Lee Enfield SMLE MKIII - hickok45

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DennisCA

New member
(I won't post the link so I won't get accused of being a drive-by)

If you go to hickok45's youtube channel, he's got a really great video on the Lee Enfield SMLE MKIII .

If you are a Enfield enthusiast I think you are really going to enjoy it.

If don't own an Enfield (you know who YOU are :eek: ) and you've been "on-the-fence" about getting one, this should help you decide.

BTW - I own a 1943 No 4 Mk 1 and it's one my favorite rifles!
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'Ten rounds, rapid fire' is about the most fun you can have with a SMLE or No. 4, if you like milsurps, you need one. Or two. Three is good. Four is better. Five is a lesser Nirvana available to mortals. Larger numbers can be equally pleasant, there is no upper limit of personal enjoyment even though the universe is finite. This is known as the SMLE Paradox.
 
Funny you post this a SMLE Mk III is on my short list. I am going to a gun show tomorrow and just might walk out with one or a M39 or any number of other things really if the price is right...
 
Got one. It's accurate and semi sporterized but I don't know what to do with it. Was thinking a nutmeg or salt and pepper boyd stock but who knows.

I also have an 1899 Remington Lee in 30-40 Krag and like it a lot better.
 
"Bert" & "Ernie" My no4 Mk2 & my No5 Mk1.
(Image (c) wogpotter 2014, 2012)
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Still looking for a nice inter war BSA commercial SMLE.
 
Only saw one that was worth buying at the show and I probably should have just bought it but the guy wouldn't come down to what I thought was fair. Amazingly I did not see any M39's even after the whole classic thing. I guess maybe guys are holding on to them a little longer hoping they can jack the prices up even higher once the wake settles or maybe no one around here picked any up to try and turn around either way I walked out empty handed other than the part I needed for my p38.
 
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I got a 1917 dated MkIII back when the going market price was under $100.

5 shot 1" group 80 yds, kneeling position with Rem Corelokt factory ammo. (the only real paper grouping I have done with it). I'd call it good enough. ;)

My rifle's nickname is "Sweaty Betty", as the stock is about black, and if left in the sun for a while, will sweat oil from the wood.

The chamber is "generous", and it takes careful sizing to get more than a couple reloads from virgin brass.

I learned my lesson long ago, about buying "once fired" .303 brass. Don't bother. Unlike most other calibers, "once fired" .303 is false economy. Spend the extra cash and get NEW brass for reloading. That way YOU get to use up its life, not the previous owner.

"once fired" means AT LEAST once fired, I have had numerous failures of used .303 brass on MY first firing, including total head separation. HINT: GET A RUPTURED CASE EXTRACTOR!!!!!!

Put it in in your kit. You may never need it, but if you ever DO need it, nothing else will do as well.;) Can be the difference between a few minutes work and the end of the days shooting with that rifle.
 
I have never had problems with head separations on .303 brass except for one brand and that is S&B. I don't reload those which is a shame as I have several hundred of them. I have other brass with over 20 reloads on them and they still work. I just keep my loads in the mid-range of things. No sense pushing old rifles. I try to rotate my nine, but there are always some that make it to the range more than others. The $40 bubba'd Savage with a mismatched bolt has always been one of my favorites.

TK
 
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I also have an 1899 Remington Lee in 30-40 Krag and like it a lot better.
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I had one that was part of my J. P. Lee collection. Be very careful what you shoot through it as the stocks are basically unreinforced and are prone to splitting/cracking at the wrist. Is yours a Michigan State Militia gun?
 
Is yours a Michigan State Militia gun?
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Yes it is. Mine has been sporterized years ago and put in a monte carlo style stock. The old barrel was shot out so another one was screwed on. My dad has a National Guard gun also and it's in original condition.
 
I have a No. 4 MK 1 in its original configuration. The headspace is right-on, and it is a fun rifle to shoot.
 
Remember, .303 headspaces on the rim, so in reality the chamber could be ridiculously oversized and it could still pass a headspace check.

(edited to correct my memory)Found this photo a while back, a virgin PPU round and a once fired round posted on a forum. This is why .303 case life sucks:

Photo removed, see below.

If you want decent case life, neck size only.

My 9 year old got some trigger time with my Jungle Carbine Saturday. Handloads using 123 gr bullets designed for 7.62X39 over a ~65% load of H4895 is downright pleasant to shoot. Feels like you are shooting a .22 LR.:

alex_no5.jpg
 
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More years ago than I like to think about, a No. 5 "jungle carbine" with the flash hider cut off taught me that the purpose of said flash hider was not to conceal the flash from the enemy, but to keep the shooter from being blinded by his own gun. Mk VII Cordite ammo generates a blue, purple, orange and yellow ball of fire about three feet in diameter and five feet long. At dusk, without the flash hider, you don't see anything for five minutes.

Jim
 
More years ago than I like to think about, a No. 5 "jungle carbine" with the flash hider cut off taught me that the purpose of said flash hider was not to conceal the flash from the enemy, but to keep the shooter from being blinded by his own gun. Mk VII Cordite ammo generates a blue, purple, orange and yellow ball of fire about three feet in diameter and five feet long. At dusk, without the flash hider, you don't see anything for five minutes.

Jim
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LMAO!! How true.

I had the same result shooting a Lee-Enfield RIC carbine. (I know; You're only supposed to use Mk VI ball in them, but I only shot it a little with Mk VII as it had unpleasant recoil, besides the muzzle flash.)
 
Meh.

I had an Ishapore 2A1 7.62x51mm for a short while, and was not impressed with it.
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I love my enfields but I also had a Ishapore and didn't care much for it either. Just didn't feel right. Only thing good about it was 12 rounds in a bolt action. Seemed like you could shoot forever.

I greatly prefer my Mosin rifles.
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I cant agree with that
The mosin just does not compare to a smle.
 
emcon5

As I have to constantly insert this gobbledygook when I use my own images, perhaps you might consider doing the same when you use one of them uncredted.

(Image (c) Wogpotter {insert date here})
I took it in 2009.
Exif data:
exif_zpsfmjr0tnz.jpg


Original image uncropped.
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I wasn't sure it was yours, you appear to have deleted the original image in the thread where it first appeared, and the file I uploaded (If memory serves, I modified your image by cropping it and drawing the lines before re-uploading it) has no exif data. The lines on my photo appear orange, the ones on your photo you just posted are red.

The original thread where I posted it is here: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4566678#post4566678

Your photobucket image link in that thread is dead. The thread was 4 years ago, I initially thought it was a photo I took, I know I took a similar one at some point.
 
I modified your image by cropping it and drawing the lines before re-uploading it) has no exif data.
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Regardless I expect credit for the stolen image.
Lets not get stupid about this shall we?
Here is the original minus the lines. Show me yours.
newfiredresized_zps23ihketr.jpg
 
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