a friend that collects LEs told me to avoid them at all costs.
whats the problem with them? IIRC he mentioned something about horrific accuracy?
whats the problem with them? IIRC he mentioned something about horrific accuracy?
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
When I first started out on big game the first couple of rifles I had anything to do with were a couple of Simpon-Sears sporterzed Lee Enfields. With Jungle Carbines, what I have now are actually the 3rd and 4th JC's I've had. I've never heard of a problem with them nor have I ever experienced one. With all of them, I've fiddled a bit and tried to fit them with a more tighter fitting appropiate sized bolt head to minimize head space but that's about it.
A real man uses a rifle.
depends on the situation I guess - when i'm out and about in the truck i'd be getting shots at coyotes more than anything else and ranges are past what you could expect from a shotgun. As for hunting - I don't actively road hunt, and during hunting seasons I'm already armed with whatever is appropriate for the game I'm after.
For a truck gun, for me, a rifle would be more practical.
My truck gun is a Cooey 84 16 ga shotgun. the barrel is cut down to 22". More for chickens and zombies..maybe dispatching the odd vehicle hit deer. Pretty useless past 20 yards since is has no choke. Never tried slugs out of it though.
The reason for a ''truck gun'' is not for dedicated hunting trips-for that I pack my regular hunting rifle,this is simply to have a rifle in the truck behind the seat in case I happen to see a deer ,bear or moose which always seems to happen when I DON'T have a rifle with me...Jungle carbines are the ultimate truck gun-except they're too valuable for a knock about utility rifle-can't buy them for $25 anymore!
