Got A 2nd Lee Enfield

Mumbles Marble Mouth

Mumbles Marble Mouth

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Lower Mainland
I got myself a second Lee Enfield today. Got it from the same person that sold me the No1 MK III. Originally when I was looking to get a Lee Enfield, I wanted the No4. After awhile of searching, I found someone selling a No 1 MK III and just went with it. Now I really like the No1. Not sure which one I like better as of yet. I'm going to the range tomorrow with both of them. Only to try them out as I'm going hunting again the next day and I'm going to use one of them to take a deer. Most likely the No 1 because I'm already familiar with it and its dead on accurate at 100 meters. Never tired at 200 but 200 meters shots are highly unlikely around here. I'll make sure to take pictures at the range tomorrow. For now, here are my initial pictures.



It looks like an all numbers matching rifle. It came with the bayonet as well I just can't seem to remember where I put it. The bayonet is also matching serial number.



When I brought the rifle home, I thought that I had broke something as the safety wouldn't come off and the bolt wouldn't open. I didn't know that you can half #### the Enfield but now I know. ;)



My No4 MK I and No1 MK III.



When I bought my SKS, I though it was a cool and fun gun. However, the Enfield is about 10x cooler and funner ;) .... Just also about 10x more expensive to shoot. :eek:
 
Beautiful rifles, congrats

Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
When I bought my SKS, I though it was a cool and fun gun. However, the Enfield is about 10x cooler and funner ;) .... Just also about 10x more expensive to shoot. :eek:
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I felt the same way when I got my Mosin, I still like shooting my SKS but given a choice I'll take the bolt action mosin out any day. BTW at under $.25 a round you should consider grabbing one too ;).
 
Friend Mumbles, you have a heck of a nice start on a fine collection.

If you are really concerned about the cost of ammo..... and the life of your barrel..... I would urge you to think of the Harris Universal Load. It is 13 grains of Red Dot (shotgun) powder with a 180-grain CAST LEAD bullet (you can use old wheelweights), either gas-checked or not. WITH the gas-check, it runs about 11 cents a shot. This is a reduced loading which is very easy on the shoulder, easy on the barrel (almost ZERO measurable wear or erosion) and it is accurate enough that you can use it to hunt big squirrels out to 200 yards.

Several of the guys on here are using them. Tinman204 is having spectacular results with this load and Buffdog uses it as his standard gopher-sniping load out to 300 yards with a Number 4.

The ammo shoots relatively quietly and with little recoil. It is just about perfect for teaching a smaller woman how to use a "real army gun" without getting hurt.

Best part of all is that you make them yourself. There is great satisfaction in that.
 
Very nice! You have two of the finest rifles ever produced for the military. Be sure to clean the bore if you are shooting military surplus ammo. Some will recommend using hot water, etc.. I suggest a good sloppy swab of FLUID FILM. It can be bought at Canadian Tire, LORDCO, etc. I've used it for a long time, and I do shoot some nasty old corrosive stuff from time to time.
View attachment 8055
 
If you aren't reloading yet, get started. That's how to afford .303British ammo. Learn about neck-sizing the cases instead of full-length re-sizing and use the cases in only one rifle so it is "fire-formed" for that rifle's chamber, then the cases will last longer. (I use different brands of cases for each of my Enfields so it's easy to keep track.) Smellie will gladly explain again the trick of using a rubber o-ring on each round the first time you fire it to optimise the fire-forming.
 
Very nice indeed! I just thought I'd introduce your rifles to their siblings. From left to right; 3 Long Branch No.4's (1942,'43, and '50), a BSA No.3 (1953 FTR), and my critter-gitter; a British No.4 "Sussex" sporter that I've tweaked for my particular needs.
 
Just a note, the hot water treatment is only necessary if you are shooting corrosive primed milsurp ammo. Done to wash out the primer salts of that ammo. The funnel in the arse end for that purpose was an issue item.
 
smellie said:
Friend Mumbles, you have a heck of a nice start on a fine collection.

If you are really concerned about the cost of ammo..... and the life of your barrel..... I would urge you to think of the Harris Universal Load. It is 13 grains of Red Dot (shotgun) powder with a 180-grain CAST LEAD bullet (you can use old wheelweights), either gas-checked or not. WITH the gas-check, it runs about 11 cents a shot. This is a reduced loading which is very easy on the shoulder, easy on the barrel (almost ZERO measurable wear or erosion) and it is accurate enough that you can use it to hunt big squirrels out to 200 yards.

Several of the guys on here are using them. Tinman204 is having spectacular results with this load and Buffdog uses it as his standard gopher-sniping load out to 300 yards with a Number 4.

The ammo shoots relatively quietly and with little recoil. It is just about perfect for teaching a smaller woman how to use a "real army gun" without getting hurt.

Best part of all is that you make them yourself. There is great satisfaction in that.
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There is a guy at my shooting range who told me he does this same load. Thanks for sharing how to do it. I am just starting to get into reloading and I was at the range shooting today. I looked at the range sign in book and the Canadian Rangers had just used the range yesterday. I looked in the brass bucket and found 97 .303 brass cases and 43 270win. Hornady brand cases. The gun is shooting great but I have 1 issue with the rifle. First I'll post some pictures of its targets from today.



50 meters





100 meters



Second 3 shot group. One shot didn't make it onto paper but I'm pointing to where I believe it hit on the board but evidently that's not where it hit when comparing the two photos.



Ok so the issue I'm having with the rifle is it doesn't want to chamber a round from the right sight of the magazine. Works fine if the round is on the left side of the magazine but if its the right side, the bolt just pushes the cartridge down, then rides over top of the case. Its an intermittent problem as on occasion I could get it to chamber. I'll post a picture of what is happening.



The rifle is a 1943 and was made during the war so its quite crude in comparison to my No1 MK III. The bluing is faded, the bolt isn't as smooth, and the machining was obviously rushed, and the trigger is much heavier than the No1. The serial numbers where crudely done with some of the numbers directly on top of the other. None of that really maters when I'm shooting 2" and less at 100 meters with it but this may also be part of the issue where the right side of the feed ramp wasn't machined properly. I don't have a second No 4 magazine to try it out and see if the magazine is at fault.

Other than that, the gun is great. Love it, will most likely never sell it. ;) I also happened to track down a No 5 I might pick up as well. Oh and I got a picture of that bucket of .303 brass. Took them all home with me.



 
LawrenceN said:
Very nice indeed! I just thought I'd introduce your rifles to their siblings. From left to right; 3 Long Branch No.4's (1942,'43, and '50), a BSA No.3 (1953 FTR), and my critter-gitter; a British No.4 "Sussex" sporter that I've tweaked for my particular needs.
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I was thinking about picking up a sporterized one just for ####s 'n' giggs.

I'll have to show my two Enfields their siblings. Laugh2

*shows computer screen to Enfields* "who's that? Look who's that" I think they're excited. I can see their bolts wagging.
 
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