British Enfield's...How Good Does Yours Shoot?

[35 Whelen]

The recent thread by the fella wanting to build an F-Class rifle on a No.4 action made me wonder: How good does the typical No.4 shoot? I've owned a few over the years, a Maltby and some Savages, and it seemed each was unique when it came to load development. I picked up lots of pointers at the Cast Boolit website and at the Surplus Rifle website (the Mod there really is knowledgeable)

The Maltby was probably the most accurate. Kind of wish I hadn't sold it:






Had a Savage that was decent:

50 yds.:


100 yds.:





I sold all the No.4's except one Savage that has a decently tight groove diameter (.3135") and shoots fairly good too:



When I first started buying No.4's in about '05, I'd get them on sale at the local Big 5 for $99...ahh, the good old days!

So, how 'bout it? Anyone else love their No.4's?

35W

 

[56hawk]

Of all my .303s the No. 4 is my least favorite. Oddly enough, my most accurate is a 1942 Ishapore No. 1 Mk. III. It will shoot 2-3" groups at 100.

 

[texas chase]

I don't have anything to contribute but I've been wondering the same thing. I finally found a mil-surp that I didn't feel guilty sporterizing and it is an Ishapore in 7.62/.308. Hoping when all is said and done, it'll be a decent shooter.

 

[35 Whelen]

Of all my .303s the No. 4 is my least favorite. Oddly enough, my most accurate is a 1942 Ishapore No. 1 Mk. III. It will shoot 2-3" groups at 100.

'Though I never owned one, I never had anything at all against the No.1's but I'm a huge fan of aperture sights, so that's why I was attracted to the No.4's.

I don't have anything to contribute but I've been wondering the same thing. I finally found a mil-surp that I didn't feel guilty sporterizing and it is an Ishapore in 7.62/.308. Hoping when all is said and done, it'll be a decent shooter.

At one time, I owned three Ishy's and started to make a Scout rifle out of one, but I was a little leery of the skinny barrel and how accurate it'd be once the stock was cut down.

35W

 

[303tom]

I really don`t know what to say, The Enfield probably the best bolt action rifle ever & all of mine shoot spot on...............

 

[madcratebuilder]

I really don`t know what to say, The Enfield probably the best bolt action rifle ever & all of mine shoot spot on...............

You bet!

Tack drivers.

 

[35 Whelen]

Targets boys, let's see some targets!

35W

 

[Curator]

I have several Lee Enfields that are very accurate for military issue rifles. I have also learned how to "tweak" their accuracy with handloading techniques as well as correctly bedding their forearm/barrel contact. Some of this I learned from posters on this and the "cast boolits" web-forum.

 

[DFisher3112]

Mine shoots very well. Actually, I'm going to shoot this month's THR rifle match with it and see how I do. It's probably not the most accurate rifle in the world however, since I reload for it I can bring the groups together.

 

[mookiie]

I just scoped one of my enfields with disappointing results. It would shoot ok groups but would throw a flier out of a nice 1 inch group to make it a 3 inch group at 100 yards. I am not to disappointed as this enfield had the worst bore of the two no 4s I own, so I moved the mount and scope to the enfield with the pristine barrel I will post some group pictures when I take it to the range.

 

[DougW]

This one will mess up the #5mk1 nay sayers:



100 yards, bench, sand bag under the forend, handloads I use in my "match" #4mk1 Fazakerley. (Those are 1" squares.)



I love all my Enfields, but this #5mk1 is my favorite.

 

[303 hunter]

Enfield

I have a no. 4 mk1 that I paid $50 for about 5 years ago. It had been correctly(?) sporterized many years before. The barrel had been cut to 22" and crowned. It has a Fajen monte carlo stock;and a scope mount that took the place of the rear sight. I mounted a Nikon ProStaff 3x9-40 scope. It will shoot 1.5" 100 meter groups all day using PPU 150 grain soft points. It has taken over 20 deer since. What do I think of the no.4 mk1? That's why I go by 303 Hunter!

 

[stan rose]

Every one knows that due to the two piece stock Lee Enfields are incapable shooting well.
Just look at posts 8 and 11.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Ya want targets? How's this?

