Thread: 303 markings

Can anyone identify the markings on my old 303 please? I'm guessing Boer war era for a start.

Go here

New Zealand Arms Register - Arms Register

And click on the two long tom articles.

Should answer your questions

It is a contract MLE from about 1900 (probably BSA but I can't make it out clearly in the photo) and came into NZ service in 1901. It was sold out of service (denoted by the point to point Broad Arrow stamps), probably in the 20's or 30's, and has been roughly rebarreled with a second-hand MLE barrel at some stage (hence the non-matching numbers). NZ troops went to the Boer War with .303 Martini-Enfield carbines and were later issued with MLE's from British stores. Your rifle was a contract purchase from the UK gun trade by NZ, and was not issued in South Africa although the period is correct. British stores rifles were made by a few manufacturers in addition to Enfield but all such rifles would have been fully marked on the butt socket with the appropriate military designation (eg; MLE MkI* and the Royal cypher VR and date).

Thanks for the link NZShoota, Really good info there. gundoc thanks for your input, you know your stuff. What you have said is what I pretty much read in the link. Yep it's a BSA and been rebarreled at some stage, it's got HV stamped in front of the rear sight. Different PB numbers and bolt number is different again. I was told it was used as a home guard rifle, but theres no HG stamped anywhere. Rifle belonged to my grandfather and it spent the majority of its life hunting in the Wairarapa.

Originally Posted by BushHunter

Thanks for the link NZShoota, Really good info there. gundoc thanks for your input, you know your stuff. What you have said is what I pretty much read in the link. Yep it's a BSA and been rebarreled at some stage, it's got HV stamped in front of the rear sight. Different PB numbers and bolt number is different again. I was told it was used as a home guard rifle, but theres no HG stamped anywhere. Rifle belonged to my grandfather and it spent the majority of its life hunting in the Wairarapa.

Attachment 146843

Still shootable?
Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by gundoc

It is a contract MLE from about 1900 (probably BSA but I can't make it out clearly in the photo) and came into NZ service in 1901. It was sold out of service (denoted by the point to point Broad Arrow stamps), probably in the 20's or 30's, and has been roughly rebarreled with a second-hand MLE barrel at some stage (hence the non-matching numbers). NZ troops went to the Boer War with .303 Martini-Enfield carbines and were later issued with MLE's from British stores. Your rifle was a contract purchase from the UK gun trade by NZ, and was not issued in South Africa although the period is correct. British stores rifles were made by a few manufacturers in addition to Enfield but all such rifles would have been fully marked on the butt socket with the appropriate military designation (eg; MLE MkI* and the Royal cypher VR and date).

there is a bsa stamp on there, you are a wealth of knowledge @gundoc

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Still shootable?
Grandpamac.

Years ago I put a couple of rounds through a ph book at 50 yards, they went through sideways. I will get it checked over one day. It would be nice to get it out for a last hunt.

Originally Posted by BushHunter

Years ago I put a couple of rounds through a ph book at 50 yards, they went through sideways. I will get it checked over one day. It would be nice to get it out for a last hunt.

A real basic test - how far does a projectile on a loaded round go into the muzzle. If it goes up to the start of the case neck mmmm......

Originally Posted by zimmer

A real basic test - how far does a projectile on a loaded round go into the muzzle. If it goes up to the start of the case neck mmmm......

All the way! I'm guessing just maybe a cut an recrown of barrel may help here? Also what other checks, Headspace?

Greetings,
First step would be to give the barrel a damned good clean which may take some time and elbow grease. It will probably be pitted and dark in the grooves so don't be disappointed. If you can see rifling most of the way down there is hope. I think that we can safely say that collector value will be nil so cutting a good bit off the muzzle and a re crown could work wonders. Don't forget you will still need a fore sight. As far as head space goes you can do a quick check with a full length sized case with a partly seated primer. Just pop it in the chamber and close the bolt keeping the action cocked. Open the bolt and you can see how much head space there is by how far the primer sticks out the back of the case. Expect there to be some to perhaps a lot. You will need the bolt for this, obviously. One of my .303 rifles has quite a lot of head space and still shoots well. I use a light load, 32 grains of AR2206H behind the Hornady 174 grain round nose and only neck size the cases in a Lee Loader. This stops the cases breaking in half. If the bolt does not turn up I have an old one here that may do although it is a bit later.
Best of luck. Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

As far as head space goes you can do a quick check with a full length sized case with a partly seated primer. Just pop it in the chamber and close the bolt keeping the action cocked. Open the bolt and you can see how much head space there is by how far the primer sticks out the back of the case.

Nice simple trick.

Originally Posted by BushHunter

All the way! I'm guessing just maybe a cut an recrown of barrel may help here? Also what other checks, Headspace?

If a loaded round goes into the muzzle right to the case mouth, then before you reach for the hacksaw use a kinetic puller and try and drop the round into the barrel. It MAY JUST drop all the way through and you can drop your plans of shortening the barrel for no gain. You may just need oversize bullets to make it shoot better.

(Also... you may not wish to invest in a set of full wood for it, but market forces will tell you that eventually the thing becomes valuable enough to do so -- whether by you or your grandkids is the only question)

Thanks for all the info so far, First thing then is a very good clean of the barrel. Resale value would be nil but family history is priceless. Cheers.

BushHunter.

Originally Posted by BushHunter

Thanks for all the info so far, First thing then is a very good clean of the barrel. Resale value would be nil but family history is priceless. Cheers.

BushHunter.

Greetings BushHunter,
That's the good thing about rifles with sentimental value, family history or other. Such modifications that we may make to them do nothing to diminish their sentimental value and may even enhance it. If we are able to use the rifle we add to its history and it's value to us and later generations. I have several rifles like that and each time I use them I remember their former history and owners which live again in that moment.
Regards Grandpamac.