Using an sporterized Enfield 303 for mule deer in BC

Droopyface

Droopyface

New member
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Location
Victoria, BC
Hey All,

I have an old Enfield and will be heading out hunting soon - right now it doesnt have a scope on it, so I would be using the original iron sights.

Does anybody still hunt with these? It shoots great - I'm wondering if theres any good reason why I wouldnt hunt with this. The guys Im going out with have new 30-06 so I feel a little dated.
 
Don’t worry about being dated. Go out and shoot a deer. It won’t know if it’s been shot with a 303 or 30-06 and yours will taste the same.
Enjoy your hunt and may the hunting gods be with you. :)
 
Droopyface, that old 303 British will do anything a modern 308 Winchester will do energy wise. You say it shoots well fine, no worries as long as you don't get buck fever and blow the point of impact.

Hunt with confidence.

I take out a few of my old Lee Metfords a few times a year just because I like them that much. I have a safe full of excellent hunting rifles for every occasion but those 125 year old sporters just add to the fun.
 
When I was kid growing up on our farm, late 1950’s to early 70’s in East Central,Alberta , the sporter 303 was the rifle nearly every hunter used , i can still remember 1/2 ton pickup trucks with a gun rack in the back window , parked on the street in our town with the 303 sporter in the rack,or at farm auction sales , alternating to the pump action 12 gauge for duck and goose hunting, and the Cooey . 22 for gopher shooting in spring and summer
 
x westie said:
When I was kid growing up on our farm, late 1950’s to early 70’s in East Central,Alberta , the sporter 303 was the rifle nearly every hunter used , i can still remember 1/2 ton pickup trucks with a gun rack in the back window , parked on the street in our town with the 303 sporter in the rack,or at farm auction sales , alternating to the pump action 12 gauge for duck and goose hunting, and the Cooey . 22 for gopher shooting in spring and summer
Click to expand...

LOL...brought back some good memories reading your post...only we had a 3-hanger model in every vehicle we had on the farm here...no changing from season to season.
 
Droopyface said:
Hey All,

I have an old Enfield and will be heading out hunting soon - right now it doesnt have a scope on it, so I would be using the original iron sights.

Does anybody still hunt with these? It shoots great - I'm wondering if theres any good reason why I wouldnt hunt with this. The guys Im going out with have new 30-06 so I feel a little dated.
Click to expand...

I have taken more animals with my lee enfield no1 mkIII .303 than with any other rifle.
these include Interior Mule deer, Black tail deer, Black Bear and Moose.
hunt with confidence out to 300 yards.
 
My 1st hunting rifle was a LE m4 no1. An ideal deer rifle as far as the generations of my family are concerned. With energy and ballistics to easily back up the claim. You are good to go for any game in North America with that gun. Accuracy and shot placement trump everything
 
My dad only owned one rifle his entire life. It was pretty common in the maritimes in the 60s and 70s to see a group of guys hunting with only 303's.
 
AH yes.. The 3 gun pickup window racks..
Still have my original from ? 1973? Bought a brand new Chev 4x4 pickup.. 350 ci. 8 ft. box . stick

Sadly ..sitting in a closet now..the rack that is ..pickup the rust cancer got it
 
My first "deer rifle" was a Churchill Gunmakers No.1 1918 BSA, purchased at the local MacLeods hardware for $65 in 1965. Nice old rifle, and it did the trick for quite a few deer. Where I live and hunt, a .303 or a 30-30/32WS is all that is needed.

Take your old .303 and enjoy your time in the field.
 
I hunt every year with a sporterized no.4 mk1, aside from being a bit on the heavy side it’s a joy to hunt with. Accuracy with both 150g & 180g is in the 1”-1 1/4” @ 100yrds, it gets the freezer filled if I get the opportunity to take a shot.
 
x westie said:
When I was kid growing up on our farm, late 1950’s to early 70’s in East Central,Alberta , the sporter 303 was the rifle nearly every hunter used , i can still remember 1/2 ton pickup trucks with a gun rack in the back window , parked on the street in our town with the 303 sporter in the rack,or at farm auction sales , alternating to the pump action 12 gauge for duck and goose hunting, and the Cooey . 22 for gopher shooting in spring and summer
Click to expand...
I used to park my truck at the high school with my .22 in the rack to go gopher shooting at the end of the day. I also had the seat cover in the truck that a rifle slid in the front of the seat out of sight and still have the cover in my garage that was on the bench seat of my '76 chevy.
 
The 303 is a fine rifle for deer you'll have no issues if you do your part, some people will preach the virtues of the latest newfangled rifles, and they aren't wrong, but the enfield is not without merit itself, plenty accurate a little dirt doesn't do it any harm and you don't have to worry so much about a little bang or knock here or there because it just goes with the others, I still carry mine as well as my krag I purchased a few months ago. A lot of deer have met their end at the stout .303 and I don't doubt a lot more will.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom