Not-the-Enfield-FAQ
No.1 MkIII*
Copyright (C) 1994 by Ben Sansing
compiled by <ben.sansing@chaos.lrk.ar.us> with lotsa help
This FAQ, in its entirety, is available from xxxxxxxxxx or by calling (direct) Courts of Chaos BBS at (501) 982-0059 [HST 28.8 or V32bis 14.4] and downloading ENFAQ-A2.LZH
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Part Four: SHORT BITS (ENFAQ-04.MSG)
Assorted paragraphs and short articles gleaned from here and there, not sorted into any coherent order.
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Contents, Table of, MkI
* SHORT BITS
- Oversized .303 Chambers
- Cosmoline Removal
- Removing Dents in Wood
- Young's Country Stock Finish
- Removing Lee-Enfield Stock
- Muzzle Brake Installation (P.O. Ackley raves and spews)
- "Enfield Collector's Digest", info on quarterly publication
- Undersized surplus bullets vs. American components
- Bores With Odd Grooves (How to slug/mike 5-groove Enfield bores)
- "The Lee Enfield Number 1 Rifles", book review
- "The Lee-Enfield Story", book review
- Paper Patching .303 (reloading w/undersized bullets)
- Rimless .303?
- .303 Mark IV Tracer (ammo I.D.)
- "British .22RF Training Rifles", book review (incl. Enfield .22s)
- Lee-Enfield Stripper Clips (how to load/use them)
- Surplus "Enfield" Warning (throat erosion & blowups)
- .303 Buff (about hot loads and black powder loads)
- Enfield Carbine Bayonet (source for)
- MkIII Enfield Scope Mount (source for)
- Bolt-On Scope Mount (B-Square)
- Ten Rounds in Ten Seconds (WW2 anecdote)
- The .303 British (as a big-game cartridge)
- Enfield Bolt Creep (a harmless, but startling phenomenon)
- No.4 Rifle Loop (ahead of magazine)
- Double F Marked SMLE
- Austrian Enfield
- Surplus Surprises:
* Cyprus Police No.5
* Ishapore Arsenal No.1 MkIII in 7.62 NATO <shudder>
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Codes Used
AR = 'American Rifleman' magazine (NRA Publication)
BIB: AR's "Books in Brief" short reviews
DB: AR's "Dope Bag" section
IME: AR's "In My Experience" column (DB section)
Q&A: AR's "Questions and Answers" column (DB section)
RW: AR's "Readers Write" section
WCIG: AR's "Where Can I Get...?" column (DB section)
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GA = 'Guns & Ammo' magazine
GD = 'GUN DIGEST' (Annual Journal, from DBI Books)
GI = 'GUNS ILLUSTRATED' (Annual Journal, from DBI Books)
GS = 'GunSport & Gun Collector' magazine (long defunct)
GU = 'Guns' magazine
GW = 'Gun World' magazine
SB = 'SHOOTER'S BIBLE' (Annual Journal, from Stoeger)
SN = 'Shotgun News' publication
ST = 'Shooting Times' magazine
Runic substitutions (closest 7-bit ASCII approximations I can conjure)
^ = British "broad arrow" proofmark
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SHORT BITS begin...
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OVERSIZED .303 CHAMBERS
(from AR, IME, Oct93, pp64-65)
Editor:
C.E. Harris was right about oversized chambers in .303 British being the cause of short case life (March 1993, p. 16). However, his explanation of "work-hardening" is what led member Philip Valentini (June 1993, p.86) to misunderstand the actual process and refute it.
Since the headspace on a rimmed cartridge is controlled by the rim and not the base-shoulder dimensions, it was common practice on early rimmed, bottlenecked rounds to make chambers with plenty of "windage" for functioning with dented, bent, corroded, or muddy rounds.
Examination will show major differences in shoulder location/angle between Winchester, Remington, and Hansen cases, just as there are differences between various Lee-Metford, Lee-Enfield, Ross, and Pattern 14 chambers.
Tight chambers support the brass better and make the cases last longer for reloaders, but countries adopting Berdan priming didn't want to reload and worried less about potential case life than easy feeding and extraction.
When a case is fired in an enlarged or "trench" chamber, it is like firing a .300 H&H in a .300 Wby. Mag. chamber, then full-length sizing it back to .300 H&H dimensions. The initial fireforming won't separate the head, and you may get three to five fire/resize cycles, but repeated stretch will cause failure.
The key to case longevity for the .303 British is not to oversize it, just as Harris stated. If your cases fail by body splits because of an oversized chamber, use a tape wrap in front of the rims to center sound cases in the chamber and make expansion concentric instead of bulged all on one side, then neck size for the longest case life. It's the *repeated* working of the shoulder that thins and work-hardens the head area.
Oversized chambers plague military rifles in general. I've even seen bulges on .30-06 cases fired in Mausers chambered for that round. For .303s, a local shooter advocates using .30-40 Krag brass [Note: NEW, unfired brass, *not* loaded .30-40 ammo, or pre-fired cases!] to make .303 cases for No.4 and No.5 rifles, because he says the bigger head fits the large chamber better.
I hope this helps - member Valentini wasn't wrong - he just didn't have what Harris meant by "cold-working" explained to him well enough. Repeated blow-forward is the culprit, because working the shoulder, paradoxically, weakens and embrittles the head area.
James T. Farmer, Jr.
Dayton, Ohio
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COSMOLINE REMOVAL
(from AR, Q&A, Oct93, p62)
Q: I plan on purchasing a couple of surplus Mauser bolt-action rifles soon. Those that my friends have purchased have been coated with a heavy Cosmoline-type grease. Is there any way to remove that grease and clean the rifle without using dangerous chemicals or flammable solvents?
