Sporters: SMLE vs. No.4

cyclone

cyclone

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Mainly a "friendly" question based on some long-term curiousity....:yingyang:



Given the number of "sporterized Enfields" in Canada, as well as the truth of ever-rising "full-wood-example" prices, are there any comments/observations/preferences regarding a sporterized SMLE vs. a sporterized No.4?... :canadaFlag:



"Life-saving" disclaimer: while everyone is of course free to legally do whatever they wish to their private property, I'm envisioning a discussion of already-sportered Enfields!... :wave:
 
SMLE if you prefer tangent sights.

No. 4 if you prefer peeps/diopter sights.

Beyond that, it's kind of academic. Once Bubba has gotten hold of them, you can't really make any bets on which one is more likely to be more inherently accurate.

FWIW... I'm one of those weirdos who prefers tangent sights. Just find them easier and quicker to use - probably because that's what I learned on, decades ago, and have used for most of my life.
 
No.4’s have more options to mount an optic without drilling and tapping the receiver or charger bridge, if you want to put a scope on an Enfield I’d always pick the No.4. The Addley mount is rock solid, attaches with a screw and a bolt. It alloys use of the peep sight and removes in minutes allowing the rifle to be put back to original if you want.
 
Just made it up this year to be my hunting rifle! Still needs sighted in but has a great bore. (I DID NOT DRILL AND TAP IT) it came to me that way. I am no monster.
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The SMLE has a nice round action that can be polished and blued. It makes a nicer sporter than a #4.

For an iron sight sporter, the #4 is perfect. For optics, I use the #1.

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BOHROK said:
Just made it up this year to be my hunting rifle! Still needs sighted in but has a great bore. (I DID NOT DRILL AND TAP IT) it came to me that way. I am no monster.
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I have one done up like this. I wanted to buy the stock and put one together from the parts I have here and then I was offered one for what the stock would cost. DAH , ATI stock, already scoped and I do no work putting one together. It has become my cast bullet shooter. Works well. Now what to do with an uncut SMLE barrelled action that has been drilled and tapped. I also picked up a #4 because the action and barrel hadn't been touched but the stock had been cut. I bought the ATI stock for it also. I have about 75% of the parts to put her back to original. I find them both pretty good to shoot and I am not sure which one would be more accurate. The scope at the 3 hundred and farther I think gives the SMLE the edge over the 4 with peeps. A man can never have too many 303's.
 
I picked up a PH #1 sporter for peanuts, actually shoots very well.
What I can't figure out is the right side has lots of pitting under the blue, rifle has the typical high polished blue but I can't imagine PH putting it out like that with pitting.
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There are a few cosmetic differences between the two (depending on the Mk. for the SMLE), mostly in relation to the rear locking bits. The early Mk.s also have a riveted feed lip.

Largely interchangeable between the rifles though... The internals are identical, or at least they appear to be to me.
 
as for sporters I do think that the No1 makes a better sporter then the No4.

No1 has a lighter barrel for starters and the majority of No4s that are sporters have the barrel cut to remove the bayonet lugs. So with a No1 sporter you get the longer barrel without the weight.

you can also remove the charger bridge on the No1 without losing the rear sight, on a No4 removing the charger bridge normally also results in removing the rear sight and is a fairly involved machining process.

I also think you will find more No1 sporters that were done professionally as they were more available post war and in the inter war period for the 'trade houses' to buy and sporterize.
 
Hitzy said:
I picked up a PH #1 sporter for peanuts, actually shoots very well.
What I can't figure out is the right side has lots of pitting under the blue, rifle has the typical high polished blue but I can't imagine PH putting it out like that with pitting.
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I have a PH #4 with the same stock as yours , a favorite of mine . I also have an older PH sporter built on a #1 . They both shoot really well and have put a lot of meat in the freezer over the years . I also have a 43 Long Branch that was cut down many moons ago , issue sights only and is almost as accurate as my scoped sporters . It's become my walking around in the bush rifle , totally reliable . I have seven LE's of various marks , but I'm always on the lookout for more .
 
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