Grandad' s 303 Enfield hunting rifle

[R1200GS]

Hi folks
I recently took the 303 rifle my grandfather built a stock for many years ago to the range ,it's been likely 35 years since it's been fired, it was his favoured rifle and he liked the 215 grn loads. I loaded 200 grn gas checked bullet barn bullets ahead of 20 grains of IMR 4198 and was pleasantly surprised when I could shoot 2" groups at 100 yards and very light recoil.

I'd like to know more about the origins of the rifle so I'm asking help to identify the markings. Any info will be of help. I wish I had payed more attention to this rifle when he was still with us but like so many if it wasn't a target rifle or a magnum I was not interested. ( it feels good to mature

Enfield
1890
LFC
I

 

[louthepou]

I wonder if the date could be 1898, and under it, "LEC" rather than LFC.

I suspect your grandad started with a "Lee Enfield Carbine" for his sporter project. There were a few varieties of these carbines, made during just a few years (can't remember dates exactly, but late 1890's to jsut early 1900's if I recall).

 

[R1200GS]

I remember him saying it was a carbine, it has no charger loading bridge and there is a snap on cover that goes on the bolt.
I'll have to dig out a magnifying glass ( damn poor light but I suspect you are right about the markings.
Thanks

 

[Winchester-1897]

.........

 

[sunray]

Sounds like a Lee-Metford and not a Lee-Enfield to me. The bolt cover look like this? Add the W's.
.militaryrifles.com/Britain/Metford.htm
Still might be a Cavalry Carbine. None of them until 1896.

 

[B_noser]

Just totally wrong!

If it has an 189x date and is marked "L(x)C 1 it most assuredly is not a Lee Metford carbine. The Lee Metfords were marked with the date and a "1" and would not be marked "LEC, LFC, LMC or anything else. As Lou has stated, your grandfather's gun would be a Lee Enfield carbine Mk 1 or LEC 1 (not LFC 1) assuming there is no "*" after the "1", in which case it would be a later LEC Mk 1*.

As for " none of them until 1896", that too is simply wrong. There are many 1895 dated Lee Metford carbines in collections. One of them with a D ring currently resides here. As I recall, the Lee Enfield carbine was introduced in 1896.

By the way, they make a great little hunting rifle. My late father and at least two uncles carried them and one was my first hunting rifle. They filled a lot of larders.

Sounds like a Lee-Metford and not a Lee-Enfield to me. The bolt cover look like this? Add the W's.
.militaryrifles.com/Britain/Metford.htm
Still might be a Cavalry Carbine. None of them until 1896.

 

[RobertMcC]

http://www.militaryrifles.com/britain/metford.htm


Lee-Metford Mark I, Mark I* (1888) and Mark II (1890):

 

[englishman_ca]

Ignore Sunray.

Yours is likely marked 1896 LEC1 (or 1898), I have examples where the 6 is washed out and does look like a 0 unless a closer look is taken..


Your markings will have been struck with one of these two dies

From Top is;-
1893 Lee Metford trails carbine
1895 Lee Metford Mk.I cavalry carbine
1896 Lee Enfield Mk.I cavalry carbine
1901 New Zealand carbine
1904 issue Royal Irish Constabulary carbine

 

[buffdog]

.
The markings are on the LEFT side of the butt socket. That would have given it away if it was mentioned in the original post. A Carbine, 1896 date and the "LEC" for "Lee-Enfield Carbine.