I feel like such a newbie for asking this, but I was wondering if there are any manufacturers out there that does a reproduction of the Lee Enfield .303 rifle. There seems to be some companies in the US that make the Garand so I was just wondering if the same holds true for any of the Lee Enfield models.
Question about Lee Enfield Mk4
- Thread starter scuba
- Start date
The answer to that question is "sort of". AIA makes a model they call the No4 Mk4. It's a rifle that is visually near-identical to the .303 No4, but has a M14 type detachable magazine, different barrel mounting, and different bolt head design, and many small other differences. It's chambered in 7.62 Nato and is available from Marstar, Wolverine and other suppliers.
Here's a pic:
Here's a pic:
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With wartime and post-war Lee-Enfields in VG+ condition selling for cheap, there's no need at all for an 'improved' new production Lee-Enfield. The only 'advantage' the AIA offers is a 7.62 NATO chambering, if you can call it that.
The AIA Enfields were made for a niche market in Australia, where semi-auto's are a no-no and where a fast cycling and familiar bolt-action in .308/7.62 is an advantage.
If the AIA Enfield sold as cheap as a regular Enfield, then I *might* buy one, but for $799 plus taxes and shipping, you can buy an original Enfield and a basic reloading set up that negates any savings you might encounter by using cheap 7.62 NATO ammo over commercial .303 ammo.
The AIA Enfields were made for a niche market in Australia, where semi-auto's are a no-no and where a fast cycling and familiar bolt-action in .308/7.62 is an advantage.
If the AIA Enfield sold as cheap as a regular Enfield, then I *might* buy one, but for $799 plus taxes and shipping, you can buy an original Enfield and a basic reloading set up that negates any savings you might encounter by using cheap 7.62 NATO ammo over commercial .303 ammo.
The new ones might be nice, but what's wrong with an original in the original calibre? You can make the .303 shoot awfully well, with just a bit of work at the handloading bench. I'm getting 4 inches at 350 yards right now, with a 90-year-old rifle, Canadian-made at that.
There won't be series-production repros of any LE rifle until prices start going 'way up. By modern standards, they were an expensive rifle to make because of some fairly involved machining in the receiver and on the bolt. Don't even think about the Mark 1 rear sight for the Number 4..... that was the production bottleneck on the whole rifle.
Right now, we have to content ourselves with the REAL THING...... and leave the fakes and lookalike repros to the future.
There won't be series-production repros of any LE rifle until prices start going 'way up. By modern standards, they were an expensive rifle to make because of some fairly involved machining in the receiver and on the bolt. Don't even think about the Mark 1 rear sight for the Number 4..... that was the production bottleneck on the whole rifle.
Right now, we have to content ourselves with the REAL THING...... and leave the fakes and lookalike repros to the future.
Stevo said:
I handled the stripped down receiver from Marstar's No 4 Mk 4 today at Aylmer...that is a very beefy receiver.
I have noticed people asking some pretty big bucks for the new in grease No 4 Mk 2's lately...wonder if they're getting it?