A: After disassembling the rifle, wipe off as much of the grease as possible with disposable rags, newspapers, or paper towels. Next mix laundry detergent and boiling water in a bucket and scrub the parts in this solution with an old toothbrush.
Following this, rinse the individual parts with clean boiling water. This will remove any remaining grease as well as any residual traces of detergent. After drying the parts, apply a good quality gun oil and reassemble the rifle.
[BEN: I've tried this method, and it works great - on metal. I'm not sure about using it for wood, but it did a great job in cutting through a *thick* layer of ancient, half-hardened Cosmoline on the metal parts of a couple of Lithgow No1 MkIII*s I acquired a while back. For "detergent", I used dish washing detergent (the kind in the squeeze bottle, Lemon Pledge maybe). It "cuts grease", you bet!]
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REMOVING DENTS IN WOOD
(from GA, GunSmith column (Roger Renner), Jan87, p72)
Q: I have heard that there is a way of removing dents from wood. Can you describe the process? I have a rifle that has several deep dents in the butt area that I would like to remove, if possible. Thanks for the help.
Jack Cruz
Tucson, AZ
A: The process you are referring to is called "steaming" and is a simple on in which steam is injected into the wood, thereby swelling the wood fibers and lifting the dent. This process is easily performed with a steam iron and cloth. Simply wet the wood in the area of the dent, then apply a wet cloth over the dent. Application of heat from the iron will drive the water vapor into the wood and the dent will pop out as if by magic. If the wood fibers have been cut or badly mashed, the process may have to be repeated until the fibers are raised. Be careful not to scorch the wood. Practicing on a piece of scrap wood before attempting this on the gun stock would be a good idea. After the dent has been lifted, you simply sand the surface lightly and refinish. Oil-finished wood responds well to this treatment, and refinishing can usually be confined to the repaired area. Other finishes, such as today's synthetics, may require complete refinishing of the stock for satisfactory results. Good luck.
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YOUNG'S COUNTRY STOCK FINISH
(from GA, Gun Room column (Garry James), Jan87, p28)
Q: I read an article in the April, 1985 G&A about stock finishing. You mentioned a product called Young's Country Wood Lube 103. I would like to know how it worked and the address of the company. Thanks for the help.
Bernard A. Slay, Bulgar, PA
A: Yes, Young's Country stock finish works quite well, especially when you are trying to restore some of the highlights on antique or vintage arms without going through a value-destroying complete refinishing job. You can get 103 Wood Lube from Young's Country, Box 3615, Simi Valley, CA 93063. The firm also offers other products, including bullet lube and leather treatment. Write them for further info.
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REMOVING LEE-ENFIELD STOCK
(from AR, Q&A, Feb73 pp72-73)
Q: I have obtained a spare buttstock to replace the damaged one on my .303 No1 MkIII Lee-Enfield rifle. But even with a large screwdriver I can't turn out the through stock bolt. It moves a trifle so I know it is not frozen, but I dare not force it any farther lest I damage something. What do I do now?
A: Because of experience of buttstocks loosening in early trials, No1 Lee-Enfield rifles for many years were provided with a positive lock for the stock bolt.
This was accomplished by squaring the end of the stock bolt and making it long enough to protrude through the butt socket in the receiver, where it was held against turning by a keeper plate fitting in the rear of the fore-end. In assembly the buttstock was installed first, tightening the stock bolt to a final position with its end square with the receiver. Then the fore-end was installed, a square notch in the keeper plate fitting over the end of the stock bolt and securing it positively against turning.
So to turn the stock bolt to remove the buttstock of these No1 rifles, you must first remove the fore-end. -- F.deH.
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MUZZLE BRAKE INSTALLATION
(from ST, Gunsmith (P.O. Ackley), Mar72, p79)
Q: Where can I obtain a Herters muzzle brake and what size should I order for my .303 jungle carbine? What is the best way to install it?
A: A number of different muzzle brakes can be obtained from Herters, Waseca, Minn.
Some people leave the flash hider on because of the outlandish appearance it gives. It should be removed and so should the bayonet stud. I can't imagine anyone needing a bayonet on his rifle for hunting.
Installation should be done by following the instructions furnished with the brake, and you may use either a band-type or screw-on ramp front sight.
Some muzzle brakes make the rifle unpleasant to shoot by sharpening the report. It is best to try one before buying.
You would actually be better off to obtain a M98 Mauser for a few dollars more, instead of spending money on the Lee-Enfield which does not make as nice a sporter.
[BEN: Yes, I realize Herter's is long out of business - but thought the readership might enjoy the grand old man's raving and spewing, regarding the Lee-Enfield, its sinister bayonet stud, etc. The last paragraph's insult is a classic. Yeah, P.O.? Well, you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny. Nyah nyah nyah.]
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"Enfield Collector's Digest"
(from AR, RW, Nov93 p31)
Editor:
I was pleased to find C.E. Harris' article "Don't Overlook the Lee-Enfield" in your July issue. As a collector and longtime Lee-Enfield shooter, I never seem to be able to find enough written about them. Once[sic] source I've found that's been extremely informative and interesting is the "Enfield Collector's Digest" published by Greg Young at Box 34337, Juneau, AK 99803. For $10 a year, you get quarterly issues that feature articles on collecting and shooting, as well as an "Ask the Experts" column featuring Alan Petrillo and a free "for sale/want ad" service for subscribers.
