Grandpa's old 303

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xcaribooer

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I was given my grandpa's old 303 by my aunty this weekend. I was hoping it was an EAL :p (wishfull thinking) but she is just a bubba'd up old #1. Its only value is sentimental ,thinking of gramps shooting sask whitetails back in the 50's/60's with it. I am wondering if it is worth restoring? How hard is it to find original wood ? What else is missing on it? There are two holes drilled on the left side of the reciever for a weaver side mount scope base and two holes drilled on the right as well,not sure what for.Here are a couple pics,be warned ,its not pretty..
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/Xcaribooer/1mklll002.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/Xcaribooer/1mklll001.jpg
 
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Hey,

I think it is really up to you. If its a sentimental piece because it was your grandpa's, then I would keep it as is. If you are looking to have a nice close to original condition No1 Mk 3 then I think you can easily do it.

I restored a similar one for about $200. However I am a perfectionist for this stuff and I went after all the original pieces. If your gun is a really early piece it will be harder than if it was a normal production piece.

Hope this helps,

Cam
 
xcaribooer said:
I was given my grandpa's old 303 by my aunty this weekend. I was hoping it was an EAL :p (wishfull thinking) but she is just a bubba'd up old #1. Its only value is sentimental ,thinking of gramps shooting sask whitetails back in the 50's/60's with it. I am wondering if it is worth restoring? How hard is it to find original wood ? What else is missing on it? There are two holes drilled on the left side of the reciever for a weaver side mount scope base and two holes drilled on the right as well,not sure what for.Here are a couple pics,be warned ,its not pretty..
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/Xcaribooer/1mklll002.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/Xcaribooer/1mklll001.jpg
Click to expand...
Myself, I look at the rifle and I see your grandpa ... he loved that rifle... it may not be pretty to you.. but... it is a pretty gun. Respect it...
 
Well, to each his own.

I restored my Grandfathers and my Fathers Lee Enfields. Dad's came from Eatons and my Grandfather said his was his in WW2. They both probably came from Eatons...

Anyhow, truth be told, neither were hunters so both were wall hangers.

I restored both, and both will be handed down to my son/daughters.

And yes, if the kids ask, both were used by my Grandpa and Dad during the war..:canadaFlag: :rockOn:

My kids won't tell me different and I won't either!

As long as they luv to shoot :shotgun:
 
I have to go along with the majority. Close your eyes and see Grandpa walking along the edge of a wheat stubble field and a nice young buck watching him from a distance on a gorgeous Saskatchewan Fall afternoon. I still have my Dad's old Tobin double with a home made fore-end. I can see him strutting along a little old Saskatchewan back road looking for a bush partridge. I can still smell the empty Imperial Special Longe Range hulls. I saved every one as a kid. Keep Grandpa's rifle as it is. Maybe you could buy a nice old Lee as its companion.:p :p
 
That's one fugly rifle!

You could always get a nice stock set for it and keep the hacked-up original. I'm sure your grandpa would appreciate a nice re-bluing job and a nice replacement sporter stock, maybe a nice laminate one? Boyds' does custum work too. Maybe a new scope to boot? Fill in the unused holes maybe?

If the bore is in good shape, go for it.

Or you could always restore it... Part's aren't that hard to find and stock sets turn up enough on here and on e-bay. It's really up to you. If you want to fully restore it, it would cost more than the rifle is worth but if the rifle has sentimental value, it may be worth doing to you.
 
I say restore it to how it would have been when your grandfather was happiest with it. So probably a light refinshing of the wood and perhaps restore the metalwork to how it would have been. Turn back the clock a few decades, that's all.
 
mommabear said:
Myself, I look at the rifle and I see your grandpa ... he loved that rifle... it may not be pretty to you.. but... it is a pretty gun. Respect it...
Click to expand...


Good answer Mommabear. I look at the front sight on my High Standard that grampa filed to adjust windage, and left white. Once I was gonna clean it up and re-blue, but realized every time I saw it I though of the grand old man....
its still white with file marks, and I still don't shoot it as well as he could, but I think of him every time I fire it....:redface:
 
1enfield030.jpg


here it is tday, didnt do much to it besides clean it and trimmed the front stock to look a bit like an Enforcer .Different weaver mount and a scope. Still havent shot it.
 
I wish I had my Grandfathers hunting rifles, atleast one. My Uncle got them all and sold them before any family member got old enought to enjoy...

Leave it alone and pass it down.
 
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