Okay, I have a Mosin-Nagant M38, and it was easy to get the background information to purchase. I knew when I bought it that I eventually had to get a Mauser or a Lee-Enfield as well, preferably both. So at the moment I'm Enfield-crazy. However, it seems that Lee-Enfield, like Mauser, is a somewhat more complicated subject than Mosin-Nagant. I've been all over here, surplusrifle.com, etc., and what I'm looking for is a basic way to put some order to the random facts floating around my head.
I want: A Lee-Enfield No. I Mk. III, although I would consider a No.4 Mk.I. It must be in reasonably shootable conditon, with a matching bolt and receiver. It must be in .303, not .308 or .410. It would be great if it was British, but I'm totally open to Canadian, US, or Australian-made Enfields. Or Indian, for that matter, although it seems that many Indian rifles were chambered in .308. See, it's a confusing subject. What matching numbers should I look for, what are any tell-tale signs of dangerous wear, questionable headspace, etc, and what (very broadly speaking) should I expect to pay for a decent shooter that's not a basket case?
Safety and more-or-less correct military appearance, even if re-arsenaled, are higher priorities than accuracy, as this will be a range blaster, not a hunting or competition rifle. A little historical significance would be neat, but again, not a high priority.
From what I've read, it seems that a Lithgow Arsenal No.I Mk. III might be the ticket, but that may just be because there was a bunch of those on the market recently. I'll happily defer to those with more experience. Thanks for any replies!
I want: A Lee-Enfield No. I Mk. III, although I would consider a No.4 Mk.I. It must be in reasonably shootable conditon, with a matching bolt and receiver. It must be in .303, not .308 or .410. It would be great if it was British, but I'm totally open to Canadian, US, or Australian-made Enfields. Or Indian, for that matter, although it seems that many Indian rifles were chambered in .308. See, it's a confusing subject. What matching numbers should I look for, what are any tell-tale signs of dangerous wear, questionable headspace, etc, and what (very broadly speaking) should I expect to pay for a decent shooter that's not a basket case?
Safety and more-or-less correct military appearance, even if re-arsenaled, are higher priorities than accuracy, as this will be a range blaster, not a hunting or competition rifle. A little historical significance would be neat, but again, not a high priority.
From what I've read, it seems that a Lithgow Arsenal No.I Mk. III might be the ticket, but that may just be because there was a bunch of those on the market recently. I'll happily defer to those with more experience. Thanks for any replies!