My girlfriend is going to kill me...

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NoobCannon

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Wharton, Texas
Okay, I've been looking into a hunting rifle for the longest time. Something old, cheap, and reliable. I've been putting around the internet, and saw some wicked deals on Mosin Nagants, and I was all set to place an order. Funny how life throws you curveballs.

I was in a pawnshop the other day, farting around, killing time. I was checking out the gun counter, drooling over the nice mauser pistol in the display case, laughing at the jiminez pistols for a hair over $100, when I noticed the rifle rack. Normally, there's a Mauser K98 sitting in one spot, which I knew by heart. Nazi-stamped, way out of my price range, but I still drooled over such a piece. It wasn't there. In its place was a Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk1 in .303 for $350 out the door. The Pawnbroker put his best used-car salesman face on, and long story short, I put it on layaway. >_< The part that sealed it for me was the fact it was stamped 1943 on th side of the reciever.

Did I get a good deal? I know the tub of crud already lied to me once about it(He told me I could find ammo for it at wal-mart. I happen to work there, checked the sporting goods counter, not one single box), so I'm not too keen on this guy already. I've done business through the store in the past, but not through this guy inparticular, so I don't believe the store itself is acting shady, but I'm getting too far ahead of myself.

It's in very good shape, actually, for its age. The stock is kinda beat up, but the bore and the metal is in good shape. the action was smooth, and I'm fairly confidant that I won't have to worry about a feral hog running away after getting hit by it. Does anyone make any decent aftermarket, drop-in parts for the Enfields? If the date is true and it is a WWII piece, I don't want to modify it in any way, form, or fashion that I couldn't undo with just a screwdriver and an allen wrench.

Stocks, Sight mounts, and maybe some old army surplus parts is what I'm looking for on this project. Stuff that won't require me hacking up a piece of history just so I can go hunting.

As for my girlfriend.....pray for me, THR.
 
I would take her and let her shoot a couple water melons with it. Reactive targets do wonders. That should cheer her right up lol.

Eh If I were you I would just leave it as is unless something needs repaired. My dad has a similar rifle I grew up shooting. It was plenty accuracte for hunting and plinking.

I would buy lots of ammo and get some rounds down it.
 
She's a girlfriend, not your wife. You still wear the pants. At least I hope you do. .303 should take down anything you could reasonably want to hunt. All those WWII rifles are similar to 30-06.

300 something for a rifle of serious caliber? Sounds ok to me. You can get ammo, it will probably be from the internet though. Do you reload? If you reload, just get dies for .303 and buy a couple batches online and reload the cases. I'm saying all of this without any experience in shopping for .303 Brit ammo, so take it with a grain of salt. Either way, the price is chump change if you have a decent job.
 
well, if things go as planned, she will be my wife. Problem is her brother is hellbent on labeling us responsible gunowners as girlfriend-murdering maniacs, I try my hardest to convince her otherwise, and she's kinda stuck in the middle. To keep things calm and to keep from decking my future brother-in-law(god willing) I try to keep my firearms purchases to the bare minimum.

I don't reload, but I would love to get into it. My dad used to reload(and hotload) his own 9mm rounds when he was in the Air Force, so I have immediate access to someone with the know-how, provided I can get my grubby paws on the equipment.

A scope would probably be good for me, though. My eyesight isn't the best in the world, but I must admit, looking through the sights on the rifle when I looked it over, I was pleasantly surprised. I owned one rifle similar to it(if you can call it that), a Yugo Mauser M24/47, and I loved that gun. The sights however, I did not love. When I get the old gal home I think I'll have to see how well I can shoot open sights. Then again, a new pair of eyeglasses would probably be cheaper than a good scope and a mount.

And I'm not one to waste fruit. Perhaps water-filled coffee cans instead?
 
well, if things go as planned, she will be my wife. Problem is her brother is hellbent on labeling us responsible gunowners as girlfriend-murdering maniacs, I try my hardest to convince her otherwise, and she's kinda stuck in the middle. To keep things calm and to keep from decking my future brother-in-law(god willing) I try to keep my firearms purchases to the bare minimum.
Sorry... you dont let others dictate your purchases.
My wifes family is anti gun.
They dont like my fire arms... they can stay away.
You have a hobby... a like... maybe love of firearms.
If your GF understands, there will be no issues.
If she doesnt, well... it will end later rather than sooner.


Jim
 
I like the No.4 mk1s a lot. These days $350 is not a bad deal. If it is a good one, you'll never cry about having paid that for it -- in fact, you'll never think about it again once you get it home. :)

It is also a very rewarding cartridge to reload for. The bores tended to have some variations in diameter. As you get a bit more advanced, you can check the true bore diameter and buy bullets that match it exactly, and greatly improve the rifle's accuracy.

