Scope mounting my 303 brit

leonard

leonard

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So i have a 303 British that shoots like no ones business. its a gun that was owned by a grandfather and has some sentimental value i guess but the main thing is its actually quite the tack driver or at least what i can get from iron sites at 100Yards its sub moa for me so far.

but I'm looking to scope mount this thing and have no idea how . I'm assuming that the scope base attaches to the base just behind the bolt chamber. i don't see any other places for it to mount though.

does anyone have any pic's of the mounting locations being used?

i have a feeling back when these rifles were cut up into hunting firearms they might have shaved some rather important mounting peices or something so if this hunch is true. anyone know any gun smiths around the Whitecourt area in Alberta?
 
I don't know for sure but I heard that the Williams base is ok if you're going to drill and tap a #4 Lee Enfield, for the SMLE #1 MK III I have heard that B-Square makes a side mount base both require gunsmith installation. I heard there are a few non-gunsmith bases for the #4's/#5's that might work okay. I had bought an SSK no-gunsmithing base for my #1 MKIII*, but I hever bothered with it to be honest. Sounds like you have a nice rifle there, though. :)

Edit: I also have an ATI no-gunsmithing base for the #1 MKIII, I would not bother with it, as it does not look like a solid mounting solution at all.
 
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Take a look at s&k scope mounts they look easy to install and reasonably priced. I plan to use one on a p14 I just aquired the other company I've seen is ATI they have stocks and a "no drilling" scope mount. I haven't seen or used one so I don't Know what they are like but I have put one of their stocks on a rifle and for the price thought they were quite a bit nicer than ramline.

Clay
 
I had one scoped, and took it off. They mounted it poorly on some adapter crapola that moved. To mount weaver bases and do a good mounting job, the receiver need to be cut down, like a Remington 30, Winchester 70 or Remington 721. Then you use 2 peice bases as you would for those rifles and mount your rings. Otherwise you could try to side mount it, or use on of the add on adapter thingamajiggy scope mounts, which may or may not be up to your standard. I would cut it down, mount it right, and put the ATI stock(cheek peice). I just gave up on mine and bought my Tikka. Let us know whatever you do, I'm interested in hearing. Good luck!
 
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Which model .303? Where's the rear sight?
"...its sub moa for me so far..." Less than one inch groups at 100 yards, consitently? If it does that with stock iron sights, leave it alone. A scope won't improve that. What ammo? What sights?
"...they might have shaved some rather important mounting peices(sic) or something..." Standard issue Lee-Enfields were never intended to have scope mounts of any kind. There is no place for a scope mount on a standard Lee-Enfield. The sniper version of the No. 4 Rifle used mounts that were on the left side of the rifle. There are similar commercial mounts available, but a scope won't make it shoot any better.
 
realize it wont make it shoot better. but tbh my eyes have trouble with iron sites past 100 yards which means i prefer scoped rifles out of pure necessity.

this guns shooting 150 Grain hand loads which i have @ about 2700 FPS .. the brass is holding up well which surprised me because i heard rumors it might stretch and what not .. so far its ok.
 
I have scoped quite a few of the 303's (No 1 Mk lll and No 4 Mk l's) and have used the S&K mount (No 4) and quite often use the Weaver TO-1 mount, which requires drilling and tapping 3 holes (6-48). As some have pointed out, there is a weakness in each system. Both ways of doing it, using standard military stocks, puts the scope high above the receiver and not very comfortable to shoot. My thought is if the rifle has sentimental value, go with the S&K, providing that the rear bridge has not been cut off. With the S&K, you don't have to have a gunsmith jig it up and d & t it.
 
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"...about 2700 FPS..." Those are max loads with H335 and BLC-(2). Did you work up to that or just pick a load?
The scope mount you need will depend on which model rifle you have.
 
Dude - This effort cant get past square one, until you identify the model of 303, as several folks have pointed out... Additionally, if it is sported, it may have had modifications done to the receiver, which will affect the ability to mount a scope.
 
k sry was out hunting.

however the sight is on the barrel.. meaning its ahead of the bolt which I've heard is one of the distinguishing differences although i cant remember which that means it is. I also see nothing pertaining to MK 1 or 4 sry..

has a serial # stamp of 471 doubt that means anything to you guys.
 
look at the metal under the bolt handle, the metal between the wood of the forestock and buttstock......it should have some markings there. usualy a date and then some markings..... see if you can read them and post them here..... then we can tell ya what kinda .303 brit you have
 
leonard said:
k sry was out hunting.

however the sight is on the barrel.. meaning its ahead of the bolt which I've heard is one of the distinguishing differences although i cant remember which that means it is. I also see nothing pertaining to MK 1 or 4 sry..

has a serial # stamp of 471 doubt that means anything to you guys.
Click to expand...

Sight on the barrel = No.1 Mk.3 aka SMLE.

The No.4 Mk.1 used a receiver mounted peep.
 
leonard said:
So i have a 303 British that shoots like no ones business. its a gun that was owned by a grandfather and has some sentimental value i guess but the main thing is its actually quite the tack driver or at least what i can get from iron sites at 100Yards its sub moa for me so far.

but I'm looking to scope mount this thing and have no idea how . I'm assuming that the scope base attaches to the base just behind the bolt chamber. i don't see any other places for it to mount though.

does anyone have any pic's of the mounting locations being used?

i have a feeling back when these rifles were cut up into hunting firearms they might have shaved some rather important mounting peices or something so if this hunch is true. anyone know any gun smiths around the Whitecourt area in Alberta?
Click to expand...

There are a few after market bases that mounts without distraction of the rifle, e.g. replacing some parts with new parts. I mounted my No. 5 using one of those bases instead of rear sight. Original parts are still in the box and can be places back if needed. I bought it from some company in East Canada over the internet. Can't recall the name...
 
here's my no.1 Mk3 SMLE with the ATI no gun####h mount, there are several variants on the market but my exp with the ATI so far has been good...

DSCN0226.jpg
 
ordered a ATI mount & synthetic stock for it. gona reblue it all when i have it apart .. this guns gona be a shooter i can feel it hope those scope mounts hold well though they look kinda flimsy.
 
The ATI mount is held there with 1 jam screw basically, the other 2 screws are there to increase the tension on that one screw. It might ding up the back end of your receiver ring, as it jams the side of the one screw into the ring. I had one but it would not fit into the charger guide, it was too wide.
 
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