Thread: Sporterised Lee Enfields - accuracy ??

Hello Guys

I've just stared my testing program with the No 4 Mk 2 that I'm planning to turn into a MSR (well my take on a Modern Sporting Rifle anyway)

I'd be interested in what sort of accuracy other folks are achieving with good sporterised (scoped and with handloads tuned to the rifle) 303's. Mine has shot two 3 shot groups so far (125 gn sierra's with 30 gns VV N110 behind them) and seems to be doing about 2-3" groups (somewhat inconclusive cause a scope ring failed) which was pretty pleasing given no tuning yet and the limitations we are working under just now (no decent scope rings). The velocities with N110 were very consistent (2603 fps average with an ES of just 18 fps) so thats gotta help.

I haven't had a scope on my (deceased) Dads BSA sporterised No 1 Mk 3 for 30 years, when I did it shot just around 2" with Mk VII ball

Thoughts ??

Im also interested to know what accuracy other people are getting out of old enfield barrels. I have a Lithgow MkII* which does 3" groups with PPU (No optics). Ive yet to try handloads in it.

I have a MK 3* scoped that will do 1,5" with 180 gr flat base hand loads, the others 2"-4"( I have 7 303's )

I've done a few and given that the barrel is still good, accuracy is normally quite good. My dad's no4 mk2 would group well under 1 MOA all day long.

I would normally cut three inches off the original barrel, crown it, thread it for silencer use, bed the front end, drill and tap to mount a scope.

Worked on the trigger.

Originally Posted by Klhari

I've done a few and given that the barrel is still good, accuracy is normally quite good. My dad's no4 mk2 would group well under 1 MOA all day long.

I would normally cut three inches off the original barrel, crown it, thread it for silencer use, bed the front end, drill and tap to mount a scope.

Worked on the trigger.

A few details on how to treat the forend of a No4 Mk2 would be great, I have two, one is free floated, the other (which I can't shoot yet) is bedded (sort of). Thanks

No4mk2 is a good rifle to work with (as long as it’s already been sporterised) trigger hung and will have a newer barrel, slug the bore, see what that comes in at, Ive had bores out to .318, there are a raft of things that can be done to the 303’s , my pick would have been the p14 as that’s a one piece stock, which that in itself is a big plus over the smle and no4’s stock configuration I’ll post a really good article I got of a mate around the accuracy of the 303, I’ve reloaded, cast my own projectiles, done a shit ton of little tricks and some just keep to the 3-4 inch groups, others my fav 3 CAN do sub moa, others projectiles sideways at 25 meters, but that’s the fun part

Originally Posted by Tertle

No4mk2 is a good rifle to work with (as long as it’s already been sporterised) trigger hung and will have a newer barrel, slug the bore, see what that comes in at, Ive had bores out to .318, there are a raft of things that can be done to the 303’s , my pick would have been the p14 as that’s a one piece stock, which that in itself is a big plus over the smle and no4’s stock configuration I’ll post a really good article I got of a mate around the accuracy of the 303, I’ve reloaded, cast my own projectiles, done a shit ton of little tricks and some just keep to the 3-4 inch groups, others my fav 3 CAN do sub moa, others projectiles sideways at 25 meters, but that’s the fun part

I have slugged the bores of both I have (but 5 groves are hard to measure accurately) and both are pretty good, around .312 at most, however I've had good luck in other rifles with "current manufacture" projectiles which seem to be more tolerant of obituating up or squeezing down than I recall of efforts 20 or 30 years ago . . .

yip use the 180s.......at end of day if its going to be a HUNTING rifle....and more than likely a BUSH HUNTING rifle...well its pretty much a given that 300 yards will be a long shot,so 2-3inches CONSISTANT groups will kill any deer any day of the week without a problem.
guys get all hung up on having to shoot 1/2" groups........yip they are nice BUT not necessary.
those ATI synthetic stocks do look rather good on the old girls.

I’m going to keep my eye out for a No4mk1/2 FTR and make a hunting rifle out of it, given all the lee’s I owned I’ve never had a dedicated sporterised hunting rifle, I’ll see if I can find load data for you as well, I’ve not done a lot of work on them in a while, I think I’ve couple of Rogers CD’s, clever bugger!

They are not expensive, the most I've paid is $350 for an example with a "9 out of 10" barrel - it got held up in the lockdown so I don't have it in hand yet. The two that I do were only $105 (no bolt, but nice barrel still full length, which is a bit of a shame as it would restore well except that its been drilled and tapped) and I think the other one was $240, its got a Parker Hale sporter stock that will be surplus once I make the new ones . . . I'll also have some spare scope mounts.

I had a few new ex army 303's back in 1960's. Used apeture sights on two that I shot out and then a 2 1/2 power bushnel onthe last one. I shot several Tahr and chamois at 2-400 yards with that rifle and many deer and pigs with all of them at all sorts of ranges. Used all ex army ball ammo 174 grain with tips filed off till a pinhead sixed lead or crayon wax was visible. Always went for shoulder shots and lost bugger all animals.

Originally Posted by Woody

I had a few new ex army 303's back in 1960's. Used apeture sights on two that I shot out and then a 2 1/2 power bushnel onthe last one. I shot several Tahr and chamois at 2-400 yards with that rifle and many deer and pigs with all of them at all sorts of ranges. Used all ex army ball ammo 174 grain with tips filed off till a pinhead sixed lead or crayon wax was visible. Always went for shoulder shots and lost bugger all animals.

Thanks Woody. My Dads old No1 Mk3 (a really good BSA sporterised one) shoots pretty good with open sights. We had an ANZAC day shoot last year, 5 shots standing at 100, 5 sitting at 200 and 5 prone at 300 with "as issued" sights. All of my shots bar 2 would have cleanly killed a deer with a chest shot, but for hunting at first and last light (does anybody bother at any other time) you cant beat a scope even if you can shoot well with open sights

Quite like the idea of a 303 in an old Ramline stock, bedded with apeture sights and take it hunting, as long as you can hit a litre coke bottle at 200yds, should be all good, be wearing an old set of Buller lace ups and a blue swannie when I do!

Tentman, remove the top wood, shorten the bottom wood - just shy of the first steel belt/loop.

To prepare the rifle for bedding Ill run masking tape around the barrel(in the area where the wood stops) to keep a gap of 2mm between the barrel and the wood.
I'll bed the area around the recoil lug, making sure to bed the area under the barrel as well - 1.5 inches infront of the action.

The tension created on the frontend between the front action screw and the small bolt that goes right through the wood (near the back end) will keep the wood away from the barrel.

Nethan Foster has a very nice youtube video about bedding a Lee Enfield no4 mk 1. Google it if you could?

Originally Posted by Klhari

Tentman, remove the top wood, shorten the bottom wood - just shy of the first steel belt/loop.

To prepare the rifle for bedding Ill run masking tape around the barrel(in the area where the wood stops) to keep a gap of 2mm between the barrel and the wood.
I'll bed the area around the recoil lug, making sure to bed the area under the barrel as well - 1.5 inches infront of the action.

The tension created on the frontend between the front action screw and the small bolt that goes right through the wood (near the back end) will keep the wood away from the barrel.

Thanks