does anyone have a 303 headspace gauge for a lee enfield that I could borrow or buy.
cheers
Ray
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does anyone have a 303 headspace gauge for a lee enfield that I could borrow or buy.
cheers
Ray
Ring Mike Collings from Whakatane.
You can buy head space gauges from Robert at Workshop inovations
thanks for the replies guys, I only want to gauge the new to me no4 mk1 before I put some rounds through it, so buying a set of gauges for $55.00 is a bit wasteful. Garyp do you have a contact no for Mike Collings?
I would appreciate if you could post it for me.
cheers
Mike Collings is 0212605211
Robert at Workshop Innovations hires them too. Give him a yell. Contact details on his website.
ahh! thanks for that wingman, I will email him.
cheers
Another way is to use a bit of feeler guage to measure it.
A simpler way is to just shoot it, and if you don't get a case head separation, then its fine. I could count the .303's that have matching bolts I have seen on one hand.
Once you've shot all your ammo, then just neck size that brass after that.
thanks carlsen highway, getting my mitts on some gauges seems to be difficult, workshop inovation are waiting for new stock to arrive so got a blank there.
the rifle is a as issued long branch no 4 mk1* matching numbers on all parts and I had to clean the cosmoline off it, so as you say it should be fine to shoot it.
cheers everyone
Ray
As issued still in wrapping would be worth a mint, unwrapped and cleaned slightly less fired less again. Pictures please, the only unissued ones ive seen have been irish.
the rifle is ex nz air force so it was issued, the chap I got it off who was in the airforce at the time he got it said they had 50 of these rifles that were in the armoury and were to be used as airfield defence if needed.
In the early 70s they must have upgraded to SLR,s and the lee enfields were sold off via a ballot and he was lucky enough to get one, and as I said I had to clean the grease off the stock and barrel but it wasnt wrapped in that grease paper, just protected for long term storage, and I am really looking forward to firing it.
cheers
1800ish in the grease, 1600ish unwrapped. 1100ish if fired. Some of us hoard them. Easy enough to find out where they were going by serial number. Lots more than just the irish contract although often referred to as such.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marty Henry
Everything 303 is getting expensive. I'll be getting the guage once workshop innovation gets some in stock.
Shoot it. It's of no use to you if you don't shoot it.
I wouldn't even worry about the headspace until you have been given a reason too, especially since you know the rifle came straight from the Army.
And we want to see pictures too.
You have just stated a classic about the 303's. Most worry about headspace but its nowhere near as big an issue as it seems to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlsen Highway
I thought I had the dimensions written down or saved somewhere as I was going to make some coin style ones but forgot about it. Not on a lathe in the new job so that aint gonna happen.
This has some info in there and the dimensions seem to pop up frequently so I would suggest are right although 70" seems to pop up as a field gauge dimension also. better descriptions in the link below
https://www.enfield-rifles.com/deter...topic8001.html
GO = 0.064" NO-GO = 0.067" FIELD = 0.074".
would like to add some photos but I dont know how, so if someone can tell me how to i would be happy to.
cheers
Had the same issue last night. Seems like I can only do it when I'm on the full site and not the mobile version.
If your on the full site, select reply and then click on the icon with the bucks head in it(on my screen its the third last icom from the right), a small screen will pop up on your phone, seleft "from computer" them go to your gallery and select the picture you want to add.
After you've sellected the pictures you'd like to add, click on "Upload file" its just underneath the "Choose File" botton.
Lastly select Quick post and Bobs your uncle.
Sorry for hi-jacking your post. I've done a quick test to see if I've explained correctly. Seems like its working fine.
If your still struggling, please feel free to PM me and I'll send you my number and you can whatsapp me the fotos and I'll upload them on your behalf?
Hi Jaco,
Struggling with photos, if you text me on 0272002315 I will forward photos to you, appreciated.
Cheers
PhotosQuote:
Originally Posted by raydafish
Hi Ray, does the gun have an aluminium butt plate? I've come across a few of these Long Branch guns and they were normally good shooters.
I would'nt worry to much about the head space - I'd take the girl to the range and let it rip.
Are you going to reload for this rifle?
Mine is from the 17 L series so a little newer than yours. It needed a no 3 bolt head for correct headspacing.
The but plate is brass and quite dinged up, I like to call it provenance.
I'm green.....this is one beautifull 303
Ahhh! I thouht it might have an alu butt plate.
Yes, and if I may add, if you don't have a neck sizer, you can just partially size / shoulder bump.Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlsen Highway
The .303 has quite sloping/forgiving shoulders due to the old way of making them, a bundle of Cordite (cf my avatar picture) inserted in a straight walled case, and only after that given the bottleneck crimping. Shoulder bumping has most of the advantages of neck sizing, but additionally ensures they feed well (both for if out in the woods and a bit of dirt gets in, but also if you have different rifles). Bump it back just far enough so it will chamber nicely in any of your LE's. Being rimmed cartridges, they headspace on the rim and not on the shoulders anyway, a useful feature for a battle rifle as it allows generous chamber tolerances.
If just for the range and for a single rifle, neck size only.
hi everyone,
photos at last, dont know why there are two of them each time but I,ll take it, next step is the range. this rifle has a no 2 bolt head and has a 2 groove barrel.
Looking forward to putting some rounds through the old girl, I shot my first deer with one of these when I was 16 with my dads rifle.. but thats another story.
cheers
thanks cordite,
not sure if I will bother reloading for it, I just like it as it is, will take it hunting one day for a deer though, bought some ammo recently from H&F to put through the old girl. What has been interesting is the amount of old ammo that has been offered to me, mostly ww2 stuff including some cac loaded with cordite as per your avatar cordite but I am reluctant to fire it because of the age, I did pull the projectile on one and it seemed fine but ammo thats 77 years old........dodgy to me. I did get given a mint packet of winchester ball ammo dated 1949, had an xtra round or two so pulled the projectile on them and it was smokeless powder, boxer primer etc in its original packet, pretty cool.cheers
