Look what ma-gotts!!
This bad-boy arrived in the mail despite a Canada post strike (sure didn't wanna leave it there!) A vintage WWII 1943 Lee Enfield No.4 Mark I British .303 Serial #AE3098 from the BSA factory in Shirley. Picked it up at a postal kiosk in a drugstore...something sureal about walking through a store with a gun under your arm...!
It's in incredible shape for its 68 years with only a single missing screw in the end of the cocking piece. The bore is pretty good shape too and I plan on firing it soon. Anyone know where I can get a replacement screw?
I dissasembled it immediately on arrival and discovered 68 years of dirt and grime was held in check by the cosmoline packing grease. There is virtually no rust or damage to any iron although the bluing is wearing on the wooden grip steel oval clamps. As well, some donut-head had installed the front clamp upside down (see ad photo below) and over the guide lugs, slightly denting it. I peened the dents out and have been considering picking up a replacement.
If your looking for one and have a spare 350-400 bucks (they still have 22 left), check out Frontier Firearms in Saskachewan Canada @ http://www.frontierfirearms.ca/I stripped the stock and re-oiled it with doubled-boiled linseed oil. It has a slightly blonder colored stock vs the front grips but it really looks great! I have ordered a strap via ebay and sadly, an oiler and pull-through as these where missing.
Troy
EDIT Postscript: Above is the video of me shooting the Lee Enfield today - "Dasani had it coming!"
Replaced the missing screw and went to the local range. I test fired it from the hip first (in case it went boom). What a KICK!! And LOUD!!! Even with hearing protection. Man, to have to rapid fire this gun in combat must have been deafening and hard on the shoulder!
The target was 75 yards away through the open sights. As this .303 has battlesights (300 and 600 yard flip peep type), my first 2 shots were high but pretty much on so I dropped a few inches each time until round number 3. I cannot imagine hitting anything at 300 let alone 600 yards!!!
Too cool!
Troy
4 comments:
Beautiful, you may want to check with a re-enactor/ living history group.
Numrich has parts for everything.
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/
Very nice rifle. Amazing the difference in size between the No4 mark 1 and the older SMLE bayonets. I have an Ishapore SMLE dated 1917. These are fun rifles that are great shooters.
Learned to shoot on the 303 when i was 13. I remember the recoil even now
When I was 13/14 I was an Air Cadet and fired one of these rifles at an RAF base in the Midlands at a shooting range there.
My strongest memory was not actually firing the thing but waiting outside before we got into the range. We were all being handed our ear defenders and as a shot from the range rang out, we all literally jumped in the air it was incredibly loud!
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