Unissued British Enfield No.4 MK2 .303 1955

[mrostov]

The ammo wasn't that common---then. Right now it's easier to find than 223 or 308.

It's going to start drying up again here in the USA, and possibly elsewhere, maybe even in Britain. Do you know who is hoarding .303 British ammo at the moment? The US Army.

The US Army is currently stockpiling a large amount of .303 and former combloc rounds like 7.62x39mm and 9x18mm Makarov. There isn't a lot of .303 British ammo being manufactured nowadays in comparison to everything else, and the US Army is currently stockpiling millions of rounds of it.

In case anyone is curious as to why they are doing this. A good guess is that there probably some upcoming mischief in the works by Obama & Company someplace where .303 British is still used a lot by the locals.

 

[mrostov]

MAin factor for a scout rifle to me is the type and mounting of the scope this is usually a no/low power 1x - 2x max pistol scope with long eye relief mounted well fwds this allows shotgun style both eyes open shooting and fast tracking of targets as opposed to locking you into a the small world thro a high power scope
this goes with the short light rifle
used to run my lever action 44 mag like this very fast rate of very accurate fire on multiple targets

http://jeffcoopersscoutrifles.blogspot.co.uk/

so tho red has the Rifle Styer designed and made as the scout to me his scope choice stops it being a Scout concept rifle

heres how its supposed to work

I suspect strongly that one of the influences on Jeff Cooper for the 'scout rifle' concept is a classic book called 'A Rifleman Went to War' by HW McBride. I know that Jeff Cooper read it, because I read it when I was a young puppy based upon his recommendation. McBride was an officer in the National Guard here in the US but couldn't stand not getting involved in WWI. So, like many Americans at the time, he joined the Canadian Army and wound up on the front in 1915. His description of what would be the optimum combat rifle is very similar to the 'scout rifle' Jeff Cooper came up with.

As a note: McBride talked about how the Ross rifle used by the Canadians was too dirt sensitive and was replaced at the front with the Lee-Enfield, which he held in a very high regard for it's reliability.

 

[sandbender]

I thought I'd add this to this thread as it might interest some.

The Sapper's Lee Enfield.

"...To solve this problem the British sappers made pistols of their own by cutting down their standard issue rifles. Often the stock and the barrel was chopped down to a mere stub. The short little weapon would have surely kicked very hard, not to mention make a deafening noise when fired. When possible, sappers used specially loaded ammunition which was underpowered compared to regular rifle ammunition..."

 

[British Red]

It is rare I see a gun I think would be a horror to shoot.

I have seen one today

 

[sunndog]

I have seen one today

you sure have mate, imagine having a shot with it today....that would definatly be a clenching moment lol

 

[tombear]

Red, what model and date for a issue sling do you want? I may have a spare minter put away.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Just checked and the only minty web slings left in the spares draw are two 1945 dated ones but I suspect they are Indian production as they aint quite up to MECo quality. They are marked ASRarrow44. I got them for a Mk II Bren Tripod but that dont fit in the collection so i'm shifting it on once a mate decides if he wants it or not.

At one time I had a draw full of them but steadily Ive given them away or ebayed them.

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

Needs to be compatible with a post war No.4 MII(F) Tom, so I suspect Indian wouldn't work - but thanks

 

[spandit]

you sure have mate, imagine having a shot with it today....that would definatly be a clenching moment lol

Bad enough firing it on a range, with ear defenders, in the open. Imagine firing it underground, in the dark, with a load of angry Germans trying to kill you at the same time.

 

[tombear]

So a bog standard green sling will be right? Early 50s date? I've a minty 1955 bren sling in the draw but that would be silly long. Post war ones used to be plentiful so ill keep my eye open.

atb

tom

 

[British Red]

Yep bog standard post war canvas and brass in green Tom. No rush - I run a period correct Garand sling at the moment (its a better sling!)

