Need an advice on Lee Enfield rifle

[WAW44]

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).

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/

I would have walked too. The No.1 pattern rifle receiver flexes a lot more than a No.4 pattern, and the barrel is also thinner and more flexible than a No.4.

So, you are already are starting with an inferior platform and inferior Indian steel, and then chop the wood and finally fire .308 out of it. Meh, on so many levels. It may look cool, but I would really wonder if it's actuall accurate.

I just picked up another sporter No.4 from this forum and will probably build a L42A clone out of it, in .303, like the one below. (the photo is from a gunsmith in Australia that has a facebook page about these)

 

[Unka-Boo]

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

Nice! I sold mine after deciding to consolidate calibers and ditch 7.62x51....DUMB move, but that was 15 years ago...oh well.
Some pics from PR match where I decided to run it just because

 

[DasVas]

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.

Thank you very much!

 

[gmerkt]

Nobody has mentioned the No. 5. So-called "Jungle Carbine." I'm not a fan for several reasons, but just a word of advice on buying. There are a lot of fake No. 5's out there, be careful what you buy.

 

[orygun]

I just picked up another sporter No.4 from this forum and will probably build a L42A clone out of it, in .303, like the one below. (the photo is from a gunsmith in Australia that has a facebook page about these)

View attachment 1849869

Boy, Howdy! That's a good looking rifle, to my eyes, at least.
Dad kind of made one of these out of a real No4MK1T before I was born. It was his hunting rifle until I bought him a new 30-06 around 1998. He passed away 8 years ago and I have it now. Still haven't shot it yet.

Nobody has mentioned the No. 5. So-called "Jungle Carbine." I'm not a fan for several reasons, but just a word of advice on buying. There are a lot of fake No. 5's out there, be careful what you buy.

Since Dad had his 303, I really wanted a Jungle Carbine to match. Eventually, I bought a real one, but only shot it a handful of times before selling it. I also tried to buy one of the Gibbs Quest 45-70 carbines, but that's a story for another day.

 

[WAW44]

Boy, Howdy! That's a good looking rifle, to my eyes, at least.
Dad kind of made one of these out of a real No4MK1T before I was born. It was his hunting rifle until I bought him a new 30-06 around 1998. He passed away 8 years ago and I have it now. Still haven't shot it yet.
View attachment 1866486

Since Dad had his 303, I really wanted a Jungle Carbine to match. Eventually, I bought a real one, but only shot it a handful of times before selling it. I also tried to buy one of the Gibbs Quest 45-70 carbines, but that's a story for another day.

View attachment 1866487

That T just begs to be restored !

 

[Knobgoblin]

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.

You should get 12 rounds of .308 in that magazine.

 

[DunRanull]

Nice looking hunting rifle your Dad made from a darn nice rifle... you should try to restore it to original sniper configuration, just cuz... . Any idea when it was originally made?

 

[orygun]

That T just begs to be restored !

Restoration would involve metal work as Dad told me he did some "file work" to get the Williams sight on it. He never hunted with the scope because it was just too heavy. There is truth to that! About 30 years ago I bought a mount so we could put a scope on it, but when he tried, the attachment point wasn't on the rifle! In checking it out to get the date off of it, I noticed what "file work" Dad did. The rear sight has been removed level with the action.

Nice looking hunting rifle your Dad made from a darn nice rifle... you should try to restore it to original sniper configuration, just cuz... . Any idea when it was originally made?

I do. 1944.

Yeah, I know it would be worth several thousand dollars if Dad hadn't "Sporterized" it, but this was the late 50's and was a very common thing to do, especially with a gun that's known for accuracy.

 

[WAW44]

Restoration would involve metal work as Dad told me he did some "file work" to get the Williams sight on it. He never hunted with the scope because it was just too heavy. There is truth to that! About 30 years ago I bought a mount so we could put a scope on it, but when he tried, the attachment point wasn't on the rifle! In checking it out to get the date off of it, I noticed what "file work" Dad did. The rear sight has been removed level with the action.

I do. 1944.

Yeah, I know it would be worth several thousand dollars if Dad hadn't "Sporterized" it, but this was the late 50's and was a very common thing to do, especially with a gun that's known for accuracy.

View attachment 1867162

I see. Well, yes, forums are full of stories of now-rare rifles being made into sporters back in the day, becauise they were pletiful. No4. Ts, SS issue K98ks, SVT-40s. As you said, common thing to do. Metal technology has mved on, optics have gotten a lot better. Ammo is better. Today's hunting rifles, with modern optics, are more accurate, lighter, and sturdier.

Also, in case you didn't know. Yours is a Birmingham Small Arms, in Shirley UK , BSA M47C code. BSAs were the most common rifles selected for the No.4T conversion, with Savage the second.

 

[orygun]

Also, in case you didn't know. Yours is a Birmingham Small Arms, in Shirley UK , BSA M47C code. BSAs were the most common rifles selected for the No.4T conversion, with Savage the second.

Thanks. I had not yet looked to see. When I got it out today it's probably only the 3rd or 4th time out of the box since I brought it home in '16. At least when I pulled it out I found the WWII Nazi Navy dagger my uncle gave Dad after the war.