Need some urgent .410 Lee Enfield advice

Ognat

Ognat

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I am close to buying a Lee Enfield SMLE converted in India to .410 ga.from an Ontario gun store, not a Ma and Pa operation.

I know that those were originally military, less than 2.5" chambers and won't handle commercial ammo. The store that is selling it says that it will handle 3" commercial .410 shells.

What gave me doubts was talking to them tonight, the guy behind the counter insisted that they were originally bored for commercial 2.5" shells and this one was only special because it had a longer, 3" chamber. He was unaware and really was dubious when I told him that in its original converted state it would not safely accept or fire commercial 2.5".

So, i asked him, how did you confirm that this gun was actually suitable for commercial, 3" shells. He said that they have a set of gauges that they fit into the chamber to confirm that.

Sounds reasonable, but since he seems so unknowledgeable about Lee Enfields, I thought I would ask this forum: does that sound right? Is what he says the right and safe way to determine what a shotgun is chambered for? I do not want to take a chance on this, but by the same token, with what the store wants for this gun, I do not want to spend to get a second opinion.

having said all that, it is a beauty if it all checks out.

Og
 
The original Indian musket conversion used an untapered .303 casing, firing a round ball. It wasn't a shotgun. It was not .410, either 2 1/2" or 3". If the chamber will accept .410 cartridges, its been altered. There are .410 headspace gauges, which would tell you nothing about chamber length. Perhaps the shop has chamber length gauges. Ask him to demonstrate.
 
Thanks guys. I know the original military conversion was a special all-brass round firing a ball. That is the crux of my concern. But I had heard that a 2-1/2" .410 shell could be fed into the original chamber, but not fully open on firing. Similar to what happens if you force a 3" shell into a 2-1/2" shotgun chamber.

I had it in mind to have him demonstrate the guage and see it going in. If there is a 3" x .410 guage that they use to make sure that a chamber is the right lenght to accept those, I should be OK. But I am no expert. You think that is how it is done?

If their gunsmith did the check, I am pretty much OK. If the counter guy did it, I have no faith. Not because they are evil people, just the depth of experience and knowing what the tools are for and what they tell you.

Look at the endless discussions about measuring headspace. Should be plain vanilla, but it is not.

I work with expert toolmakers. It is not just using a gauge, it is knowing what you learned the first 100 times you used it.
 
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