 

[EdS]

the snipers re-chambered to 7.62 brings back memories. My old man had one as a target rifle back in late 1970's. Seems he had friends in the right places.

Really ought to get either a shot gun or rifle - about the only house in the village that doesn't have firearms. Well, there are keepers either side. Not unknown for the school run to be with tools one the way to work.....

 

[Goatboy]

On the odd and unusual Enfields I thought some of you may be interested in this one?

[video=youtube;ZzWrMhDYL3M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzWrMhDYL3M[/video]

 

[oldtimer]

Havn't fired one of them since I was 14. Very nice.

Me too! Had a hell of a kick as I remember. Taught you to learn how to hold it properly when shooting in double quick time. I made first class shot with it: disappointing because i was a maksman with the .22 and Bren. I also learned rifle drill on it. So much nice than its predecessor, which had a foresight that hit your hand painfully.

 

[Robmc]

Me too! Had a hell of a kick as I remember. Taught you to learn how to hold it properly when shooting in double quick time. I made first class shot with it: disappointing because i was a maksman with the .22 and Bren. I also learned rifle drill on it. So much nice than its predecessor, which had a foresight that hit your hand painfully.

And another one who made first class aged about 14. Always tucked the beret inside the jacket as extra padding to soften the kick. We went on to shoot SLR's which tended to kick upwards rather than back and so were not so painful.

Still preferred the Enfield though.

 

[British Red]

On the odd and unusual Enfields I thought some of you may be interested in this one?

Plenty of those around even now. I love Enfields...no I REALLY LOVE Enfields. That gun though is a bleeding monstrosity. I know - I have shot one (actually more than one). Its heavy, it swings badly, its single shot, its hard to point (as opposed to aim). It has looked at all the features a good shotgun may need and decided to ignore them all.

Its fun because we can have one on an SGC - but don't kid yourself - that is the only redeeming feature it has. If I saw one under £ 100 I would buy it for giggles. But they aren't.

I love 410. Silly ill informed people talk about it as a "youth cartridge". I think of it as a "doesn't splatter my meat all over Lincolnshire" cartridge.

I love Enfields. They are the best bolt action battle rifle ever made.

However, I also love Toyota Hilux trucks and Kiera Knightley. I have no desire to see a hybrid of them either

 

[Bowlin]

In case it's of interest British Red, a pic of my collection at Bisley last weekend...

 

[British Red]

Certainly of interest...I can't figure out the top one...can you help please with a little more detail?

 

[mrostov]

IAI in Australia is making a .308 Enfield that uses M-14 mags. It's not a conversion, it's a new manufacture. It is based upon the No. 4 Mk2 that is also modified to take a scope mount and it was built from the ground up to be 7.62mmNATO. They also make a scaled down Enfield carbine in 7.62x39mm that uses AK-47 mags. I wanted to get a .308, because I used to have a new out of the wrapper No. 4 Mk2 that I had liked, but the importer quit bringing them in shortly after they started. Now they are about as rare in the USA as an honest lawyer.

They import them into Canada, and you would think that those would be easy to get, since Canada is essentially America Lite, the low calorie version of the USA. Nope, the legal red tape is ridiculous. I can get a Canadian permit to buy guns in Canada, and I can bring guns into Canada with that permit. But to legally bring guns into the USA that I bought in Canada is essentially cost prohibitive.

 

[Bowlin]

They are:

Top gun:Mauser K98, 7.92 Mauser calibre, Yugoslavian rework after WW2, still has German markings on firing pin and under bolt handle.

Second from top: Winchester Pattern 14 in .303 British. I also have an Eddystone Pattern 17 - essentially the same rifle in .30-06 but more basic without the field firing sight

Third from top: BSA SMLE .303. Can't remember the exact model.

Fourth from top (only part shown), BSA Long Lee .303, made in 1898, no charger bridge, chained on magazine.

I wonder (just for fun) can you identify the rifles pictured below?