Thread: Resurgence of interest in the old "Three Oh"?

Originally Posted by mimms2

Rear-locking action (has pros and cons), horrendous trigger, skinny barrels, ancient (relatively speaking) chambering, loose tolerances (mostly age)... I always found the two-part stock thing hanging off the wrist a bit weird too...

I think that two piece stock is a bit weird and wonder why Blaser Merkel Sauer and a million lever actions were ever built but I am afraid to say any thing in case I get dragged into this bun fight.

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

Geez; everyone calm down please

Greetings Bumblefoot,
I'm with you on this one. To my knowledge (I must admit I skipped over some of the posts halfway through the first sentence) no one has suggested that the Lee Enfield is the last word in sporting rifle design. Some of us, perhaps a lot of us, just like to keep one or two around. Few if any of us keep one as a primary hunting rifle, we just like to load for and shoot them. We work around their shortcomings to produce usable loads suitable for the limited hunting and shooting we do with them. Some, like me have a long family association with the rifles and its cartridge. My first shot with any rifle was with my Uncles P14, at a rock, close to Makino Hut on the last Saturday in March 1963. No amount of jawboning will change that.
Regards Grandpamac.

Well done Wallabies!.Go hard ABs!!

Bloody hell; enough of the arguing already..... Shit it's making me think twice about even posting here anymore. 2 posts about having a bit of fun with an old 303 derailed by people starting shit storms... Probably simpler to PM people I think maybe able to help out with a question rather than start threads here.............

Well I like lee enfields and don't care if they have a few eccentricities, at there age they're entitled.
I like the cock on closing system
I like the 2 stage trigger
I like the geometry of bolt handle and trigger
I like the short bolt throw
I like the smell of Youngs 303 cleaner
Etc

@Marty Henry I know of 2 goats that don't like them as of Friday!

Oops; wrong pic

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

Bloody hell; enough of the arguing already..... Shit it's making me think twice about even posting here anymore. 2 posts about having a bit of fun with an old 303 derailed by people starting shit storms... Probably simpler to PM people I think maybe able to help out with a question rather than start threads here.............

Time for a couple of yellow cards perhaps ?

I would dearly love to own a left hand SMLE ( and yes I know it's no big deal to reach over and use the bolt ).
But I like things to be correct

Doubt there has ever been a true left hand version made but happy to be corrected

There have been a number of wrong handed ones passed on and down to me over the years and I have moved them all on
But it always left me longing for that special one worth keeping

I think it a technically brilliant rifle for what it was intended
I think the 303 is superb for what it was intended and considering when it was conceived and is still a cartridge that could do practically everything most NZ hunters would ever want it for
I can see a whole lot of reason why some of its features that irritate some are taken out of context
For instance a two piece stock is vastly more efficient if you are making a few million of them
Much easier to get a lot more units out of the same amount of materials
Regarding the light barrels. Once again it will be a saving in barrel steel and taken over millions at a time when resources were extremely valuable it all counts

Like I said I would love one in my gun cabinet And would have lots of circumstances where it would be ideal
So I will just have to build a nice 303 single shot or buy a friend's 303 double rifle if I really want to scratch that itch

Enfield are awesome.

Originally Posted by akaroa1

I would dearly love to own a left hand SMLE ( and yes I know it's no big deal to reach over and use the bolt ).
But I like things to be correct

Doubt there has ever been a true left hand version made but happy to be corrected

There have been a number of wrong handed ones passed on and down to me over the years and I have moved them all on
But it always left me longing for that special one worth keeping

I think it a technically brilliant rifle for what it was intended
I think the 303 is superb for what it was intended and considering when it was conceived and is still a cartridge that could do practically everything most NZ hunters would ever want it for
I can see a whole lot of reason why some of its features that irritate some are taken out of context
For instance a two piece stock is vastly more efficient if you are making a few million of them
Much easier to get a lot more units out of the same amount of materials
Regarding the light barrels. Once again it will be a saving in barrel steel and taken over millions at a time when resources were extremely valuable it all counts

Like I said I would love one in my gun cabinet And would have lots of circumstances where it would be ideal
So I will just have to build a nice 303 single shot or buy a friend's 303 double rifle if I really want to scratch that itch

The Arisaka is two piece stock too, the toe of the shoulder stock is dovetailed on. Also an expedient solution.

Originally Posted by akaroa1

I would dearly love to own a left hand SMLE ( and yes I know it's no big deal to reach over and use the bolt ).
But I like things to be correct

Doubt there has ever been a true left hand version made but happy to be corrected

There have been a number of wrong handed ones passed on and down to me over the years and I have moved them all on
But it always left me longing for that special one worth keeping

I think it a technically brilliant rifle for what it was intended
I think the 303 is superb for what it was intended and considering when it was conceived and is still a cartridge that could do practically everything most NZ hunters would ever want it for
I can see a whole lot of reason why some of its features that irritate some are taken out of context
For instance a two piece stock is vastly more efficient if you are making a few million of them
Much easier to get a lot more units out of the same amount of materials
Regarding the light barrels. Once again it will be a saving in barrel steel and taken over millions at a time when resources were extremely valuable it all counts

Like I said I would love one in my gun cabinet And would have lots of circumstances where it would be ideal
So I will just have to build a nice 303 single shot or buy a friend's 303 double rifle if I really want to scratch that itch

Stop it you smooth talking devil. You will get us all into trouble. I have seen just one .303 double rifle and I really don't want to know what they cost. Had an old Martini Enfield but the barrel was shagged and the rest of it beggared. It is now a Martini Krag. It will have to do.
Regards Grandpamac.

@grandpamac It'd be interesting to see what a 303 would do if loaded to higher pressures in a modern action.

Those 2 goats are pretty chilled at the moment while mulling over their choice to walk out in front of the 7.7mm Rimmed Creedmoor....

Here is one of mine.

"Range pattern MLE" Heavy "H" Lithgow Barrel, single stage target trigger, its an 1MOA shooter produced in 1896...

Interestingly enough the 303 Cartridge was designed by a Swiss man and the Lee Action was American.