Pulled out and dusted off my Lee Enfield

slushee

slushee

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Got myself a Lee Enfield 20 years ago that's been collecting dust.

Decided to pull it out and get it range ready

Lee Enfield, No 4 Mk1*, 1943, Long Branch, 2 rifling grooves, very pitted uniformly all the way through. It's also been sportarized from day 1 (not Parker Hale quality, just you average run of the mill sporterizing)

The original owner bought it in the 1960s from a barrel of them at K Mart, shot it once then stored it until he gave it to me 20 years ago. I never shot it, just sat in my gun cabinet all that time.

Just wondering what kind of accuracy I should expect from this old girl?

I want to use it as a 100-300/400 jack of all trades gun to toss in truck. When I start to shoot groups, at what point should I give up on it? Like, if it shoots 4-5 inches at 100 yards, is that reasonable enough? What if it shoots worse, say 7-8 inches

Also, I was thinking of going with a lighter bullet weight around 150 grain, unless you know what works better with the 2 grooves

I've got a shoulder issue that will keep me from the range for a couple months, but would love to hear what works and doesn't with these old girls
 
I just found on Google to stay away from Boat Tail ammo because the rifling is made for flat base.

If I'm buying new factory ammo, how will I know if it's flat base and similar to mark vii?
 
slushee said:
I just found on Google to stay away from Boat Tail ammo because the rifling is made for flat base.

If I'm buying new factory ammo, how will I know if it's flat base and similar to mark vii?
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where precisely on google did you read to stay away from boat tails for lee enfields? that's news to me but im always open to new information regarding milsurps.

was it perhaps referring to the older long lee rifles?
 
NeonGreen said:
where precisely on google did you read to stay away from boat tails for lee enfields? that's news to me but im always open to new information regarding milsurps.

was it perhaps referring to the older long lee rifles?
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Interestingly, it was in a Reddit post where the shooter was using a #4 with 2 groove rifling experiencing keyholing. Also found a post on thehighroad,org that was saying the same thing. What I read was with 2 groove rifling, best to use flat base bullets as the boat tail section is where that rifling grabbed the bullet.

I'm also new to this, so I'm not sure if it's a myth or not. I'm going to be taking my rifle in to my local gunsmith (over the years he's been rock solid with older guns) to get his opinion on the condition of my bore and likely get it slugged. I'll ask him if I should be concerned regarding BT vs Flat
 
slushee said:
Interestingly, it was in a Reddit post where the shooter was using a #4 with 2 groove rifling experiencing keyholing. Also found a post on thehighroad,org that was saying the same thing. What I read was with 2 groove rifling, best to use flat base bullets as the boat tail section is where that rifling grabbed the bullet.

I'm also new to this, so I'm not sure if it's a myth or not. I'm going to be taking my rifle in to my local gunsmith (over the years he's been rock solid with older guns) to get his opinion on the condition of my bore and likely get it slugged. I'll ask him if I should be concerned regarding BT vs Flat
Click to expand...
ill have to load up some and give it a try, there could be some truth to it for 2 groove bores but i cant see it being an issue with 5 groove barrels, but thats the fun of trying. looks like i have yet another project!
 
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Most Lee Enfield Marks shoot best with 174 Flat base or 150 grain flat base, if you can find it.

The Winchester Gray Box is usually loaded with flat base bullets, as is Federal Blue Box.
 
I have multiple Lee Enfieldā€™s and have found the majority shoot flat base bullets better. I have two rifles that will shoot BTā€™s well. Bores are 0.309 and 0.310 with excellent rifling. Flat base has more area to better expand the base and fill the bore. Other military surplus rifles donā€™t like BTā€™s. I always buy flat base if shooting in my surplus rifles.
 
You are going to have to test the rifle and see how it shoots. Then decide what the maximum range would be both for the rifle and for you. A sported, iron sighted rifle at perhaps 400y? Hit a dinner plate at that distance under field conditions? Might happen. But I suspect the odds are against it. I've competed with a properly set up No. 4 with PH5C sight to 900y, so I know a good No. 4 can shoot.

It was observed that open based service bullets would jump up - expand - on firing. Accuracy in worn bores with Cordite eroded throats was better. Nothing to do with 2 or 5 groove rifling. A sharp, crisp bore will probably do just fine with bullets like the excellent Sierra 174gr Matchking boat tail.

May be nit-picking, but .303 Lee Enfield barrels do not have bore diameters varying between .310 and .315. They may have groove diameters with those dimensions.
 
Factory ammo is 80 bucks a box locally for me. I got a similar rifle last year, it literally can't hit anything at any distance, think I will try a youtube crown job before I give up on it, or just buy another one. I've had some sporterized enfields that were extremely accurate. My current one is un-usable, and the bore is not even terrible.
 
Considering my rifle is pitted evenly all the way down the barrel, I'm starting to get nervous on its real life accuracy. Sucks I have to wait 2 months to get it to the range.

I got a slip on recoil pad coming today and an thinking of getting a strap-on šŸ˜‚ recoil pad for my shoulder, maybe I won't have to wait that long!
 
The controlling factor is throat erosion that occurred during service usage with cordite ammunition. A well used rifle may not like boattails. One in excellent condition (regardless of precise bore diameter) may shoot them very well. However, a safe bet with any LE is a 180 grn flat-base bullet like the Sierra SP.

The other unique thing about LEs is their sensitivity to bedding. I've personally had No. 1 and 3 rifles with rather poor bores that would still group acceptably because their bedding was spot on. With sporters that lack the forend tip bearing and still have the full-length barrel, it's hard to believe they can approach milspec rifles in accuracy. I don't recall seeing groups posted from sporterized LEs during the time I've been interested in them.

milsurpo
 
slushee said:
Considering my rifle is pitted evenly all the way down the barrel, I'm starting to get nervous on its real life accuracy. Sucks I have to wait 2 months to get it to the range.

I got a slip on recoil pad coming today and an thinking of getting a strap-on šŸ˜‚ recoil pad for my shoulder, maybe I won't have to wait that long!
Click to expand...
I love my strap on shoulder pad.
 
Eaglelord17 said:
The reason most lee enfield shooters prefer flat based bullets is because the base will potentially expand when fired into the bore, which when your bore isnā€™t always a .311 or .310 will help make up the difference.
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Yup, especially with the old school cup and core bullets, which had "exposed lead core" bases, both in boat tail and flat base configuration.
 
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