Hesitating: 300$ custom .303 rifle vs 700$ Long Branch No4 Mk1?

commissar_lubi

commissar_lubi

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Hello there!
I'm relatively new to firearm purchasing and I was hesitating between two .303 rifles. One is a 1942 Long Branch No4 Mk1 in very good condition (not sure if numbers are matching) while the other is a .303 "custom" rifle with a synthetic stock.

As I'm quite green to buying firearms I wasn't sure which one I should go, considering I'm mostly going for target practice and having fun with the lee-enfield bolt. Any good advice would be appreciated really

Cheers!
 
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About 50% of the people who buy their 1st Enfield shrug their shoulders, sell it and move on to the next type of firearms. The other 50% become obsessed with their history,mystique and design and will unquestionably get a full military specimen in very good condition. Question is how far down the rabbit hold are you planning to go?
 
^^^ very true hahaha my first was a no1 sporter, bought it because my dad had one as a kid. Well i have 18 of them now, mostly long lee and lee metfords, im in way over my head haha. Now i have so many parts and parts guns i cant change directions (not that i want too) also hours and hours and hours of reading about them. They suck you in, if they are for you.
 
To me, I'd rather the "panache" of a Canadian made full wood Long Branch to shoot at the range with. For 300, I'd rather buy a Savage Axis to shoot paper with. A Lee Enfield with a synthetic stock is about a fugly a gun as there is. Plus, if you decide to part with it, the Sporter will never go up in value, and you may have a hard time selling it, but the Long Brance will always be worth what you paid, will no doubt go up in value, and you can sell it in a heartbeat once your Lee Enfield itch gets scratched. (if ever!)
 
sgt.rock said:
To me, I'd rather the "panache" of a Canadian made full wood Long Branch to shoot at the range with. For 300, I'd rather buy a Savage Axis to shoot paper with. A Lee Enfield with a synthetic stock is about a fugly a gun as there is. Plus, if you decide to part with it, the Sporter will never go up in value, and you may have a hard time selling it, but the Long Brance will always be worth what you paid, will no doubt go up in value, and you can sell it in a heartbeat once your Lee Enfield itch gets scratched. (if ever!)
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The reselling value is definitely very true, but I was thinking maybe get used to the enfield action with the cheaper one and then maybe, down the line when I get more money (currently just a student you see), I could try to get a Long Branch? The .303 synthetic one actually doesn't look too bad also it comes with a scope mount (I believe the owner said it was converted from a No5 mk1)
 
There's absolutely nothing special or otherwise superior about the 303 British. Unless you are captured by the draw of a Long Branch LE No 4, I'd skip the sporter and buy something in say 308. It's not real clear what itch you're trying to scratch.
 
My first centerfire, and only (so far) Lee Enfield was a no.1 sporter that cost like $142 to my door. (the receiver is a bit ####ed with, but only cosmetically)

For $300, I would try to get a Savage Axis (as previously mentioned) or similar if your main goal is target practice. The Lee Enfield isn't known to be the most accurate rifle (don't get me wrong, they are plenty capable for both hunting and military purposes, but if you expect to work up sub-MOA handloads for it, you might not succeed) and they aren't really the best platform for mounting a scope to either due to comb height. Add to that, ammo its not a cheap rifle to feed. Last, and this one is a personal thing, I really don't like the cheap synthetic stock that is commonly available for the Enfield from ATI or whoever it is. (although I guess it would help with the comb height issue mentioned earlier)

Alternatively, if you are also contemplating a $700 gun, you can get both a $300 enfield (Or get one that doesn't have the synthetic stock and scope mount for closer to $200) and a cheap, newer bolt action rifle. Then you can enjoy the target practice game AND the enfield game, 'cause they are both fun.
 
All of the above is sound advise. Andy said it best. That being said; for no more than $250; maybe even $175 at most, you can pick up a good 303 lee sport and let the led fly... have fun and then look into other options.
 
Thanks for the input!
The reason I was thinking of getting an Enfield specifically is because of the bolt system, I am however aware of the fact that they aren't exactly the most accurate nor is .303 particularly inexpensive
 
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commissar_lubi said:
Thanks for the input!
The reason I was thinking of getting a Enfield specifically is because of the bolt system, I am however aware of the fact that they aren't exactly the most accurate nor is .303 particularly inexpensive
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By bolt system, do you mean you want a bolt action rifle?

Because there are lots - and I mean hundreds - of options for a bolt action rifle for $700, whether you want new, used, military, or whatever.

One thing to consider is glass though. Spending a few hundred on a scope now will stop you from buying 3 or 4 cheaper scopes before you finally decide to spend $300 or $400 (or way more) on something better. And a decent scope with a good warranty is something you will have for years, if not decades and easily transfers from one rifle to the next when you buy a new one, sell and old one, ect.
 
Suther said:
By bolt system, do you mean you want a bolt action rifle?

Because there are lots - and I mean hundreds - of options for a bolt action rifle for $700, whether you want new, used, military, or whatever.

One thing to consider is glass though. Spending a few hundred on a scope now will stop you from buying 3 or 4 cheaper scopes before you finally decide to spend $300 or $400 (or way more) on something better. And a decent scope with a good warranty is something you will have for years, if not decades and easily transfers from one rifle to the next when you buy a new one, sell and old one, ect.
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Sorry, by bolt I meant the Lee-Enfield's specific bolt mechanism (as opposed to the Mauser style one), not bolt-action rifles in general.
As for your point on scopes, I'll definitely keep that in mind when I start looking around for them
 
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The only 'special " LE I would love to see and shoot is one of the 303 Epps chambered guns.I read about them,some folks were talking about it here but I have yet to see one.
 
A Lee Enfield sporter with a synthetic stock for $300 might be but usually isn't noticeably better than another Lee Enfield sporter for $175-$250. And since you are on here asking this question, you aren't equipped to judge whether a particular example is worth the higher asking price. And we can't judge the particular example you are considering without seeing even pictures.

When you "sporterize" one it's at least as easy to make it a worse shooter as it is to make it a better one.

In original condition it's worth more. For a low-cost hunting rifle there are lots of options available for reasonable prices that are worth having.
 
You should be able to get sporter No1 MK3 with scope for $250, or No4 MK1 with no scope (rear sight aperture) for $200. Yes, Lee Enfield bolt system is unique, it cocks the bolt on closing.
 
Here were the two models I was considering:

the $300 sporter with synthetic stock (original poster's picture)
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and the $700 No4 Mk1
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That No.4 looks sweet. If the numbers match and the bore is good, 700 is a fair deal.
A No.1 sporter can be less than 200. Not afraid to drop it in the creek at that price.
 
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