Lee-Einfield SMLE MkIII

Hearing protection, in general, is HIGHLY SUGGESTED when firing ANY firearm. A suppressor would HELP, but hearing (known as "ears") protection is still a neccessity.

As to the effect on deer, what caliber is it (I don't know off the top of my head)?

.303 was for many years the choice of game big and small hunters in africa. It'll work very nicely on any north american game, though something like a pissed of grizzly might be stretching it a touch.

-Jenrick

The SMLE was used by Government cullers over here for years and accounted for hundreds of thousands of deer, bloody noisy things to use though...

I do belive someone in africa killed a rhino with one.

Yes, unmodified SMLE MkIII's are usually chambered for .303 British.

This caliber has been used successfully on many types of game all over the world and is a close rival to the .30-06. Even some expensive British double rifles have been chambered in the .303.

The military loadings (174 gr at 2440 fps) are a good ways away from commercial .30-06 power, but some of the newer loads, like the Hornady light mag, come close.

You should be wearing hearing protection whenever firing a firearm, however, or you might not need that hearing protection before long! The .303 Brit is not hard to find ammo for, it doesn't kick much, and it has dropped elephants (Although few would recommend trying that). It's a good cartridge.

The most common and well-respected rifle in the world, prior to the AK-47. Right arm of the British Empire, arguably the fastest-firing bolt-action rifle, and in a caliber that's killed every land animal on earth at one time or another.

.303 can be used on elephant. Not recommended, but a bullet pulled out and seated backwards will work.

It's kind of a heavy rifle to carry around but the No 4 is my go to meat rifle. The .303 with the right soft point bullets is a fine game cartridge. I have killed a bunch of mule deer and a few elk at ranges from 50 feet out to 275 yards. I just went on a coyote shoot with a couple guys from work and took one out at a little over 400 yards, and some luck was probably with me on that shot. I have shot the .303 for the better part of forty years and it has always worked out for me.

ylapirrynag said:

the noise makes a ringing sound in my ear

Click to expand...

That "noise" is the result of the permanent damage you have done to your hearing.:banghead: Use ear protection!

Now Vaarok, you can't shoot that 8mm through that Enfield.

Almost caught me off guard. My first thought was "where did that guy get a case of Romanian .303?

Heh, good catch, DMK.

I didn't even notice that.

I have a 1943 s.m.l.e and i love it. It is my deer hunting rifle, I have the ati stock and scope mount. with a perrty tan and black finish. Its my favorite rifle to carry into the woods.

I love Smellys (SMLE) They are a great rifle and my favorite Enfield. If there is a smoother, faster bolt action rifle out there, I haven't fired it. The .303 will do a real number on deer. Up in Canada, it is commonly used to take moose without incident. Always wear hearing protection when shooting firearms, unless of course you want to be saying "huh?" a lot when you get older.

The .303 British will kill any game in North America with a 174 or 175 grain bullet. Have the headspace checked before you shoot it. Thousands of 'em have been assembled out of parts bins with zero QC.

The .303 British is entirely adequate for game up to deer and has even accounted for itself pretty well on Moose and big bears with 215 grain bullets.

And wear ear plugs at the range.
I have tinnitus (ringing ears) from using explosives in my youth.
I hear a hissing noise in both ears all the time and it will be there until the day I die.
So wear ear plugs or you'll eventually wind up like me.

BTW - There are Jungle carbines but they all have reciever sights. More than likely, if you got one that is full length without wood to the end of the barrel, you have a hack-job sporter.
One of those was my first hunting rifle and it's still in the family.

I used my .303 Enfield No.1 Mk.III to pig hunt for years. It was produced in 1931 and dropped swine in 2005 like nobodies business.

Sunray said "Have the headspace checked" - and that is great advice.

However, even if the headspace is out, it is not a disaster.

The SMLE bolt head unscrews and there is a range of sizes available to correct the headspace. If I remember correctly, there are about 6 available, in .002" increments.

ylapirrynag - there are, literally, millions of SMLE in the world. They have been hacked, butchered, sporterised, bastardised into every conceivable configuration.

It is also available in 7.62 NATO in its later variants - and this is essentially .308" Winchester (well, almost).

Next to the AK47, it is still the rifle that the copysmiths in the Khyber Pass towns turn out as standard.

Mine is a totally original London Small Arms No1 Mark 3, built in 1909 and which still hits what it is aimed at 99 years later.

I love Smellies. I'm up to four now. Everything from a No. 4 Mk. 1 in cosmo to a well-worn guide gun, complete with Mauser safety, 5-round mag, and elderly Weaver 4x side mount.

Smellies WORK!

you want noisy? shoot an m44. The enfield is nothing.

Just have to throw in the mosin card, as usual.

Enfields are great rifles, I've shot but never owned one. (No new calibers please) They shoot fast and reasonably precise. For deer hunting?
Yeah man! People hunt deer with x39, this cartridge without question can handle deer.

I can still probably shoot an enfield better than my m44 IS. This is a good find, my friend, even sporterized.

If it is sporterized, check the chambering and make sure it was not changed to .308. Enjoy the crap out of it though.

Good advice above but I get the feeling that you still do not quite understand the hearing protection issue. Excuse me if I'm wrong but this important.

Wear good hearing protection at all times for practice and on the range. You will not normally wear hearing protection while hunting because you need to hear what is going on around you (a good reason to protect your ears during practice).

You will probably only shoot a couple of rounds during a hunt. For some strange reason the noise of the shot does not seem to be so loud during the excitement but it can still cause hearing damage. Fortunately, I think that in the woods the noise is absorbed somewhat compared with the range.

Do not use FMJ ammunition for hunting. Good luck.