lee enfield 303…………?
October 24th, 2010 by eranio
I like old military rifles 4rus SKS, 3 Mos.N. M-44, 2 Mos. N 91/30
gun show is this weekend and I’d like to get an Enfield.
What do I look for, and how much should I plan on spending? I’m not to familiar with these, but I would like one. by the way I’m in Indiana.
add how much am I looking at $$$ as far as ammo? I’m not familiar with a forum for that.
Jeff it might see some hunting. thanks! I more just want one cause its a piece of history/collect, take apart toy, pass down to the kid, you know!
Posted in Military Rifles
October 24th, 2010 at 5:33 am
There is a series of British military rifles that use the .303 round, and Americans confuse the names of them quite often. Not all are Lee-Enfields.
By far the most common collectors will encounter are the SMLE No. 1 Mk III and the WWII and later Enfield No 4. Mk I. It would be good for you to know and understand the difference between these two and also the countries of manufacture.
The SMLE (Short ,as in barrel length compared to the older rifles, Magazine fed, Lee, the designer’s name, Enfield, the British Royal arms factory) is also known as the No. 1 and the most common variant is the Mk. III. This was the rifle of WWI and heavily used in WWII as well. It was produced in England, Canada, Australia, Pakistan and India in different times. The most noticeable feature is the rear sight is located on the barrel. British rifles usually get a lot more money than the rougher Indian and Paki versions.
The Enfield No. 4 was adopted at the beginning of WWII and held many improvements. It is not a "Lee Enfield" and it is not a "SMLE" as those names were officially dropped. The rear sight was much improved and located on the rear of the receiver, the action was better, accuracy was better and it was a lighter and more attractive rifle.
I own and shoot both although the older No 1s have more or less been retired in favor of shooting the No 4s. I would recommend the No4s if you plan on shooting.
I would not pay more than $200 to $250 for most Enfields, unless extremely rare or remarkable condition, etc. Ammo will be a lot more than your Soviet calibers.
October 24th, 2010 at 5:33 am
very nice rifles… they come in several "Marks" (versions) and were produced in several Comonweath nations
A "US Property " marked version is my favorite….Savage built those for "lend lease" during WW2
surplusrifle.com/… read or print this… a good ‘cheat sheet’ for the gunshow and a primer for what the differences are between the LE versions.
.303 surlpus ammo is still pretty common… but not as common as it was a few years ago… snatch some up if you can find it. Commercial 303 soft point works on deer and black bear… if you hunt the old gal
October 24th, 2010 at 5:33 am
If you can get a headspace gauge, take it with you and headspace the guns at the show. Failing that, make sure all the parts are there. Especially on the sights. Also make sure that the safety is reasonably tight. When these get worn, they can flop around all over the place. That is a bad thing when you want it to either be on or off, not going from one to the other on it’s own. Cruise the Lee-Enfield forums to see what the different variations look like. Try to decide which one you would like the most. Watch for badly sporterized guns, as the Bubbas seem to love mangling these rifles. You can get a good one from one of the import houses for around $150. Don’t go over $200 unless you find something that is ultra rare, or in pristine condition. And beware of the No. 5 Jungle Carbines, as most of them are fakes. If you are looking for your basic Lee-Enfield for shooting, I would go with a No. 4 of some kind. Look for the ones with the adjustable rear sights instead of the L shaped sight that is only set for 300 and 600 yards. Good luck, and have fun. These rifles are very entertaining.
October 24th, 2010 at 5:33 am
you just look around, if you have a friend whose a gun smith or enthusiast, bring them along with you, they’ll know better then you most likely, ammo is usually the same as others, maybe a couple bucks more per 20 round box.
they should cost around $100 for one in good shape and up to and over $200 in excellent to mint condition, even more for variants like jungle carbines and such, up to $400-$1000.
if your interested in old military rifles, you should get this guide book:
http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Catalog-Military-Firearms-Collectors/dp/0873499026
has all recent prices and shows a grade graph, showing what they should be worth in certain types of condition.