Ishapore .308 SMLE vs .303 SMLE

C

Coronach

New member
I already have 1 .303 SMLE and money I don't yet have is already burning a hole in my pocket. I 'need' another.

Okay okay. No, I don't need another, nor is it really burning a hole in my pocket. I refuse to use credit needlessly, but still its nice to 'preplan' my purchases (see recent post on FALs). ;)

Anyway: I recently saw a post on here stating that .308 Ishapores are nice, but due to the cartridge being rimless, they sometimes fail to extract. I also read on one of the SMLE webpages that the .303 round is nice, but due to it being rimmed, its sometimes fails to feed unless carefully placed in the magazine.

Huunh.

Without this developing into a .303 vs .308 my-round-is-better-than-your-round Holy War, can someone please give me a rundown on the pros and cons of each rifle? Which would you buy? Why?

Thanks,

Mike

PS The answer of 'neither- get a Moisin-Nagant' or some other milsurp bolt action can be omitted. Thanks, though. ;)

PPS No, I have never noted any failure to feed in my .303, though in truth I have not used it all that much
 
If RELIABLE feeding is a priority (not just a range gun) then, by all means go with the .303. My Ishapore,needed work on the magazine, and still doesn't feed the last 2 rounds. I got an after market one (from Empire Arms, made in Korea) $35. that works well for feeding, but the ejection is iffy.
When loading .303s, just be careful that the rim of each additional round is IN FRONT OF the previous round. Once you get in the habit, you'll not have problems. Some Greek made rounds that I got from Aimsurplus come on stripper clips, and when loaded from them, thru the clip guide built into the receiver, I never have any problems.
The Ishapores are handy little rifles, I liked the configuation so much that I spent $350. for a real #5 Jungle carbine (rare these days) that's in .303.
 
Thanks,

Reliability in a firearm is a must for me. If it doesn't work reliably, it gets fixed- or sold. There are plenty of reliable guns out there looking for a good home... ;)

Is there a good webpage/discussion board for Lee-Enfields? I thought I saw one once, but a recent search turned up nothing.

Mike


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"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein
 
I say stick with the .303 British. By the way, Winchester is again loading this round in their USA "white box" line.
I solved the magazine loading quandry by purchasing a bandolier of WWII surplus ammo and a bunch of stripper clips. Then I simply loaded the rounds into my stripper clips in the same manner that I found them loaded in the surplus ammo bandolier. I figured the Brits would know the right way to do it.

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"He is useless on top of the ground; he ought to be under it, inspiring the cabbages."
Mark Twain
 
I have a No4MKI and I've not had any problems with feeding or extraction. The trick is, like already posted above, is to make sure that each cartridge rim is placed into the magazine in front of the other one. With a little practice, it really becomes second naature, and threfore a non-issue.

Interesting about Winchester loading for the .303 now. Is the white box stuff readily available, and how much is it a box?

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For God so loved the world that he gave his onlly begoten Son...
 
Huuunh.

Now that you mention it, I think that is exactly what I figured out in about 5 minutes of firing with my SMLE (placing the rounds in the mag in that way). Yeah, it HAS been YEARS since I had that old rifle out on the range...jeesh.

Okay. .303 Brit it is. Thats nice, too, since (if I recall correctly) Ishapore went to .308 after India so gracelessly opted out of the Empire. You see, the reason why I have the first SMLE is because I have my great grandfather's bayonet, which he declared 'lost' after WWI. Naturally, I just had to go out and buy a rifle to put it on.

And, naturally, the reason why I'm looking for a second is because my first purchase was an economical one, and I'm pretty sure some tommy somewhere used that rifle as a tent stake. Its beat to death, and the bore is BADLY pitted and eroded. It won't shoot MOR (Minute of Rosie O'Donnel) to save my life.

Thanks for the help, guys.

Mike

PS Yeah, I know. I could refinish/refurbish the one I have...which I might do in addition to buying a new one. ;)



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"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein
 
ojiweindian-
KY Imports 502-244-4400 (no website known) sells the Winchester USA .303 for 8.49 a box. They do not show a case price but I am sure it is less. Bullet is 174gr. FMJ that closely approximates the correct issue load. I bought two cases of this stuff for $175 a case from Georgia Arms www.georgia-arms.com but I do not believe they normally carry it. I think they had it just to take to local gunshows and saved me a couple cases because I am just so darned lovable.
I know this ammo is not cheap but it is absolutely noncorrosive and I like to baby my SMLE's since, as we all know, they are the greatest bolt actiob battle rifle ever made.

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"He is useless on top of the ground; he ought to be under it, inspiring the cabbages."
Mark Twain
 
The best surplus (or any for that matter) ammo I ever found for my Enfields (No.1 MkIII*,No.3 Mk1* (P-14),No.4 Mk1) was the Greek surplus with HXP-xx headstamp, where xx=year of manufacture.

Boxer primed, FMJ, reloadable, absolutely non-corrosive, and made on Winchester equipment. It used to be available in the mid 90's, dried up, and is available again for about $15-17 for a box of 48 or in bandoliers on strippers.

The Greek HXP in .30-06 was great for Garands, but it is mostly gone or increased in price.

After reading this thread, I sometimes wish I had not sold my British Enfield collection. ;) But I do enjoy the Springfield M1922's that replaced it. :D
 
I'm wanting to buy my first enfield and I was hung up on the .303 vs. .308. My problem now is that I can't find the Enfield Tanker that Gibbs put out!

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Ben Lee
Student, Senior
Computer Science
Mississippi State University
Heed the man that owns only one rifle,
he likely knows how to use it.
- Anonymous
 
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