Lee-Enfield No.4 MKI vs. AIA No. 4

bdtyre

bdtyre

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Location
Vancouver
In the near to not too distant future, the wife has conceded to me buying a Lee-Enfield of some sort.

There are plenty of No.4 MKIs out there in great condition, and being a history buff I would personally prefer an authentic Lee-Enfield. They also tend to be less expensive (most of the ones I've seen are less than half the price of an AIA).

Practically speaking, the supply of milsurp LEs is not consistent. The AIAs have the benefit of not only being brand new, but "in stock." It also uses a more "popular" round.

Since I'm not going to be using this for competition at all, maybe this question is purely a matter of personal opinion, but which would the nicer rifle to fire? Ignoring cost and other such factors, is an original No.4 in .303 British nicer than an Australian copy in .308/7.62 NATO? Going further -if I am prepared to spend $800 for a rifle in .308, is there something better? I'm mostly using this for target practice - a personal development tool if you will.
 
Another option is a No.4 that has been converted to 7.62 NATO. They are set up for target shooting and often have the Parker Hale target sight. They show up in the EE from time to time, usually in the price range you mentioned. That way, you get the 'popular' round and the historical aspect in one rifle.
 
Soon as an new AIA is bought , it loses value , just like a new car as it's driven off the lot.
IMHO...
You won't go wrong with a nice No4 Longbranch in .303brit.
 
:cheers:

Check the Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=25

There are two informative but different, library entries on the AIA rifles.

AIA No. 4 Mk. 4 (Review by Stevo) (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=15

Australian AIA Rifles (Feedback and Opinion by Steve) (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=225

Please note that the author of "Australian AIA Rifles" Steve is not the same as the moderator and member Stevo, who wrote a separate review of the "AIA No. 4 Mk. 4 rifle."

Hope these articles help you with your decision ... :)

Regards,
Badger
 
y2k said:
I`m having trouble accessing this article? :cool:
Click to expand...

Camj said:
me too
Click to expand...

If you aren't a member you have to join, however, you can register for FREE..... Sorry, but if we don't have people register with legitimate email addresses, we get plastered with posts from spammers sellling on-line presciption drugs and advertising ####ography sites. ;)

Regards,
Badger
 
bdtyre said:
Thanks for the advice...I'll keep an eye out for these and maybe jump on one if I can.
Click to expand...

The AIA rifles would probably be stronger for someone who was going to fire them a lot. My reading on converting the No 4 actions to 7.62 is that 7.62 pressures were close to the max the action could take. The Brit ones tended to have 19 Ton proofed bolt heads etc. In other words, it was pushing it a bit.

Since the AIA rifle was built new for that round, and has a very beefed up receiver, that may be a factor you should take into account.

Valuewise? A Long Branch 7.62 DCRA conversion in good shape will hold it's value better.
Or, as Timberlord said, buy yourself a nice Long Branch .303 and spend a bit more on ammo, especially if you're not going to fire it a whole lot.
 
I own 4 rifles in .303 and 1 in .308.

I know cost isn't a consideration for you now, but consider this:

If you shop around, ammo shouldn't really be much of a consideration. For example, I recently went to Bass Pro Shops in Vaughan, Ontario, and I picked up some cheap (but good) Remington UMC ammo. One box of .303 was $15.67, while one box of .308 was $12.57. Not much of a difference.

So for $75ish dollars, you can get 6 boxes of .308 or 5 boxes of .303 at current prices.

If you reload, then cost of ammo shouldn't really be an issue at all.... and you should reload, because you can get everything you need in a reloading starter kit for $150 or less if you buy from the U.S.

There is still .308 surplus available, but it is getting more scarce and more expensive.

So I say get a No4 in .303 and a reloading kit. You'll spend much less than $800 and you won't look back.

Just my humble suggestion.

bdtyre said:
Practically speaking, the supply of milsurp LEs is not consistent. The AIAs have the benefit of not only being brand new, but "in stock." It also uses a more "popular" round.
Click to expand...

Nothing is 'brand new' and 'in stock' forever. When AIA finally ceases to exist one day, and their .308 Enfields are no longer made, I'm willing to bet that there will still be far more spare parts and accessories available for the original No4. MkI's. There are still a glut of .303's out there in great condition. Properly bedded and loaded for, they still make outstanding shooters.
 
Last edited:
I own a DCRA Enfield and I like it a lot. Having said that, take this for what it's worth: it doesn't eject well (none of them do, even the ones with the Stirling ejector); there was a wide variety of mods done to them (i.e. mags, bedding jobs, and sights fitted), some more effective than others; lastly, 7.62mm kicks appreciably more than .303 Brit, so unless you are hand loading that may be a consideration. I won't make any recommendations to you because I have not tried the AIA; however, from what I've read AIA has solved the ejection problem, is beefier, and can be ordered with a much heavier barrel than the CA converts. Plus, I think they look great.
 
McVillan said:
I own a DCRA Enfield and I like it a lot. Having said that, take this for what it's worth: it doesn't eject well (none of them do, even the ones with the Stirling ejector); there was a wide variety of mods done to them (i.e. mags, bedding jobs, and sights fitted), some more effective than others; lastly, 7.62mm kicks appreciably more than .303 Brit, so unless you are hand loading that may be a consideration. I won't make any recommendations to you because I have not tried the AIA; however, from what I've read AIA has solved the ejection problem, is beefier, and can be ordered with a much heavier barrel than the CA converts. Plus, I think they look great.
Click to expand...

The ejection issue is solvable. You need a longer ejector screw, cut so it is just as long as it can be without hitting the bolt lugs. Then install a new, strong extractor spring, so stiff that it's a ##### to install.
Have you got a 7.62 extractor on your bolt head or a .303 one? With a 7.62 extractor, long ejector screw and strong spring, the ejection works pretty well.

As for the AIA ejection, you're right, it works like Jack the Bear. Flings it right out as soon as the case clears the chamber. Much better design, although it wouldn't work for the rimmed .303 case.
 
Given the AA isn't a milsurp but a heavy center firing bolt action rifle $800 seems a bit rich when you can get a Ruger/Savage rifle chambered for the .308 for about half the cost and will shoot as good or better than has been reported here.

I would seek out a #4 rifle in .303. For $800 you should be able to get a NIB #4 off of the EE. They do come up occasionaly. Two in January IIRC. The .303Brit will do everything the .308 will do that you are likley going to require..

Take Care

Bob
 
originally posted by CANTOM:

Have you got a 7.62 extractor on your bolt head or a .303 one? With a 7.62 extractor, long ejector screw and strong spring, the ejection works pretty well.


Yes, it works well and the longer screw needed is the same as the screw that holds the safety spring and the safety together.....

The DCRA conversion were using .303 Br. magazine as a loading platform only.
Fitting the Ishapore .308 mag is feasible but it takes some fitting of the mag well and mag lips as well.

BB
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom