Need an advice on Lee Enfield rifle

[DasVas]

Hello everyone.
Need an advice on Lee Enfield rifle.
So I'm looking to buy my first Lee Enfield, kinda leaning towards No.1 Mk. III, but I like them all...
Looking forward for an educated advice, how to pick and where to buy...
I've checked all local pawn shops and have been to few gun shows, very limited options, and usually people want crazy money for them... looks like gunbroker is the only way to go

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[Provincial]

Monitor Ward's Auctions, as all sorts of stuff turns up there. They are located about 15 miles West of Salem, Oregon, so you can drive down and inspect the gun before you bid.

https://www.wardscollectibles.com/auction/A95/index.php

 

[DasVas]

Monitor Ward's Auctions, as all sorts of stuff turns up there. They are located about 15 miles West of Salem, Oregon, so you can drive down and inspect the gun before you bid.

https://www.wardscollectibles.com/auction/A95/index.php

Thank you

 

[DunRanull]

Look for a #4, either Mark. Better sights than the SMLE and usually a good bit newer. An Ishapore in 7.62NATO would be another good snag due to the NATO caliber. IF I were limited to a bolt-action vintage rifle in a bad situation, a decent Ishie would be my choice- for ammo availability and the integral 10 round magazine capacity. The Enfield rifle is considered by many to be the fastest-operating bolt rifle.
.303 Enfield is still a good powerful round but much less available than it used to be- surplus .303 ammo has all been expended or in someone's stash. Some reload for the round and that will certainly work for smaller quantities and specialised hunting ammo, not the greatest for long-term use. It may be downright impossible to find in a post-shtf situation. I have had to face this fact with my own favorite 7.92x57/8mm Mauser- it's just not that common and available anymore.

 

[ronin223]

SMLE have rear notch sight and the No 4 have a rear peep sight so I prefer the no4 for shooting. The british measured bore diameter different than americans. .303 is at top of lands. so actual bullet diameter is .311 which is what an AK bullet is.

I use neck sized once fired in the same gun brass with 123 gr AK bullets and trail boss. It shoots like a BB gun.

I prefer to neck size 303 brit because of the significant elongation the case goes through when fired.

 

[DunRanull]

SMLE have rear notch sight and the No 4 have a rear peep sight so I prefer the no4 for shooting. The british measured bore diameter different than americans. .303 is at top of lands. so actual bullet diameter is .311 which is what an AK bullet is.

I use neck sized once fired in the same gun brass with 123 gr AK bullets and trail boss. It shoots like a BB gun.

I prefer to neck size 303 brit because of the significant elongation the case goes through when fired.

Good points on reloading the .303 Brit. Never tried using AK bullets or pistol powder, instead went for full-power loads. Sounds interesting!

 

[ronin223]

Good points on reloading the .303 Brit. Never tried using AK bullets or pistol powder, instead went for full-power loads. Sounds interesting!

No not pistol powder trail boss which is high volume to fill case. Filling 303 brit with a pistol powder is suicidal.

 

[WAW44]

Still looking? I have two nice No.4s looking for a home.

 

[Unka-Boo]

I'll 2nd a 2a1...early styling but in a caliber you can readily find.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Hello everyone.
Need an advice on Lee Enfield rifle.
So I'm looking to buy my first Lee Enfield, kinda leaning towards No.1 Mk. III, but I like them all...
Looking forward for an educated advice, how to pick and where to buy...
I've checked all local pawn shops and have been to few gun shows, very limited options, and usually people want crazy money for them... looks like gunbroker is the only way to go

View attachment 1844704

I noticed adaptive firing solutions in clackamas has one.

 

[Aero Denezol]

The classified section of Gunboards.com usually has a lot of milsurps. That's how I got my VKT M39 (which I stupidly sold).

Still looking? I have two nice No.4s looking for a home.

The Savage? I think we corresponded a couple of time about that one. That was pretty nice and fairly priced.

@DasVas ^^^^

 

[Robear]

Empire Arms is my go-to for milsurp guns.

 

[WAW44]

The classified section of Gunboards.com usually has a lot of milsurps. That's how I got my VKT M39 (which I stupidly sold).


The Savage? I think we corresponded a couple of time about that one. That was pretty nice and fairly priced.

@DasVas ^^^^

Actually, that one is gone. I have a post war 1948 matching Faz Mk1, made right before they went to Mk2. I also have a 44 maltby that was FTR post war, also matching and because it was FTR, it has a 5 groove barrel with good bore.

 

[WAW44]

Hello everyone.
Need an advice on Lee Enfield rifle.
So I'm looking to buy my first Lee Enfield, kinda leaning towards No.1 Mk. III, but I like them all...
Looking forward for an educated advice, how to pick and where to buy...
I've checked all local pawn shops and have been to few gun shows, very limited options, and usually people want crazy money for them... looks like gunbroker is the only way to go

View attachment 1844704

No.1s are classic, but are not the best shooters for accuracy since the No.1 barrel is thin and designed to be supported in multiple points, breech, midpoint, and nose cap. These points can be adjusted to adjust the whip of the barrel and get more accuracy. Also, most .303 was corrosive (cordite) so finding good No.1 bores is a little more difficult. Post WW2 FTR examples are best.

No.4s are better shooters, as they have a heavier barrel, less flex, and better sight picture. Also, many No.4s went through post ww2 FR program that later supplied them to friendly forces, and they can be found with good barrels/bores more easily.

Indian 2A, 2A1, meh... if you want to shoot .308 go for it, but too many of them were used hard and are often beat up to crap.

You want a nice No1. Get yourself a WW2 Lithgow. You want a nice WW2 No.4, get yourself 43 or later Long Branch, or Savage, or BSA. Post WW2 Faz rifles, or FTR rifles would be second best.

 

[WAW44]

Monitor Ward's Auctions, as all sorts of stuff turns up there. They are located about 15 miles West of Salem, Oregon, so you can drive down and inspect the gun before you bid.

https://www.wardscollectibles.com/auction/A95/index.php

Damn you! And I thought I stopped buying stuff.

 

[ma96782]

RE : Post #9
The RFI 2a1

Yeah.....after reading your post, I took mine out. Just to play/fondle with. LOL.

The old pictures are in Post #629 of this thread.

We need some C&R porn

Winchester model 74 semi-auto .22LR 1939 - 1955 I like the heavy stocks and longer barrels. The one with the vintage 3/4" scope is in mint condition its just to bad someone drilled and tapped the receiver. The other one is a little dinged up 25% blue loss, both rifles are great shooters and...

www.northwestfirearms.com

Aloha, Mark

 

[WAW44]

RE : Post #9
The RFI 2a1

Yeah.....after reading your post, I took mine out. Just to play/fondle with. LOL.

The Pictures are in Post #629 of this thread.

We need some C&R porn

Winchester model 74 semi-auto .22LR 1939 - 1955 I like the heavy stocks and longer barrels. The one with the vintage 3/4" scope is in mint condition its just to bad someone drilled and tapped the receiver. The other one is a little dinged up 25% blue loss, both rifles are great shooters and...

www.northwestfirearms.com

Aloha, Mark

There is not enough time in the day for that! See why that link to the auction house is bad for me?

(Ohh, also, these pics are 2 years old now I think. Since I took them I added 3 No.1s, 2 No.4s and 2 No.5s to the stash. )

 

[ma96782]

Before buying mine. I can remember PASSING on a sporterized RFI 2a1(because it was sporterized).

BUT....to this day, I dream/wonder about it. Because, the guy had made it to look like (the stock work at least) an L42a1 (which might have been nice to have/shoot).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tFEXzzilOg


Aloha, Mark

PS....I found the old pictures of that sporterized RFI 2a1. Checkout post #19. https://www.northwestfirearms.com/t...e-today-pawn-shop-special-enfield-303.396565/

 

[Provincial]

Damn you! And I thought I stopped buying stuff.

I live only a few miles away, and resist. It only takes a little will power!

 

[rob1516]

I have an Ishapore 2A1 and love it. Only downside is standard 308 loads are a little to spicy for it, so you will see more pronounced flattening of primers in it, but same rounds fired in an AR 308 have zero signs of higher pressure. Doesn't cause any issues with the rifle, but something to consider if you get one in 308.