Jeff Davis
Alaska
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UNDERSIZED SURPLUS BULLETS
(from AR, RW, Nov93 p31)
Editor:
July's article on the Lee-Enfield was like water to the desert. I, too, am an Enfield lover (I have six), and I feel that the .303 cartridge is often ignored as a sporting round. I was pleased to learn of Lee's new 160-gr. bullet mold, and I intend to pick one up soon. I am, however, disturbed that C.E. Harris made one glowing mistake. He did not include one single round of U.S. commercial ammo in his testing.
He also left out such firms as Sierra, Speer, and Hornady who make .311"/.312" bullets for reloading. I, too, have experienced 5" to 7" groups with Greek Ball HXP-69 and HXP-75, but don't blame "rear locking lugs" or "variations in bolt thrust". Instead, blame undersize .310" diameter bullets. The same gun (No.4 MkII) achieves 2 to 2.5" groups with Winchester of Federal ammo, so I pulled about 10 bullets from the Greek stuff, and they miked just .310".
Bill Brownfield
Texas
[Ben: My Long Branch No.4 MkI* groups about 2" at 100 yards with handloads using Hornady's .310" 123-gr. spitzer (intended for the SKS), so I don't think Mr. Brownfield's conclusion is definitive. I think one big problem that everybody overlooks is that old military surplus ammo is often just that - OLD! The powder doesn't always ignite consistently, and the bullets are made to typical "milspec" tolerances. It works, and it's good enough for volley fire into ranked enemy troops, but it's *not* match ammo by any stretch of the imagination. Your mileage may vary.]
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Bores With Odd Grooves
(from AR, Q&A, Aug80, p64)
Q: What is the proper method for measuring the bore and groove diameters of barrels having odd numbers of lands and grooves? With even numbers of lands and grooves, it's easy to simply slug the barrel and mike it, but with Smith & Wesson revolvers or British Enfields with five-groove rifling, this doesn't work.
A: First you must determine the bore diameter using ball gauges of the largest size which will enter the bore, adjusting the expansion carefully, then miking it. An alternative method is to take a soft lead slug or bullet only somewhat over bore size, press it into the muzzle, then turn it with the fingers to cut off the groove extrusions. Measure the short cylindrical section turned off to bore diameter. Next, take a soft lead slug or bullet, and upset it to somewhat over groove diameter. With the bore lightly lubricated, drive it through the barrel with a solid brass rod and mallet. Measure its diameter over a land-to-groove cross section, and subtract the bore diameter measurement to get the depth of rifling remaining. Double this figure and add it to the bore diameter to get the groove diameter of the barrel. -- R.F.D.
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"The Lee Enfield Number 1 Rifles"
(from AR, BIB, Mar93, p74)
Author: Alan M. Petrillo
Available from: Excalibur Publications
PO Box 36
Latham, NY 12110
Softbound -- 64pp. $10.95 + $2 shipping.
This second book in a series on British firearms ends where THE LEE ENFIELD NUMBER 4 RIFLES (August 1992, p61) began. The Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield or Rifle No.1 as it was redesignated in 1926, served the British soldier well from 1902 until World War II. Thirteen different No. 1 rifles, from the MkI through MkIV, are listed chronologically, with the variations between the models clearly described.
While little attention is given to makers and markings, the new Enfield owner or beginning collector will find the identification and background information quite useful.
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"The Lee-Enfield Story"
(from AR, BIB, Apr93, p57)
Author: Iam Skennerton
Available from: I.D.S.A. Books
PO Box 1457
Piqua, Ohio 45356
Hardbound -- 504pp. $59.95 + $2.75 shipping.
This updated and expanded edition of THE BRITISH SERVICE LEE (September 1983, p67) is 25% larger, with new information, photographs, and a usable index. Well researched, described, and illustrated is the entire family of Lee-Enfield rifles from the Magazine, Lee-Metford MkI through the L42A1 7.62mm sniper rifle. The new chapter on manufacture, armorer, and issue markings is particularly helpful. Skennerton, the author of numerous books on British and Commonwealth small arms, tells the "story" well.
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PAPER PATCHING .303
(from AR, IME, Dec93, p54)
Editor:
C.E. Harris' article on the Lee-Enfields now available on the market (July, p46) mentions one of the frustrating problems that can arise with these rifles, oversized bores. While custom molds will allow the shooter to make properly sized cast bullets, these are seldom adequate for hunting purposes. There is a way to adapt jacketed hunting bullets to these large bores.
A few years ago I obtained a No.4 MkI rifle in excellent condition. Unfortunately, it had a two-groove barrel that measured .318" across the grooves. Best groups with .312" bullets were 3-4". By paper patching the .308" 180-gr. Sierra boattail bullet to .318" and lubing with molybdeum disulfide spray, I achieved groups of 1.5" when propelled by 46.0 grs. of IMR 4350. Pressures are mild, and cases have been reloaded more than 10 times (neck-sized only). Paper patching is made easier if the bullet is first rolled between a steel plate and a mill bastard file to roughen the surface.
Shooters with Enfields with oversized bores should try paper-patching to achieve proper bullet diameter. With the right bullets, these rifles are capable of surprisingly fine accuracy.
P. Todd Bulkley
Ashland, Oregon
[Ben: Sounds great, but I wish he'd included more details. What thickness and kind of paper? How much of the bullet's bearing surface do you cover? How do you keep the paper in place? Glue? And how do you prevent the case mouth from ripping the paper to shreds when seating the bullet? Anybody know?]
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RIMLESS .303?
(from AR, Q&A, Dec93, p51)
Q: I have a rimless cartridge in my collection with a British military headstamp, "R^L 18". The case body is wider and the neck longer than the rimmed .303 British, but overall length and rim diameter are the same. Did the British make a rimless .303?
