Need info on a 303 enfield

Badlag

Badlag

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I picked up an 303 enfield close to 20 years ago, a friends father past away and he didn't have a F.A.C, so i bought this rife off his mom.
It has been sporterized :( .so i was thinking it maybe worth putting the full wood back on it .
Any info about this rife would be helpful, sorry no pic , The rife is marked : Enfield 1919 with SELF III.
England stamped under the safety with a III on the safety lever.
marking on the barrel are a Crown with BNP under it and a crown with a CR X P.
303 2.222 and 13.5 TONS PER ]
P 27** is on the barrel and receiver. Any info about this gun would be helpful.


Thanxs Mike
 
1919 Date of manufacture
SELF III is actually SHLE III (SHort Lee Enfield, MK III) Probably a * after the date if it's a 1919er
England stamp has to do with it being imported in to the US as a surplus, I believe.
P27** would be the serial number. Not much info to be gleaned from that but it's nice if all the serial numbers on the action, barrel, sight match. You say it's been sporterized so I'm guessing the nosepiece is long gone.
BNP = British Nitro Proof = ok for smokeless powder in the civilian market.
303 2.333 = Caliber and cartridge length.
13.5 (might be actually 18.5...I'm not sure) = pressure rating.. also done pre civilian sell off

If the bits are all in decent shape and the rifling is ok (and the barrel was never cut back) I'd put a full set of wood on it. If there's some less than pretty spots on the metal that full wood set covers up a lot of ugly.

THat's my two pennies.
 
Hi Mike,

It's great to bring a Lee Enfield back to its original look. As bck1968 mentions, if the metal is intact (barrel wasn't cut), and if the receiver wasn't drilled and tapped for scope, otherwise it's too much work (in my opinion).

Also, I tend to distinguish between a commercial, nicely done sporterized Lee Enfield (for example, by Parker Hale), and an average sporterization (aka, "Bubba did it"); I tend to recommend keeping the former as-is and the later good candidate for a refurb.

Lou
 
Thanxs for the response to my querry bck1968 and louthepou.

As far as I can tell the barrel has not been cutback, the serial # matchs on the barrel and receiver, no # on the rear sight it maybe a replacement:(. Over all the rife is in good shape. The receiver was not drill fer a scope so that a plus :) not sure about the sport job if bubba did it it looks good not hacked up, rifling looks good but she is a a little dull.
Buddy's mom had told me that it's was the firearm her husband carried in WWII, but being made in 1919 i guess that's not possible.
I was saving the gun for my friend but he never got an P.A.L. so after 20yrs i though i migth do something with it :)
 
First of all, not all stamps are clear or well placed

1919 is the date of assembly for sure, but may have been made before as WWI was over and many parts were surpluss.

SELF III is actually SHTLE III*

England stamp has to do with it being exported from Britian

P27** is not the serial number, might be an inspectors mark? If it was a serial number, it would be a Letter followed by 4 or 5 possible numbers….

BNP = British Nitro Proof = ok for smokeless powder in the civilian market. Yes for some time now.

303 is the caliber, 2.222 is the cartridge case length.

13.5 is actually 18.5 ton per square inch” Proof pressure rating for 303 British
 
Pblatzz said:
First of all, not all stamps are clear or well placed

1919 is the date of assembly for sure, but may have been made before as WWI was over and many parts were surpluss.

SELF III is actually SHTLE III*

England stamp has to do with it being exported from Britian

P27** is not the serial number, might be an inspectors mark? If it was a serial number, it would be a Letter followed by 4 or 5 possible numbers….

BNP = British Nitro Proof = ok for smokeless powder in the civilian market. Yes for some time now.

303 is the caliber, 2.222 is the cartridge case length.

13.5 is actually 18.5 ton per square inch” Proof pressure rating for 303 British
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that the two ** in his serial number is to conceal the actual number.
 
The Lee Enfields were known as SMLE, standing for, Short Magazine Lee Enfield.
This distinguished them from the previous longer rifles.
 
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