I may Tap and Drill my Long Lee for hunting...

macadoodle

macadoodle

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OK OK, relax, I’m not going to scope my Long Lee, but I figured that title would attract some attention. Although it does shoot really nice...

What I am looking to do is put together a scoped milsurp for Hunting. I mostly hunt grouse, but do have opportunities to go for bigger game from time to time. I like milsurps, and Enfields in particular. I could buy a modern commercial “huntin stick”, but I want a milsurp. I have a few enfields but, am looking to get something already bubba’d, so I don’t have to feel too guilty.

My biggest questions are:

Is there a particular manufacturer or barrel or version that would be the best for accuracy, or is condition whats most important. Were there any “heavy barrels” or target, other than the DCRA?

If I go with an original stock are after market cheek pieces available?

Scope mount.. Most of the non drill and tap mounts look like they would not be very stable and hold zero. So I would likely need to tap and drill to add a good mounting point. Opinions or recommendations?

Rings and Scope. Best bang for the buck here. I’m no sniper, but I want something that will be more accurate than me, tough and affordable.


I have an AIA No.4 mk4 which I could use(already has a decent mount) but I would like a real milsurp.

Another rifle I’m considering is a Mauser 66s with the double hair trigger. Not a milsurp, but kind of cool except the one I was looking at doesn’t have the scope bases.
 
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I would say condition is most important. There are lots of nice sportered enfields out there that shoot well that have already been drilled and tapped. Take a look around the local gun shows and you'll begin to notice just how many of them there are.

Plus, there are lots of mounts available for them. I assume of course you don't want a full wood milsurp, though drilled and tapped examples do exist.

For price and quality, a sporterised, drilled and tapped N4 Enfield is the way to go.
 
I hunt with a Bubba'd No.4 Longbranch. The barrel was cut when I got it, also the stock was cut down in the usual way.

So, I stuck a new, full wood stock on it, and I drilled for the weaver T0-1 mount, which is working pretty well, the smith who mounted it put a screw in front of the rear ring to keep recoil from moving it. Over all it shoots well, it has a 2 groove bore, and does around 1" groups at 100 yards with factory Winchester Super X.
 
For a cheekpiece, yes, there are replicas of the one used on the No.4T and the L42. I had one on a No.4 and it helped. But I don't know who is selling them in N. America. I got mine from the U.K. On another No.4, which is actually my principal hunting rifle now, I use a Beartooth comb-raising kit. Google it. Russell's Sports in Calgary carried them, but they are closing this month to be absorbed by the Calgary branch of Wholesale Sports and I don't know if WSS will carry the Beartooth kit. Get on to them quickly. It's only a neoprene sleeve with a bunch of foam pads of varied thicknesses to build up under the sleeve, and well under $100 so I don't think it would be a lot of trouble to buy from the U.S. but still, less trouble if you can get one from Russells.
 
there are a lot of sporters out there with nice monte carlo stocks for not much more than the average bubba at most shows, that is what I would go with. I keep telling myself one day I'll rig up a LE for a dedicated hunting rifle, but every time one follows me home I have to restore it.
 
That title damn near brought on a stroke! I was going to send my goon squad to your house to break your thumbs, but I guess I don't need to do that now! :) Maybe try one of those long eye relief scopes on the no gunsmithing mounts. They have them for Mosins, Mausers, pretty much anything, and you can always change them back if you want. Kind of odd balance with the scope out there, though.
 
If you buy any bubba'd Lee-Enfield check the headspace before you shoot it. Thousands were assembled out of parts bins with zero QC.
 
I'm out of the Critical Care Ward now, after reading your head to this thread, so now I can answer.

As to scope mounts, I have sold a number of the S&K mounts; their Number 4 and P-'14 mounts are VERY strong and solid. No problems at all with things wriggling about. I have seen their mount for the Number 1/SMLE and it looks to be quite solid enough, even if a tad more work to put it on.

The Aussies made a really nice heavy barrel for the SMLE, same weight as the heavy barrel on the old Long Rifles. The Number 4 barrel is the same weight and threads onto a Number 1 frame, just indexes downside-up/upside-down.

Bore condition is important. Bed the thing right and you can shoot a minute with iron sights out of an SMLE. I have the manual on bedding the Number 4, also have written instructions for Match bedding the SMLE.... had them preached to me by a Bisley shooter from days gone by.

Yell if I can help.
 
If you're hunting grouse, why not give a Musket a try? Make brass from .303: just blow them out straight, load with Red Dot or whatever, a wad and half an ounce of shot. Nice little .410 and the gunsmithing is already done for you. I'm using a Musket with a pair of .375" cast balls and having a whale of a time with it. Of course, I'm not hunting anything nastier than tin cans......
 
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