As for the girlfriend and bro-in-law? Yes, you should try to win them over. Taking them shooting is probably the best way. But sooner rather than later you'll need to have a conversation where you clearly explain that this is part of your life now, and it probably will be a continuous and growing part of your life forever. It is part of who you are and who you choose to be. She needs to understand, accept, and even come to appreciate that part of you, or neither of you will ever be happy. And unhappiness makes forever last a darned long time. Both of you need to decide, when the "bloom is off the rose" is this going to be a thorn that makes one of you miserable -- or will acceptance and understanding make your relationship stronger?

Good luck!
 
I have said this before, anti-gun and/or anti-hunting were always deal breakers with me. I ain't anything special, but hunting and shooting are part of my life. I did date some gals when I was younger that were not too keen on shooting sports. There is nothing wrong with trying to win them over. But, the hassle wasn't worth it. Besides, when dating we all will bend and try to please each other. Marriage changes all that.

My wife, bless her soul, is not really into hunting or shooting. But if tell her that I am going to go hunting this Saturday, she wishes me luck and tells me to bundle up and stay warm.

Trust me, this make life a lot easier.

Sorry about the hijacking of this thread. Sorry about my ranting. But I know some guys that I don't even ask to join me in hunting because of the hassle they have to go through with their significant others.
 
My wife is from Kentucky. Enough said?

I like the Enfields. Their actions are very smooth. I am not up on prices though. I have a #1 MK III, which is the previous rifle to the MK IV. Its a good shooter and .303 is a good round.

As others have said, don't let people dictate your likes and dislikes.
 
SMLE Ammo

I also have a No. 1 mk III that I picked up years ago for $20, bad barrel and hacked-up stock. It is now a re-barreled sporter. I live in a rural area, but the local feed/garden supply/sporting goods guy carries British 303 ammo - look around at gun shops and I'm sure you'll find some.

Also, you can go to http://www.midwayusa.com/ and find 14 different brands/bullet types for less then $20/box.

I like the idea of letting your gf take down a watermelon - it's dramatic, and it makes two good points. First is, shooting can be fun (of course), and second is, treat a rifle with respect 'cause it's capable of doing serious damage. I also like to take 2 gallon cans, fill 'em both with water and stack one on top of the other. When you shoot the bottom can, the top one usually goes vertical for 10-15 feet! (I used to use that one for Hunter Safety classes).

My wife, who had never handled a gun before meeting me, is now an enthusiastic shooter and this year went deer hunting with me for the first time. She's younger than I am by 35 years, and will turn 30 in June. If you can work on your gf's misconceptions and get her into shooting, you can buy a new rifle and walk in the door carrying it - no need to hide it, or make up a story. I came home with a new 7mm WSM 2 weekends ago. She took a look, hefted the rifle, and said, "When are we going to the range to find out what this thing can do?" -Now that's a good wife!
 
Noob,

For what it is worth the Pawnbroker might not be trying to mislead you. At one time the local Walmart here carried 303. I don't know if they do now or not.
 
My local Wal-Mart does actually have .303 Brit ammunition right now. But the next closest one, about ten minutes farther, does not. I think maybe there are some Wal-Mart stores that do have .303, but I'll admit that they are probably pretty limited.
 
While your wal-mart may not stock it, any decently stocked gun store will. And theres always the internet. Does the rifle have the ladder-style target sights or the L-shaped flip battle sight? Either way they are plenty good enough for deer hunting. There are scope mounts out there for the Enfield, but I would stay away from them.
 
There is a type of man that actually WANTS to be bossed around by his female. This type of man is looking a wife / girlfriend that will become his surrogate new mother. Giving away his personal responsibility to her lets him off the hook for his own actions in his mind. It is a way of not growing up.

It is hard to help this type of man. He doesn't want to wear the pants.
 
I always bargain, squabble and dicker for way-down on pawnshop prices. If it's an out-of-pawn gun, they have about half the asking price in it.

As far as what I ever bought for myself, the only issue I'd tolerate from my wife is the fairness in the amount of the money spent. If I want a $XXX toy, she has the right to an equivalent $XXX toy of her choice. Outside of that, she has no say in the matter--and vice versa.

Granted, I was lucky. Years back I brought home a Ruger Blackhawk, and BossLady said, "Ooh, I like that!" so I had to go back and buy a 1911 for me.
 
I used o see 303 British at a Walmart in West Palm Beach Florida back when I lived down there.

I agree with the other posters here. You need to have a serious talk with your GF. My GF isn’t much into shooting but she knows that I have guns around the house and on me all the time and has no problem with it. When I come home with a new gun purchase or am thinking about buying something new she always gets excited. The excitement is not so much because she’s into shooting but because she knows it makes me happy which is the point of two people being together in the first place.

