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first enfield, what should I do with it?

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steve-o View Drop Down
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    Posted: October 10 2017 at 6:27am
OK, finally got around to doing a little work. After searching and searching for a caliber conversion, finding nothing and sending a lot of unanswered emails, I decided to keep it in .303.

I cut 2" off the barrel down to 18", ordered front sight hardware from Numrich and a Williams 5d for the rear. I turned the front of the barrel down about 3 hundredths so the sight could fit over it, and just have to figure out how to keep it in place. Re-crowned the barrel too and it looks pretty good.

The receiver has been pilot drilled to tap for the rear sight, but I haven't figured out what the thread size is on the mounting screws.

I like the shorter barrel, although 20" wouldn't have been bad. Stock length would have been a little unwieldy in the woods. After I get the sights figured out, I was going to refinish the stock in an oil finish. I'll put some pics up tonight of progress so far. I'm pretty pleased with it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steve-o Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 07 2017 at 1:01pm
Originally posted by Bear43 Bear43 wrote:

Since the charger bridge has been removed, and that is not an easy thing to replace, pretty it up as a sporter and it will still serve you well. Sporters do have a place in a collection and since this rifle has gone so far down that road already, do what you can to enjoy it. I still recommend keeping it in .303 as it is such a good and proven round.


Yeah I wish the receiver hadn't been modified like that, but I think I can work with it. I think I will be keeping it in .303, rather than chopping it up even more.

I would like to cut and recrown the barrel as I mentioned, but I am having trouble finding a receiver mount rear sight that looks like it would work. I know Williams makes them, but nothing says whether or not they would work with a Savage rifle. I would assume they are pretty close or the same, but being new to Enfields, I can't say. I just want to be sure I will have the space needed to put one on and not interfere with the rifle's action or anything else like that. If anyone has any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bear43 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2017 at 9:50pm
Since the charger bridge has been removed, and that is not an easy thing to replace, pretty it up as a sporter and it will still serve you well. Sporters do have a place in a collection and since this rifle has gone so far down that road already, do what you can to enjoy it. I still recommend keeping it in .303 as it is such a good and proven round.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2017 at 8:31pm
sporters i am not , but enjoy your rifle and know there are others here that appreciate what you have , they can tell you what you wish to know 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steve-o Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2017 at 6:51am
Thanks englishman_ca. I had a feeling maybe it was a Savage I was looking at. I'm a little upset they removed the rear sight mounts, but I have some ideas I want to try with maybe a receiver mount peep sight and a modified mosin-nagant front sight. According to my calipers, the barrel right behind the front sight that is on it is a few thousandths off of what the mosin sight needs to mount to. Since the crown is pretty beat up I was going to cut and re-crown right behind the sight. Despite the crown looking the way it does, it actually shoots pretty well. I haven't shot on paper yet, but it was ringing a 10"x10" steel 100 yards away.

I think I am going to leave the stock the way it is, it feels pretty good, is weathered just right and will likely keep looking better with age.

I was kind of looking forward to doing a caliber conversion because I was assuming the worst as far as the barrel goes. The thing was so cheap I was sure it would be trashed, but I was pleasantly surprised and would love to keep it in .303. Down the road when I pick up another one, this one will probably turn into a .45-70 or a 44 mag to accompany my revolver.

Thanks for the advice, I am definitely loving this gun and can't wait to hit the woods with it this fall!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stanforth Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 05 2017 at 2:34am
Only 1?LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote englishman_ca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 04 2017 at 9:35am
Well steve-o, you kinda answered your own question. It is a Lee Enfield No.4 Mark 1 rifle in 303 British. If I am not mistaken, the serial number is of the series from the Savage factory in USA, so it was manufactured during WWII.

A classic form of sporter made by modifying a military rifle. Cut down, they make great deer guns.
With yours it looks like pretty much everything has been modified, including the receiver by the removal of the rear sight mounts.

There is a bit of technique in fitting a replacement fore stock, a bit of Enfield magic needed to get it shooting well. If you are a handy guy and study up on it, it is well worth doing properly.

Working on an Enfield is not quite the same as working on an AR with drop in parts. All Lee Enfield actions were hand fitted. 

It is a great platform upon which to build many different types for rifle. Hard hitting and reliable, they get the job done.

Just a suggestion as this is your first LE, use your woodworking skills to slim and give that fore stock some shape and style. Assuming that it is the original stock fitted to that action, you will be miles ahead with fitting it up. Put a nice butt stock on it and the gun will have some class.
 
Play with it and learn the quirks of how it handles and shoots before you choose what to do with it.

And a caution, Lee Enfields are very addictive. You will need another one.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steve-o Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 18 2017 at 1:46pm
I keep coming up with more questions about this thing. I'll get some better pictures up, but can anyone tell me what it is?! I know it's a silly question, I'm sure it's an Enfield, but that's about all I can tell. There aren't many markings, there is a very faded "No4 mk I" on the receiver, and the serial starts with "BC". I can't find any info on that serial prefix, and not one picture I have found looks anything like that receiver. I got it for really cheap so I'm not that worried, but if I need parts, what am I looking at?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steve-o Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 02 2017 at 9:48am
There we go
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steve-o Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 02 2017 at 9:18am
Originally posted by Bear43 Bear43 wrote:

Keep it in .303, tidy it up a bit, and enjoy it! Please post some pictures when you have the rifle in hand.


OK finally was able to pick this thing up (My wife and I have been preparing for our first born, so I haven't had a whole lot of time haha). Action is smooth and everything appears to be in decent shape for an old rifle. The bore was dirty so I scrubbed and scrubbed, but it still looks a little rough. I will shoot it this weekend to see how it works out. Not too sure about the stock, I like the original style much more than what is on it. If the barrel is ok and not totally shot out, I thought of maybe cutting it down a little more and putting a rear peep sight and different front on. I like woodworking so I might be able to fashion the top portion of the stock that goes over the barrel (sorry I don't know what it's called) and come out with something similar to the no. 5 jungle carbine. That way I could keep it in .303 as I rather like the round. Of course switching it over to .45, .45-70 or maybe .44 magnum since it has been sporterized and modified.

Pics are coming, my file size is too big so I will try and figure that out.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 09 2017 at 9:21pm
yes please , 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bear43 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 08 2017 at 11:19pm
Keep it in .303, tidy it up a bit, and enjoy it! Please post some pictures when you have the rifle in hand.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steve-o Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 07 2017 at 1:07pm
Awesome, that should help. In the meantime I'm going to mess with it as is. I'm pretty excited about it, thanks!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SW28fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 07 2017 at 1:04pm
Richard from Special Interest Arms is a member of the forum
Congraats on your first enfield. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 07 2017 at 9:07am
If your hunting with it; it would be better to keep it's original .303 calibre. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steve-o Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 07 2017 at 6:17am
I just like the look of the original style stock I guess. It's killing me waiting to pick it up and start cleaning it haha. The stock on it now isn't in bad shape, just looks like the typical decades old weathered stock. I'm going to shoot it as is first once I do an inspection to make sure it won't blow me up. The 303 would be a good round should I ever make it out West to hunt mule deer or even elk. The 45 idea came from the fact that I sometimes hunt now with a 1911 that I have modified to shoot .45 super. I assume that the barrel and receiver can handle the pressure, since 303 is about 20,000 psi more than 45 super. I'd get better than 10mm ballistics in a handy package. The area I hunt and shoot never has shot opportunities over 100 yards, so it would work fine. Anyways, once I get a hold of it, I'll report back with some more specifics.
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