A: The cartridge you describe is known as a .303 Lewis or .303 Lewis Rimless. According to Fred A. Datig's CARTRIDGES FOR COLLECTORS, VOLUME I, it was developed experimentally by the British around the end of World War I to help improve the performance of the American-designed Lewis machine gun.
The Berdan-primed case body was enlarged to .503" and the neck lengthened. To make chamber conversions easier, the rim diameter and overall length were kept the same, but varied considerably in the other dimensions (see accompanying table). The propellant was Cordite and the bullet cupro-nickel covered. The Royal Laboratory, Woolwich, indicated by the "R^L", was the center of British cartridge development during this period. -- M.A.K.
NOMINAL CARTRIDGE .303 Lewis .303 Mark
DIMENSIONS Rimless VII Ball
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Overall Length 3.04" 3.04"
Case Length 2.42" 2.21"
Neck Diameter .343" .333"
Head Diameter .503" .458"
Rim Diameter .530" .530"
Bullet Diameter .300" .311"
Bullet Weight 173grs 174grs
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.303 Mark IV Tracer
(from AR, Q&A, Feb73, p69)
Q: A cartridge obtained for my collection has a rimmed case and is loaded with a pointed full-jacket bullet. The headstamp reads 1942 DC G IV Z. Can you tell me what it is?
A: This is one type of the .303 British military cartridge.
Your example was manufactured in Canada in 1942. The G in the headstamp indicates a tracer bullet, and the headstamp IV and white bullet tip identify it as the air-to-air day tracer Mark IV. Z indicates loading with nitrocellulose propellant instead of the British cordite.
That particular cartridge is now a somewhat unusual one.
A later improvement was the Mark VI, also having a white bullet tip but with the IV in the headstamp replaced by VI. -- C.R.S.
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"British .22RF Training Rifles"
(from AR, BIB, May93, p59)
Authors: Dennis Lewis and Robert Washburn
Available from: Excalibur Publications
PO Box 36
Latham, NY 12110
Softbound -- 64pp. $10.95 + $2 shipping.
Beginning with the .297/.230 cal. Morris Aiming Tube for Martini-Henry rifles in 1883, British and Commonwealth countries have used a host of smallbore training rifles. The third in the "British Firearms" series, this book concentrates on the .22 rimfire Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield trainers. As most were converted service rifles, particular attention is paid to parts differences and markings. Also included are photographs and descriptions of sights and magazine conversions peculiar to the .22s.
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LEE-ENFIELD STRIPPER CLIPS
(from AR, IME, Sep93, p71)
Editor:
A friend brought his recently purchased No. 4 Lee-Enfield and surplus ammunition to the range and couldn't get all the stripper clips to feed properly. Some worked and some jammed in the magazine, but he couldn't figure out why. After examining his stripper-loaded bandoliers, I saw the problem right away. The cartridge rims were all lined up differently.
There is only one *correct* way to arrange the rims in the clips to get them to feed reliably; three-up and two-down with the left, right, and center rounds flat against the base of the stripper.
[Ben: ASCII rendition of rims in clip: ____----____----____ ]
Another tip I picked up from a British veteran is to smooth the *inside* of the stripper clips to reduce friction. Many have a rough Parkerized finish or have become dirty over time. You can smooth them by hand or dump them in your case tumbler, if you have one.
With the cartridges arranged properly and with smooth strippers, the rounds usually glide right into the magazine with just a simple downward push of the thumb just in front of the cartridge rims.
One last thing, Enfields use "stripper" clips, not M1-style "en-bloc" clips. The clip is supposed to be removed after the rounds are "stripped" into the magazine, not go into it like the M1's.
Keith M. Alexander
Kensington, Maryland
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SURPLUS "ENFIELD" WARNING
(from AR, DB Miscellany, Nov88, p65)
The following warning came to us from the United Kingdom Liason Office, Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, Picatenny Arsenal, N.J.
"1. In July 1987 a UK MOD ban was placed on the firing of ball rounds from .303 (cal.) No. 4 rifles in UK service as a result of two explosions which occurred in the chamber area of the weapons and resulted in burst barrels.
"2. UK MOD investigations found that the barrel explosions were as a result of severe 'craze cracking' of the two barrels which were of indeterminate age and life.
"3. UK MOD have initiated a study into why some barrels suffer craze cracking and others do not, but results of this are not expected to be complete for some time, and even then might not be conclusive.
"4. Because, in peace-time, .303 No. 4 rifles are only used in Cadet units, it has been decided that it is not cost-effective to carry out detailed examinations of all barrels, particularly as the cadets are being issued with the new L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle. The firing ban will therefore remain in force.
"5. Users of the No. 4 rifle worldwide, whether civilian or military, are strongly advised to have the weapons closely examined for signs of craze cracking and condemned accordingly. Thereafter, it is recommended that any barrels which have passed such inspection should be examined regularly for such signs and condemned if necessary."
Owners of the .303 No. 4 rifles should certainly heed the advice in the UK safety notice to have them "closely examined" before firing them again. The examination should be conducted, preferably, with the aid of a good optical bore-scope, by an experienced gunsmith who is familiar with the signs of erosion in gun barrels. If there are any signs of roughness from erosion in the barrel immediately ahead of the chamber, or any other visible defects in the barrel or chamber walls, then the barrel should be regarded as suspect and the rifle *should not be fired* until it has been properly fitted with a new barrel.