I have not encountered many firearms that I just could not do anything with, but I had an Ishapore made in 1942 that would key hole with everything I put through it. Factory FMJ or cast bullet handloads, every bullet that came out of the gun was tumbling. I never did figure out why. The barrel was old and pitted, but the rifling was strong. I have bought plenty of old rifles with pitted bores over the years, but as long as the rifling was strong they have all shot just fine. The muzzle and crown were fine. It just did not want to put a good spin on a bullet. I finally got rid of it.





Next I found a nice Savage No 4 Mk 1*. This one was made in 1942.








The rifling is two very narrow but deep grooves. The bore is bright, looks like it just left the factory yesterday. This one shoots FMJ ammo OK, but those two narrow grooves just don't get a decent bite on a lead bullet and it keyholes with cast reloads.




Finally, a few years ago I found a Lithgow SHT.LE Mk III* made in 1919.






This one shoots straight and true with anything I put in it, FMJ or cast.

 

[rls303]

my 1st deer rifle no 5 back in 68 . still the 1st thing I grab opening day !!!thanks for the good post !

 

[303tom]

Hows this ????????????

 

[35 Whelen]

Howdy

Ya want targets? How's this?

I have not encountered many firearms that I just could not do anything with, but I had an Ishapore made in 1942 that would key hole with everything I put through it. Factory FMJ or cast bullet handloads, every bullet that came out of the gun was tumbling. I never did figure out why. The barrel was old and pitted, but the rifling was strong. I have bought plenty of old rifles with pitted bores over the years, but as long as the rifling was strong they have all shot just fine. The muzzle and crown were fine. It just did not want to put a good spin on a bullet. I finally got rid of it.





Next I found a nice Savage No 4 Mk 1*. This one was made in 1942.








The rifling is two very narrow but deep grooves. The bore is bright, looks like it just left the factory yesterday. This one shoots FMJ ammo OK, but those two narrow grooves just don't get a decent bite on a lead bullet and it keyholes with cast reloads.




Finally, a few years ago I found a Lithgow SHT.LE Mk III* made in 1919.






This one shoots straight and true with anything I put in it, FMJ or cast.

Nice targets guys!

With regards to cast bullets, I assume you slugged the bore. I once had a NO.4 with a .315" groove dia. Accuracy was hopeless as my largest bullet was .314". Then I tried shotshell buffer which made a HUGE difference. I've no idea why, but it definitely worked.

35W

 

[alemonkey]

My No. 4 MK 2 is a pretty solid 2-3 MOA gun. I haven't spent a lot of time working up a load, though, and I'm just using pulled Russian .311 bullets with some H4895. Quality bullets would probably help it a lot. As it is right now it's good enough to win our local vintage military match if I do my part. If I don't take 1st or 2nd it's definitely not the rifle's fault, just a boneheaded mental mistake by me. Which unfortunately seems to happen at least once per match.

 

[dprice3844444]

slug the barrel

 

[DougW]

Hey stan, we need to go shooting! If I can make groups like that, you can for sure!

 

[lil dragon]

This one will mess up the #5mk1 nay sayers:



100 yards, bench, sand bag under the forend, handloads I use in my "match" #4mk1 Fazakerley. (Those are 1" squares.)



I love all my Enfields, but this #5mk1 is my favorite.

Still working up the load for mine, but this kind of grouping is what I'm hoping for!

 

[Jenrick]

madcratebuilder: Beautiful rifles, what butt cuff is that on the second rifle? Also what scope mount and scopes are you using on yours? They look great.

-Jenrick

 

[krinko]

Different days, different loads, same rifle---





With a little Australian in it---



One of my favorite SMLEs and very well preserved. The Aussies take good care of their stuff.
-----krinko

 

[krinko]

And let's not forget the Martini-Enfield.
1872 Martini converted to .303 at Enfield in 1899.
Loads are 180 grain round nose in PMP commercial cases.



Target at 100 yards.




Two sighters to get the aiming point, then ten in the circle.
The Martini sights are very coarse, but this Hun got a big headache, anyway.
-----krinko

 

[Ignition Override]

Let's just hope that the ARs keep attracting a serious fraction of the cash spent on rifles.
This has kept prices down for my six Enfields: all bought starting in April '09.