Dan
 
Owning and using a piece of history is an interesting hobby. Trying to get a feel for what front line grunts were dealing with is a lesson all by itself. Since you were drooling over a German Mauser, you seem interested Mil-surp weapons? You can talk to them in a way that leads to understanding that you are interested in the technologies of the Allies and the Commonwealth? Also, the first time you put a venison haunch on the barby and they all get to eat it, will make it much more real to them :)
 
Congrats on the new rifle,hopefully it will be the first of many,many more.I won't offer advice about the gf/wife,except to say to work out the anti-gun thing before your trip to the alter.I like the idea of introducing her to shooting,but a 303 will probably be too much recoil for a newby.You don't want her first expierence to involve pain,injury,or anything negative.Just my opinion,good luck. Lightman
 
I think others addressed the Enfield quite adequately... so about the thread title:

Well, if all goes as planned she'll be your wife? Does she know this? I've been where you are, so my only caution is to tread softly. If she trusts you with the firearms and you've been nothing short of mature with how you handle them in front of her, her family's opinion of you and your guns won't matter as much because she's actually *seen* how you are with them. Her perception of you is MORE important.

Also, if you are worried about your girlfriend getting mad at a gun purchase, it sounds like you should be getting married sooner than later because you are letting her treat you like the only woman other than mom who's allowed to be that type of conscientious objector.

My wife, before we were married, did not like guns. She was afraid of them, and that was based on the opinion of her parents. She knew I had guns, and I purposely over-emphasized the rules of safety when I handled the guns in front of her. She was mad at me for repeating the rules more than a few times during show and tell because she thought I was treating her like she was dumb, but that drove home how serious I am about being safe and now she's just as picky about it as me. Next thing you know, we took a gun safety and training course together and now she respects my enthusiasm for guns and the sport of shooting. She's pretty much taken over my Glock when we go to the range.

YMMV, but the responsibility to put the best foot forward with regard to firearms is yours alone. Your "brother-in-law" can talk and talk, but your actions have to be the one to discredit his generalized asinine assessments of gun ownership with regards to his sister.
 
If my girlfriend had an issue with how I spent my money, I'd tell her to piss off.
 
Well, to answer the rather personal questions, it's not that I don't want to wear the pants, its just I want to try and keep the peace. She's of Asian decent, which means her family is rather close knit, and when I told her about my little gun hobby, at first she was reluctant, asked her brother, and her brother went gung-ho anti-gun on her and now he trusts me as far as he can throw me. Personally, I could care less about him, but she's kinda submissive towards her family, something that proves annoying every now and again. I just wish she'd stand up for the person she loves instead of retreating under the house like some whipped dog. Marriage has been talked about alot, but it's all about everyone getting settled together to the point where we can afford such things. From what I hear, marriages cost way more than my little gun hobby ever thought of costing. I couldn't dream of casting her off for guns. She tried to make me decide between the guns and her, and I told her I refused to choose. That resulted in a break-up that lasted all of five minutes. I told her about the Enfield last night, and all I really got out of her was a light berating about how much it cost....which I can deal with. I already promised her a chance to shoot my handgun, maybe even get her one of those little pink .380s down the road. When her brother keeps his nose out of other people's business, time with her is like heaven on earth to me. That's why I'm still with her.

Back on topic, it had the L-shaped battle sight. I flipped both up, and like I said, I was rather pleased at the sight picture. Far superior to the Mauser's sights. Maybe for the ammo I can check the Wal-Mart here in Wharton, all else fails, a pawn shop here in town that I don't trust all too well(not the one I got the rifle from), usually carries some oddball cartridges no one else seems to have. Then there's also my favorite gun store.

Before I shoot this thing, I was told by different people at different times that the .303 cartridge had a notorious kick, something those brits were particularly proud of? Then I come on here late last night and I see people remark about how it's a soft-shooting rifle. Can I get someone to straighten this out for me please? I want to know if my first shot I have to hang on for dear life or just get ready for another day of target practice.
 
I inherited my dads 1917 sporterized SMLE No. 1 mk III . He bought it in the very early 60's and used it for deer hunting. I good gun for hunting and capable of taking almost every animal in North America. If your girl is going to shoot it I would recommend a good slip-on recoil pad. The brass butt plate with the recoil can bruise a shoulder very quickly. Wouldn't want her to fear the weapon after firing it.

SMLE's easily have the smoothest bolts of any of the war surplus weapons. You might get the headspace checked out before you take it to the range just to ensure it will be a good safe trip.Check the serial numbers to make sure they all match too.

My gun is still a hunter and almost 100yrs old. If I take care of it it should last another 100yrs.
 
Well, recoil I can handle. I earned my first Purple Shoulder on a lightweight Remington 870 Express and roughly 300 shotgun shells in one day. Before that I had an old Mauser someone at some point sporterized and rechambered in .243 Winchester. That old mule KICKED, especially with that all-steel buttplate. It was scary accurate, especially when you were 15 years old and you made your dad scat a brick by hitting a bullethole with it at 100 yards. Pure luck? To this day, I don't know. I miss that rifle terribly...If I still had it, I probably wouldn't be getting this one.

...ah, who am I kidding? If I still had it I'd still want this Enfield.
 
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