[BEN: The above notice was the first anyone had heard of this "erosion & craze cracking" problem in Enfield barrels. Naturally, the shooting public reacted in a calm, rational manner to this news... and *panicked* as usual. Based on *two* isolated incidents, concerning the heavily used (and abused) No. 4s in Cadet service in England, this "ban" was issued, and rumors flew thick and fast in its wake. Theories ranging from "bullets stick in pitted barrels" to "poor steel in Enfield barrels" appeared, and hung around to haunt us all. The truth? Simple enough. Cordite burns HOT. It eats barrel throats as bad as hot, hi-velocity rounds like .220 Swift. And Cadet rifles used for target practice get shot and shot and shot and shot until they flat wear out, and then get shot some more. Why? Well, Britain in her great(?) wisdom made a policy a few years back of NOT "surplussing" any *new* Enfields to its Cadet schools and civilian shooters. Something to do with their "gun control" fanaticism. Instead, they stored away, destroyed, or sold overseas the No4s which remained in their inventory. This left Cadet schools (and civilian shooters) with whatever they already had - and they've "nursed" these same poor old rifles along for close to 50 years now. Sad, huh?
The No. 4s in question probably hadn't been FTR'd (Factory Through Repair) since the late 1940s, if then. The barrels in question were *worn out*, yes (having had, in conservative estimate, about 250,000 rounds of MkVII ball ammo through each of them), and certainly overdue for scrapping and replacement. And the "craze cracking" problem is quite real, IN BARRELS WITH SEVERE THROAT EROSION. Be they Enfields or any other make and model of rifle. Further shooting, especially with more HOT-burning Cordite (service) ammo, is just asking for trouble. If your Enfield is one of the $40 "bargain-basement" ones, with a worn-out barrel - or if you shoot mostly surplus ammo - you need to have it *frequently* checked for crazing and cracking in the throat area. On the other hand, if your "shooting Enfield" is like mine (near-mint barrel) and you shoot mostly reloads or commercial sporting ammunition... well, it wouldn't hurt (for peace of mind) to have it checked - once - but don't get in a panic over it or "retire" your .303 to the wall or closet, just because a couple of beat-to-shit UK Cadet rifles blew their barrels. Remember, the No. 4 came out in 1939, was issued in the millions throughout World War II, fought hard (and was obviously shot a lot) in every theatre of the war, then retained for service in assorted nations and carried and used through innumerable smaller wars and battles, as well as seeing heavy use in hunting fields worldwide - and yet, no "craze cracking blowup" reports until 1988. Makes me shudder to speculate what sort of hideous overall condition those "Cadet" rifles must have been in... Oy!]
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.303 BUFF
(from GA, GunSmith column (Garry James), Jun84, p24)
Q: For some unknown reason, the favorite rifle in my rack is a British .303 No. 1 MkIII. The piece shoots quite well with handloads, and is a reliable performer while hunting. I would like to experiment with some loads of higher velocity than I feel the old SMLE action can safely handle. What action would you suggest to make up an economical sporter? I'm also interested in duplicating the original black powder load. What bullet and powder do you suggest?
A: Ah, a kindred spirit. I too am a fan of the .303, and within its limitations find it an excellent round. Probably your best bet for a beefier .303 action would be a stock military Pattern 14 rifle. These Mauser-style guns were made for the British government during World War I by Remington, Remington Eddystone, and Winchester. In fact they formed the basis for the .30-06 U.S. Model 1917 "Enfield" rifle that was also used in great numbers during the conflict. The P-14 is already in .303, so it would save you the trouble of rebarrelling the action. A good second choice would be a Siamese Mauser. As the bolt is already set up for the rimmed 8mm Siamese Mauser round, conversion would be relatively simple. The gun must be rebarrelled, of course. It is impossible to duplicate the old Lee-Metford black powder round without special equipment. In fact the original load was compressed into a 75 1/2 grain pellet. The bullet weighed 215 grains. Perhaps a compressed load of FFFg black powder might be interesting to play with, however I'll bet the results will be somewhat disappointing - not to mention rather sooty. Stick to smokeless. I can't see any advantage in dirtying up your gun to get marginal performance.
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ENFIELD CARBINE BAYONET
(from GA, GunSmith column (Garry James), Jun84, p20)
Q: I have an Enfield No. 5 MkI Jungle Carbine. It was made in December of 1945 and is marked "No. 5 MkI ROF (F)". Where was it made? Where can I find a bayonet for it?
A: Your Jungle Carbine was made at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Fazakerly. Bayonets for No. 5s are really getting hard to find. I would suggest that you write to John C. Denner Co., R.R. #1, North Lancaster, Ontario, PO Box 122, Canada. John specializes in collector bayonets and would probably be your best bet.
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MKIII ENFIELD SCOPE MOUNT
(from GA, GunRoom column (Garry James), Apr87, pp22-23)
Q: I am trying to locate a scope mount for an old Lee Enfield I own. The markings on the rifle are "MA LITHGOW S.M.L.E. III* 1941". It is in .303 British calibre and appears to have a spot for scope mounting. Any help you can give me in trying to locate this part would be appreciated. Any information about this fine rifle would also be appreciated.
Tom Morgan
Dallas, TX
A: Your Mark III* Lee Enfield was made in Australia at the Lithgow factory in 1941. Though the British had pretty well gone over completely to the No. 4 MkI SMLE in World War II, the Aussies were still using the earlier-style Mark III. I agree with you, it's a fine military arm - one of my favorites, in fact. You can get a scope mount for the Mark III from S&K. Their #1B16R80 can be fitted to a Mark III SMLE without tapping and drilling the receiver. Write Brownell's, Inc., Route 2 Box 1, Montezuma, IA 50171 for ordering instructions. My guess is that you are mistaking the cartridge charger bar for a scope mounting area.
