Lee Enfield accuracy?

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goldidig

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Hi Guys, I own quite a few of these great rifles and have been shooting them for 30 years, but I never tried one with a scope before. I picked up a full wood 1918 No1Mk3 in a trade Friday that had an awesome bore and was scoped but un-bubba'd other than that. So off to the range I went. With my .308 diameter 150 grain flat based spire point Hornady bullet handloads, I grouped as small as 1 inch at 150 yards and 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards! :eek: Now before anyone jumps on me and says you can't use 308 diameter bullets in these guns because they'll shoot inaccurate, I do and have been doing it for many years! I load .308 diameter bullets and have NO accuracy issues in tight unworn .303 bores! For that matter I use them in Russian Mosin Nagants as well, but that's another story. I was shocked at how accurate this rifle is though. I really never shot a Milsurp that was that accurate except for my 6.5 Swedes. I am used to 2 to 3 inch groups with iron sights at 75 to 100 yards being a good group with my Lee Enfields with either .311 diameter or .308 diameter bullets. I really can't see any difference at all in accuracy out of my guns with either size bullet. Is this the exception to the rule or is this normal for a scoped, excellent bore, Lee Enfield? Just wondering what kind of accuracy you guys have found with these rifles?
Al
 
Al, that's pretty impressive - I believe you got lucky getting that accurate Enfield, it's probably on the right side of the spectrum. But, it is possible, as your experience shows!

A buddy of mine received a 1939 (i think) Lithgow that I refurbed for him, and he groups about 1.5 to 2 inches at 100 yards, ironsight. Now none of my own SMLE will group that well. Maybe he's also a better shot than me. (He is, I'll admit).

I wonder if you would do even better with .311 bullets? Worth trying :)

Lou
 
I'll try some .311's as well, next time I go to the range Lou, but I doubt I have the ability to shoot better groups than that anyway. :) I just can't believe that it shoots almost as tight as my Swedes! I guess I have a new respect for my Lee Enfields now! Your buddy is doing great with his Lithgow with iron sights. I bet that would shoot as good as this one if it was scoped. I have a few I'd love to try a scope on but I don't Bubba guns. It's one thing to buy one that way, but can you imagine actually doing it yourself? The Milsurp boys would draw and quarter me! GRIN (rightfully so!)
Al
 
GAIRLOCHIAN said:
It has been my experience that full wood Enfields are more accurate than cut down ones.Anyone else notice this or is it just coincedence.
Click to expand...

In theory, the proper bedding of the forend would increase accuracy of the rifel - that was an integral part of the whole design. The barrels of both the No1 and the No4 were not designed and manufactured to be more accurate as full-floating barrels (although the amount of support and areas of contact between the barrel, receiver and forend are different for both models).

In the same way, improper bedding does have the chance of affecting reversely the accuracy; so it is conceivable that an improperly bedded Lee Enfield would be less accurate than a sporterized one...

This is speculative, mostly.

Lou
 
That is really great! That is a far better standard of accuracy than that expected from SMLE target rifles used in fullbore competition.
 
Hey Jumper! Good to hear I'm not the only one that loaded .308 diameter bullets in them! GRIN I've not tried the Sierra 125's but I will try them now. That was what I felt too Tiriaq, I was pretty sure it was more accurate than average. I'll toss that old gal in my keeper collection. I just may have to use that as my Milsurp deer gun of choice now!
Al
 
Ganderite, I never even pulled it apart to check it out yet, just shot the groups, came home and cleaned it and put it in the gun room. I'll have to pull it out and take a look at it. The wood is quite rough on the gun, but the metal finish is exceptional and so is the bore. I sure wasn't expecting anything like those results when I bought it. Surplusfan, try the .308 bullets. If you have a decent bore you'll be pleasantly surprised. In my other guns I tested it made no difference that I could see in accuracy out to 100yards.
Al
 
goldidig said:
Hi Guys, I own quite a few of these great rifles and have been shooting them for 30 years, but I never tried one with a scope before. I picked up a full wood 1918 No1Mk3 in a trade Friday that had an awesome bore and was scoped but un-bubba'd other than that. So off to the range I went. With my .308 diameter 150 grain flat based spire point Hornady bullet handloads, I grouped as small as 1 inch at 150 yards and 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards! :eek: Now before anyone jumps on me and says you can't use 308 diameter bullets in these guns because they'll shoot inaccurate, I do and have been doing it for many years! I load .308 diameter bullets and have NO accuracy issues in tight unworn .303 bores! For that matter I use them in Russian Mosin Nagants as well, but that's another story. I was shocked at how accurate this rifle is though. I really never shot a Milsurp that was that accurate except for my 6.5 Swedes. I am used to 2 to 3 inch groups with iron sights at 75 to 100 yards being a good group with my Lee Enfields with either .311 diameter or .308 diameter bullets. I really can't see any difference at all in accuracy out of my guns with either size bullet. Is this the exception to the rule or is this normal for a scoped, excellent bore, Lee Enfield? Just wondering what kind of accuracy you guys have found with these rifles?
Al
Click to expand...

Just curious, does the barrel on your No.3 have 2 groove rifleling? Or was that something Lee Enfield introduced in WWII to get the rifles from the factory to field faster? Also I find it intriguing that you use .308 Dia. bullets in your 303 round. I intend to start reloading down the road and it would be interesting to try it.
 
I never had the good fortune to shoot an accurate LE so I don't own one .But I'm still looking.Harold
 
Elliot, 2 groove rifling is specific to the No.4 rifle as a wartime expedient measure and was approved about the same time as the mk1 became the mk1* although there is no real connection between the two. All ShtLE and No.1s are 5 groove.
 
I have a Lithgow no1mkIII
a war time no4mkI 2 grooves rifling
and a irish no4mkII 1954 dated
All 3 will group 2.5 inch or less at 100 yards with military sight and regular .303 hunting ammo 180gr.
 
John Sukey said:
Enfields have always done a good job of putting round holes in square heads.;)
Click to expand...

:pI've gotta' remember that one. Very good:D I recently acquired a very 'clean' Jungle Carbine and that's what I'm reloading for tonight. I've picked up some cast 188grGC from a friend locally that is into casting in a big way. I was also given some cast 225grGC by a shooting buddy to test. An interesting aspect of the 225gr is he uses a procedure of "Patching Cast Bullets with Teflon". I'm curious to see how they compare accuracy wise with the 188gr. My shooting buddy has also done some extensive load development and testing using Trail Boss for light load applications so that's one of the batches I'm 'mixing up for the next test session. And some Unique light loads with each bullet for further comparison.

In addition to some Hornady 174gr jacketed bullets coming in, the other day my order of 215gr Woodleigh bullets arrived. Now, if the weather improves (snowing), "Let the games begin"!!;)
 
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