Author Topic: Enfield Experience (Read 603 times)

BattleRifleG3 · « **on:** November 03, 2003, 08:10:44 AM »

Some people think the Lee Enfield is the greatest thing out there and I'm interested to know what's great about it? Is it the action, the accuracy, the box magazine, the balance, the sites? I'm interested in the P17 too.

If I were to get a Lee, it would have to be in 308. If a P17, I'd lean towards 30-06 but a heavier caliber may be ok as long as it's not oversporterized into just another Remington or Winchester lookalike with zero military features or sites. Any reason these guns are used for heavy caliber rebarrelings?

Everyone wants a gun that's more accurate than they are, which usually means MOA. Is this a candidate?

The Cast Bullet Kid · « **Reply #1 on:** November 03, 2003, 12:21:25 PM »

Hi from NZ.
The bottom line with Lee Enfields is you can't make a silk purse from a sows ear.
They are great rifles for what they were designed for and that is not target shooting. If you get one that will shoot MOA, keep it because the vast majority will not. Now 2 MOA is a different story.
My No. 4 Mk2 will shoot 2 inches with aperture sights if I do my bit.
Things to remember are:
1) the action is very flexible so not as inherently accuracy as a Mauser.
2) most barrels are skinny and whip all over the place (my Mk2 in pressure pointed down the wood work).
3) variations in bore and groove are rife. I know of .303's with grooves from .309 to .315.
4) chambers are bad as bores; my Mk has a BIG chamber.

kevin.303 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 04, 2003, 11:08:28 AM »

lee's rechambered to .308 have a hard time extracting the rimless case i believe. make sure it is one of the ishapores manufactured after the war and built specificly for the .308 and not a re-chambered .303. these ain't alays the best when it comes to handling the.308's pressure

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2003, 08:20:02 PM »

Here's a radical departure...

Could the action feasibly handle a 300 Weatherby mag, if it can handle a 375 H&H (if I'm correct in that)? There's one for sale in 300 Win Mag and I'm more inclined towards the Weatherby. Though the Win would be more sensible since I already have a 300 RUM.

I have the fun idea of partially restoring a sporterized one and keeping the best of both worlds.

kevin.303 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 10, 2003, 06:58:29 AM »

i'm confused here. are we talking about the Lee-Enfield's or the P17/P14 enfields. there are lees chambered for a .375 2 1/2 inch flanged magnum, but i don't think this the holland & holland cartridge. i have an H&H cartridge at home and to make feed from a magazine it appears the action as well as the magazine would have to be lengthened. if it is possable i want one! i think the P-7 could handle it, but i 'm to familar with them so i can't comment.

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 10, 2003, 07:53:53 AM »

Sorry for the obscurity, I was thinking the 1917 or 1914.