[BEN: I can attest to S&K's quality in design and construction of their scope mounts. I have one of their mounts on a BSA/Shirley No4 MkI, and while it puts the scope *very* high, it is solid and thoroughly reliable. Current (1994) retail for this No4 mount is about $40.]
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BOLT-ON SCOPE MOUNT
(from GA, excerpt of article by Art Blatt, Jan84, pp56-56, contd p70)
[BEN: The bulk of the article concerns 'scoping a Winchester M94 carbine, but B-Square's entire line, which includes Enfield mounts, is mentioned and discussed. These are the sections presented here.]
Mounting telescope sights on certain firearms can be an intricate task, especially for the amateur gunsmith. But, fortunately, virtually all of today's centerfire rifles have receivers drilled and tapped at the factory for installation of standard scope mounts. But what about those obsolete or special purpose firearms that have no provision for adding a scope? With these arms, it is often required to drill and tap screw holes in barrels or receivers to accomodate a traditional scope mount. Occasionally, it might be unavoidable to remove bits of metal here and there to achieve a perfect fit. Most of us are not able to do work of this nature, either because we lack the needed skills or we don't have the proper equipment. Also, many gun owners are adamantly opposed to altering a treasured firearm in any manner. Therefore, fitting a scope mount without doing some machine work can create a genuine problem.
[stuff omitted]
B-Square was established about 25 years ago [as of 1984] by Dan Bechtel for the manufacture of simplified tools and jigs for professional gunsmiths. The fact that his business has flourished is testimony to his success in this endeavor. The scope mount end of the business has grown immensely in the past decade. Frustrated in attempts to find reliable scope mounts for some uncommon rifles, Bechtel decided to make his own. When these early prototypes proved to work extremely well, it was only natural that he should offer them for sale to his customers. And so a whole new business was born. Presently, scope mounts account for over half of B-Square's sales volume.
All B-Square scope mounts are made from a particular high-strength aluminum alloy that is capable of withstanding repeated recoil. The use of lightweight alloy helps keep overall weight at an absolute minimum.
[BEN: And it keeps manufacturing costs down, too...]
Weight of most B-Square mounts falls in the two- to four-ounce range, depending on the shape required to fit a particular firearm. Assault rifle mounts weigh a bit more, usually between 7 to 9 1/4 ounces.
[stuff omitted]
A limited amount of windage and elevation is built into the B-Square mount. Elevation is varied through use of an angled, elongated screw hole as the attachment point for the rear scope ring. Windage can be altered by using shims between rings and mount.
[stuff omitted]
...the Fort Worth, Texas company makes a number of mounts for firearms that are exceedingly difficult to scope. Another long gun for example, that presents scope mounting difficulties is the antiquated [BEN: Hey! Watch it!] British SMLE .303 calibre service rifle. Over the years, huge quantities of SMLEs have been distributed as surplus in this country and a large percentage of these have been converted to sporters that could benefit from the installation of a telescopic sight. Mounts have been available in the past for the SMLE, but they have generally required drilling and tapping the receiver for installation. B-Square's SMLE mount fits precisely into place on all #4 and #5 rifles [BEN: ...which, to be technical, are *not* SMLEs. Officially, "Smelly" was the designation for the No.1 Mks only!] with no gunsmithing whatsoever. Attachment procedure utilizes the ejector screw hole, with a large clamping screw that also allows for ample windage adjustment to make zeroing the scope a simple matter. The scope sits high in the SMLE mount so that the regular iron sights may be used without mount interference.
[BEN: It's the old "That's not a bug, it's a feature!" syndrome: Most unaltered military rifles require a high mount clearance for the bolt and often for ejection, which may be more *up* than to the side. Low scope mounting for Enfields usually requires a bit more modification than can be had with a "bolt-on" mount.]
[stuff omitted]
...Should you have a particular scope mounting puzzle and cannot solve it, write to B-Square Company, PO Box 11281, Ft. Worth, TX 76109. Don't be too surprised if they come up with the right solution.
[BEN: Reports from the field, so far, indicate that B-Square mounts tend to have problems holding a zero. Mostly, the complaints of this nature I've heard have been from SKS owners. I don't know anyone who has used the B-Square Enfield mount. Feedback would be appreciated!]
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TEN ROUNDS IN TEN SECONDS
(from "Infantry At War: 1939-1945" by J.B. King & John Batchelor)
The British had introduced their first Lee-Enfield rifle in 1895, a long rifle in the same style as its contemporaries, and ... in 1903 they produced a short rifle, known as the "Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield" and always abbreviated to SMLE by the troops. The Lee bolt action was, in theory, less efficient than the Mauser since the lugs which locked the bolt were at the rear of the bolt and not at the head; this meant that the body of the weapon had to be stronger and also that when the rifle was fired the bolt was slightly compressed backwards. This, it was averred, led to inaccuracy. It may have done, if the firer was trying to take the pip out of the ace of hearts at a thousand yards, but for all practical battlefield purposes it made no difference.
Where the Lee-Enfield scored was in the ease of operation of the bolt, due to those same rear-end locking lugs. This came to the fore in a technique developed and taught during the Second World War for house-to-house fighting, in which the rifle was held at the hip with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand grasping the bolt and the middle finger inside the trigger guard; a quick flip of the wrist and the bolt was operated, and as the hand came to rest the middle finger fell onto the trigger and fired the rifle. It was possible to get off ten rounds in ten seconds very easily by this method; it may not have been accurate, but it kept the other man's head down until you could get close enough to throw a grenade at him.
