+pcpilot 181 Posted November 4, 2013 British Lee-enfield No.1 Mk3 marked 1917. I'll tell ya who built it from the markings on it as soon as I get back home tomorrow. Already had it out to shoot and man was it sweet! 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+whiteknight06604 931 Posted November 4, 2013 beautiful Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted November 4, 2013 Rule .303! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stratos 3,177 Posted November 4, 2013 Amazing mate!! Can I ask how much it costed? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,545 Posted November 4, 2013 Great Gun! Now imaging 12 303 guns in a Spitfire .... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+pcpilot 181 Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Amazing mate!! Can I ask how much it costed? I got it for a song from a collector who had hit on hard times. $200! Included some ammo. Went to a gun show here in Missoula and picked up some more ammo, some brass, and RCBS reloading dies. Bought some more stripper clips and Im now in business. Shooting it, I didn't dial in the sights. Just started shooting offhand and sitting. Nailed a nine inch paper plate at 100 yards 35 out of 40 times. One funny thing though; noticed drops of oil I didn't know at first where they were coming from. I was looking up at the tin roof over me at the range wondering if it was leaking! Realized it was cosmoline I hadn't cleaned off the inner workings, especially the area between the stock and barrel. Duuuuuuuhhh! Edited November 4, 2013 by pcpilot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stratos 3,177 Posted November 4, 2013 Excellent price. Would have loved on for myself. Enjoy it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,318 Posted November 4, 2013 Wow that is beautiful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capitaine Vengeur 263 Posted November 5, 2013 The British professional rifleman of 1914 was trained to barrage-shoot his 10 rounds in 10 seconds, or to hit the target 15 times in one minute. In August-September 1914, some attacking German units suffering heavy casualties reported they faced positions heavily defended by MG fire, while there were riflemen only. Try the challenge? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+pcpilot 181 Posted November 5, 2013 (edited) Your correct capitaine. the professional soldiers of the commonwealth were deadly with this rifle in both wars. One of the key things that made this a combat rifle extraordinare was the simple fact it held 10 rounds versus 5 in most bolt actions. That, discipline, and lots of practice made rifle companies in the Queen's armies a fearsome thing to face. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x3lOZ4yX6Y&feature=related Edited November 6, 2013 by pcpilot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+pcpilot 181 Posted November 6, 2013 (edited) Looks like it was built by the Birmingham Small Arms co. LTD England. There is a host of other markings I am trying to get info on. Should tell me even which unit it was issued to! The serial number is in the 48,000's!!! Edited November 6, 2013 by pcpilot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+NeverEnough 78 Posted November 6, 2013 pcpilot: Now that you have been infected with the milsurp bug, this is a site which should be really helpful. http://www.surplusrifle.com/ That looks like a very nice SMLE! Hopefully you picked up a set of neck sizing dies. Because of the rear locking lugs and extremely generous chambers, Enfields typically have lots of case stretching. If you full length size the fired brass, they usually experience case head separations after only a few firings. By neck sizing only, you will get more loadings out of your brass. If you need any reloading data, I've got some nice load workup articles from Handloader magazine. Mike Venturino has written extensively on loading jacketed and cast bullets for the Enfields. Let me know if you need any info. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+pcpilot 181 Posted November 6, 2013 (edited) pcpilot: Now that you have been infected with the milsurp bug, this is a site which should be really helpful. http://www.surplusrifle.com/ That looks like a very nice SMLE! Hopefully you picked up a set of neck sizing dies. Because of the rear locking lugs and extremely generous chambers, Enfields typically have lots of case stretching. If you full length size the fired brass, they usually experience case head separations after only a few firings. By neck sizing only, you will get more loadings out of your brass. If you need any reloading data, I've got some nice load workup articles from Handloader magazine. Mike Venturino has written extensively on loading jacketed and cast bullets for the Enfields. Let me know if you need any info. Thanks Neverenough, glad to hear there are others such as myself who enjoy the milsurps. I do have a couple books, Lyman 49th edition and a Lee, with some good loading data for the .303. But I can always use more data to compare with what Ive got. I haven't started the .303s yet but will soon. Unfortunately I didn't learn about the full length sizing issue until I had already bought the dies. I found LEE does make a collett neck sizing die that I will pick up eventually. In the meantime I understand I can use my full length die to size just the neck. Thanks for the link. I became a member back in '07 when I bought a Garand which I later sold. I am now waiting on a service grade garand from CMP that I will share with everyone when it arrives. I am also a K98 owner. I haven't taken pix of it yet but will here soon and show you all. Edited November 6, 2013 by pcpilot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted November 10, 2013 (edited) A British Rifle..and no-one in Britain will ever be allowed to fire it! It goes to an American Instead!! No Bloody Justice!...LOL Enjoy Edited November 10, 2013 by UK_Widowmaker 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crl848 9 Posted November 11, 2013 Ah, the 303. I used then extensively at school in the cadet force, we had the WW2 ones until the mid-80s, years after they had been superceded by the SLR in the army. Then moved straight on to the cadet version of the plastic SA-80. I did get to fire the SLR at the Lympstone CTC though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+pcpilot 181 Posted November 11, 2013 A British Rifle..and no-one in Britain will ever be allowed to fire it! It goes to an American Instead!! No Bloody Justice!...LOL Enjoy Well, here's one for you Widowmaker...on the milsurp forums, I am told the markings indicate this is one of the rifles given to the Austrailians after the war in payment for arms they provided the Brits during the war. Later on, it was refurbished in 1951 in Austrailia, then sold to the US. The importer mark is on the receiver; a company called Import Arms, Sacramento, Ca. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankTB 14 Posted November 12, 2013 crl848 I also had the school cadet thing with the 303. although the one's I remember were pretty ancient not sure if in fact they might have been from WW1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Viggen 523 Posted November 12, 2013 Beautiful rifle. Wouldn't mind getting one myself when I get home. The coffee house on our ramp has a Khyber Pass copy of a Lee Enfield nailed up on the wall. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+RAVEN 414 Posted November 12, 2013 Only cause it's Veteran's Day. 1975 Mine's Bigger. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+pcpilot 181 Posted November 12, 2013 (edited) Lol, probably a better rate of fire too. Edited November 12, 2013 by pcpilot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