[BEN: This "book" - really just a glorified magazine - is rife with technical inaccuracies and wild, speculative drivel throughout. I've often wondered if there was any truth to the above "quick shooting stunt". I've tried the technique, dryfiring with an empty rifle, and it *definitely* takes more than a "quick flip of the wrist" to work the bolt! Does anyone know whether the "trick" is anything more than a bit of creative fiction?]
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THE .303 BRITISH
(from "Peterson's Rifles & Cartridges For North American Big Game",
excerpt of 'Nostalgia in Brass' chapter by John Wooters)
The "other" .303 [besides .303 Savage] has a Cockney accent. It was 1888 when the British Empire officially adopted a pip-squeak rifle cartridge firing a 215-grain bullet of a mere .311-inch diameter as its military rifle cartridge. The new .303 certainly seemed a pip-squeak in comparison with the .45-calibre Martini-Henry cartridge it replaced. It was a response to the changing times, just as the 8mm Mauser in Germany, 8mm Lebel in France, and 7mm Mauser in Spain all were responses to dizzying changes in tactics and weaponry - tanks, smokeless powder, machine guns, and combat airplanes, to name just a few.
The .303 British was a black-powder cartridge at first and converted to Cordite in 1892. Because the sun never set on the British Empire in those glorious days, the .303 spread 'round the world almost overnight, especially to east and southern Africa, India, Australia, and Canada. To this day, it is popular in all those areas. It caught on in the United States too, being added to the chamberings of the Winchester M1895 lever action about 1897, with sporting ammo being manufactured here by then.
Oddly, the .303 rapidly gained favor in the game fields of Africa, even for the largest and most dangerous game. One of the earliest of the professional ivory hunters to use it was a gentleman named Sutherland, and the tradition carried down at least to karamojo Bell. I've personally witnessed native Botswana hunters smoking up Cape buffalo herds with .303s, as lately as 1976, and I've had to kill buffs wounded by them. In Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and elsewhere on the Dark Continent, the .303 became one of the standard arms of the white farmer, mostly for collecting meat and controlling pests. But you should *see* some of the "varmints" in Africa!
In Canada, almost everyone who lived in the bush had a surplus Lee-Enfield and a pocketful of .303 cartridges, and collected his winter moose, caribou, elk, bear, or whatever, with it annually. They still do. The Aussies had no native big game, but the ubiquitous .303 British round was there, too, accounting for everything from man-eating crocodiles to wombats. You can bet it still is.
In addition to all that, the rimmed .303 case has been wildcatted about as extensively in Australia as the '06 has in the States, which is saying something! I have not pinned down the original .303 military ballistics, but a 215-grain bullet today is moved at 2180 fps. Only a 180-grain softnose is currently loaded commercially in this country, and it's listed at 2460; a .308 the .303 will never quite be.
So how come those folks are going around plinking African elephants and lions and grizzly bears and moose and stuff like that with it? Simple; they'd never read the erudite evaluations of American gunwriters as to what you can and can't do with this or that calibre, bullet weight, or velocity level. They didn't happen to have their matched pair of Holland & Holland "Royal" .470s handy, so they just used what they did have. They just shot old Jumbo in the ear with a military .303 full-patch and the great bugger fell down.
In lots of out-of-the-way places in the world, they still do that. Every day. So much for the "pip-squeak" .303 British.
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ENFIELD BOLT CREEP
(from GA, Gunsmith column (Garry James), Jul84, p26)
Q: I have a No. 1 Mark III* .303 Enfield produced by BSA in 1915. Mechanically it is in very good condition with an excellent bore. One thing, however, bothers me about the rifle. Each time I fire it, the bolt moves up slightly. It has never come unbreeched but I am concerned about this. What is the problem?
A: It is not unusual for Enfield bolts to move upward ever so slightly upon firing. If your gun moves an inordinate amount, though, I would take it to a gunsmith for a going over.
[BEN: I had never noticed this "phenonemon" until one day when I was contemplating purchase of a Savage-made No.4 Mk1/2 in a gun store, and (with permission) dry-fired the rifle to check the trigger pull. Sure enough, the bolt moved - turned, actually - ever so slightly as the firing pin fell. I commented on this to the shop owner (a fellow fan of old military rifles) and he shrugged and said, "Oh, they all do that." He proceeded to lead me down the rack of assorted Enfields - No.1 MkIIIs, No.4s, a No.5 - having me dry-fire each one and watch the bolt handle "jump" upward slightly. It kind of bothered me, discovering this peculiarity, but apparently it's nothing dangerous, just the bolt "settling" under the jarring forward movement of the firing pin. Oh, and I bought the Savage, by the way...]
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NO.4 RIFLE LOOP
(from AR, Q&A, May91, p58)
Q: My Enfield No.4 rifle, and all others I have seen, has a loop or staple protruding from the front of its trigger guard strap. Would you explain its use?
A: As the illustration shows [BEN: Wish I could reproduce it here], the loop is the attaching point for the leather thongs of a canvas breech-cover that is now a seldom encountered accessory for the rifle. -- A.T.
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DOUBLE F MARKED SMLE
(from AR, Q&A, Nov81, p66)
Q: I have a British Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle (SMLE) which is dated 1918 and was, according to its previous owner, issued in England after the Dunkirk evacuation. The buttstock is a replacement, and the original and still legible serial number has been struck through with a new number stamped above it. With the new number, on barrel and receiver ring, is a capital F superimposed on another capital F and enclosed in a circle.
After considerable research, I can find no reference to the double-F-in-a-circle marking. Can you tell me its significance?
A: When the Republic of Ireland organized its army in 1923, much of its equipment including SMLE rifles, was obtained from England. When the rifles were received, the Irish placed their own identification mark on them and crossed out the original serial numbers, replacing them with new numbers.
The mark of "FF" within a circle is the Republic of Ireland Army property mark. "F.F" signifies "Fianna Fail". "Fiana" is the name of an ancient military organization forming what then corresponded to the standing army of the country; "Fail" means "destiny". One of the ancient names of Ireland was "Innisfail" (The Isles of Destiny) and "Fianna Fail" thus signifies the "Fianna (or army) of Destiny", or it may be rendered as "The Fianna (or army) of Ireland".
The above information was obtained from the Republic of Ireland Army.
As the British Army lost much equipment at Dunkirk, rifles were obtained anywhere they could be found, and they probably got a lot of the older dated rifles from the Irish Army. -- C.H.Y., Jr.
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AUSTRIAN ENFIELD
(from GA, Gunsmith column (Garry James), Jul84, p18)
Q: I have a Mark III Enfield with rather unusual markings. On the top of the barrel, at the receiver, is stamped a small eagle surrounded by the words, "OSTERR. GENDARMER". Do you have any idea what it is?
Victor E. Denzl, La Crescenta, CA
A: Well, as my readers probably know, I am something of an Enfield enthusiast, but I must admit I have never seen a Mark III with the markings that you describe. My guess would be that it would have been a post-war issue (remember Vienna was divided into Allied occupied zones) by the British to Austrian police. Other than than you've got me stumped. Can any reader help to shed a bit more light on this unusual critter?
[BEN: Anybody?]
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SURPLUS SURPRISES
Previously unknown military surplus guns are showing up in the U.S., making the collectors drool and ponder.
(excerpt from GI94, "Surplus Surprises" article, by Charles Karwan)
* Cyprus Police No.5 Conversion
A good many of the surplus surprises have been well-known military models converted into interesting previously unknown variations or even new models. One of the more intriguing is a variation of the familiar British No.5 "Jungle Carbine".
On the surface, these rifles look pretty much like a conventional No.5. However, close inspection reveals that they are actually No.4 rifles converted into the No.5 carbine configuration. On the left side of the receiver they are pantograph-engraved NO 5 CONV-CYP/NIC.
The barrel was shortened to carbine length and fitted with a No.5 flash-hider assembly. The forend and rear handguard were shortened to approximate No.5 specifications, and the buttstock was fitted with a No.5 buttpad/sling loop assembly. In the process, the cut for the No.4 sling swivel base has been plugged with a piece of wood. The net result is a Jungle Carbine with a heavier barrel and without the lightening cuts in the action.
[BEN: Or, I'll bet, the "wandering zero" problem...]
No one seems to know the exact story behind these carbines. Some research has turned up pictures of Cyprus police carrying No.5 carbines. It was a logical choice due to the paramilitary-type operations they have had to conduct, and the fact that there has been dtrong British Commonwealth influence there for decades, including the U.N. peace-keeping force located there since 1964.
Considering this and the markings on these guns, I am relatively certain that these No.5-type carbines were made by or for the Nicosia police on Cyprus. They probably tried to acquire additional No.5 carbines some time after gaining independence and found that none were available. Since parts to do conversions of readily available No.4 rifles were available, that route was taken. Regardless of the reason behind these conversions, they are an interesting and previously unknown field variation.
* Ishapore Arsenal 2A & 2A1 (No.1 MkIII action) 7.62 NATO rifles
Until they were offered on the U.S. market, the Indian 2A and 2A1 rifles were almost completely unknown here. These extremely interesting rifles were made from about 1962 until at least into 1968. They are little more than a Short Magazine Lee-Enfield No.1 MkIII made at the Indian Ishapore Arsenal in 7.62mm NATO, instead of .303 British. Except for the parts changed to handle the shorter, higher-pressure and rimless NATO cartridge, the two rifles are nearly identical. The changes are the magazine, the extractor, the location of the ejector screw, the stripper clip guide, sights, and the metallurgy and heat-treatment of the bolt and receiver.
The original No.1 MkIII action is not strong enough to handle the 7.62mm NATO cartridge with a sufficient margin of safety. To gain the necessary strength, the Indians took the simple expedient of making the receiver and bolt out of a stronger alloy and gave it a more sophisticated heat-treatment.
[BEN: Considering Ishapore has been found to have made some No.1 MkIII receivers out of *cast iron*, and "Nitro Proof" some guns at some times using black powder proof loads, this "stronger alloy/sophisticated heat treatment" is not especially encouraging. It's commendable that the Indians were able to utilize the facilities they had available to produce a NATO-compatible rifle... but I wouldn't shoot one of these bombs on a bet, even with a loooong string... <shudder>]
It is a significant rifle in a variety of ways: It was the only rifle in the Lee-Enfield family that was made originally in 7.62mm NATO, rather than being a conversion; its 12-round magazine had the highest capacity ever fielded on a standard military bolt-action rifle; it was the last non-sniper military bolt-action rifle ever produced; and, finally, it was the last of the noble Lee-Enfield line of military rifles to be produced. For more information on this fascinating rifle, see my piece on it in the 1993 GUNS ILLUSTRATED.
[BEN: I'll track that one down!]
Illustration #1: Showing the rifle in profile - Though it looks like a World War II Ishapore No.1 MkIII Lee-Enfield, the squared magazine gives it away as an Indian 2A1 in 7.62mm NATO. Made from about 1962 until at least 1968, these are the last of the military Lee-Enfield rifle variations to be produced.
Illustration #2: Showing a close-up of the action, right side - Typical markings on the Indian 2A1. R.F.I. stands for Rifle Factory Ishapore. Other than the magazine, the other giveaway as to its identity is the squared nose cap. All specimens seen to date are in pretty rough shape.
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