OT: IN Enfield shooters ... beware

[J Miller]

For the upcoming Indiana get together there is at least two or three of us who have said they were bringing our Enfields. Well guys you better beware. Dead eye Joe is working on his your all in deep doo doo.

I may not hit anything with it, but I'll bet it beats yours in the beater department.

Ha ha.

Left side of rifle.JPG

Ignore the mess ....

Left side close up.JPG

I hate that rear sight, I need to get one with the micrometer screw adjuster. Yep, he's been FTR'd sometime back. All kinds of markings on the stock, no idea what they mean.

I'm working on the bedding right now with Miltons help. Hope to turn it into a paper plate blaster at least.

And I just slugged the bore.

1943 vintage Canadian, 2 grove LH twist:

Bore Diameter: .303" No surprise there.
Grove Diameter: .317" From what I've read this is not unusual for a war time barrel either.

From the muzzle back to about 10" forward of the chamber the bore was fairly smooth, but then there was a couple really rough places.

So, I'm thinking this old warrior will stay with jacketed bullets unless I find a new barrel for him.

Beware ............ the ides of March ..... Oh wait, that's Shakespeare not Indiana.

Joe

[awp101]

I may not hit anything with it, but I'll bet it beats yours in the beater department.

Eh, don't be to sure...


1910 BSA No I MkIII

No pics, but her younger sister (a 1913 LSA) is even uglier and needs a stock repair.

[2ndovc]

Joe,

Looking forward to the levergun / Enfield shoot!

I have a couple of the sights you want. I even have one that's Long Branch marked.
I'll briing it along if you want to trade it out.

I'm going to bring one of my Lithgows I think. Though the Savage is a better
shooter I just don't think there's anything classier than a No. 1 MkIII

see ya!

jb

[J Miller]

awp,

That's a right nice old warrior you got there. Looks like he's been through at least one maybe two wars.

I really have no idea how mine shoots on paper. It's been 20+ years since I had out to the range.

........................................

jb,

You got a PM.

...........................................

I guess I should bring my 2a No1 Mk 3 Ishapore too. That's my newest Enfield.

Joe

[morgan in nm]

Don't feel too bad Joe, it might shoot dang good. I have had several in all conditions and the one I have the hardest time shooting is an excellent condition Savage with the L-shaped sight that I cant seem to get used to. My eyes are starting to fail me and that hole is too big for the narrow front sight IMO. The rifle has a near perfect bore.

AWP, thats a nice early No. 1 with what looks like a mag cut-off and round cocking piece. Dang sure wouldn't be ashamed of that thing

[JReed]

Cool old Enfields. I look forward to seeing it in person. Still trying to figure out how I am going to get all the guns I want to take on the back of my bike. Where there is a will there's a way.

[Old Savage]

Ah, you may win here. Don't get into the wiped Polish Mausers though. all matching numbers.

[O.S.O.K.]

Joe, you need to get set-up for casting - can be done fairly inexpensively especially if you already have a coleman stove or similar to heat the lead pot. You can get a mold that will drop .318" bullets (look for those labeled 8mmJ) and use a Lee sizer die that just screws into your press - they run around $25 and come with their excellent Lee Liq Alox lube. Go with a 200 grain bullet if you can - the longer bearing surface is an accuracy aid.

Go with gas check bullets of .318" and you will be amazed at the accuracy that your old brit will deliver.

Seriously.

Lead Pot
mold
gas checks
bottom pour lead ladel
Lee sizer kit

Those and some wheel weights from your local tire dealer will do the trick - you'll need to run the lead a bit hot with wheel weight alloy unless you add some tin. The tire people are switching over to steel weights and will once again give the lead ones away but don't wait long...

That reminds me that I need to down to the local place and get theirs....

[O.S.O.K.]

Cool old Enfields. I look forward to seeing it in person. Still trying to figure out how I am going to get all the guns I want to take on the back of my bike. Where there is a will there's a way.

http://www.sportstrailers.com/motorcycl ... ailers.htm

I'm the shell answer man today

[JReed]

Cool old Enfields. I look forward to seeing it in person. Still trying to figure out how I am going to get all the guns I want to take on the back of my bike. Where there is a will there's a way.

http://www.sportstrailers.com/motorcycl ... ailers.htm

I'm the shell answer man today

Harbor Freight makes one also at a darn decent price. But right now I am savin for another 4 wheeled vehicle so bike goodies are on hold.

[ceb]

Thanks guys, been laid off for several months now and was thinkin of selling my rifles. You all make me realize how much I would miss 'em.

No 4 Mk 1* Long Branch 1942
No 4 Mk 1/2 Ftr 1944
2A No.1 Mk 3

Dang, I love these old rifles.

[J Miller]

Thanks guys, been laid off for several months now and was thinkin of selling my rifles. You all make me realize how much I would miss 'em.

No 4 Mk 1* Long Branch 1942
No 4 Mk 1/2 Ftr 1944
2A No.1 Mk 3

Dang, I love these old rifles.

Ceb,
I've been there and done that when I was between jobs. All I can say to you is: DON'T DO IT. DON'T THINK THOSE THOUGHTS, PUT THE GUNS AWAY, WALK AWAY FROM THEM UNTIL THOSE THOUGHTS PASS.

I sold a lot of my guns back in '98 to pay bills. Then the next months bills came and I didn't have any more guns to sell. And I no longer had those guns to use. I realized just how futile it is to sell guns that you may not be able to replace, just to pay bills. The bills will always be there, but will the guns be there at a price you can afford when you finally get back on your feet?
Here it is over 10 years later and I still haven't had the funds to replace the guns I sold.
I'm still madd at myself for doing what I did. And now I have changed my attitude; the bills can wait, I'm keeping what guns I have left.

Joe

[J Miller]

Here is a dumb question for you guys.

A normal barrel with say 5 or 6 lands and groves of equal width normally works good with bullets of .001" to .002" over grove diameter.
The lands and groves are the same so it really doesn't displace much bullet metal.

On the Enfield 2 grove barrels, the bore is .303" and the grove diameter is .317". That's .014" depth difference. That is a lot compared to normal rifling.
The groves are also about 1/8" or so wide. That is very narrow compared to the lands.

So, wouldn't the large lands being .014" shallower than the narrow groves displace enough metal so .313" or .314" cast bullets would work?
I mean, you push a .313" bullet down a .303" bore that extra .010" has to go somewhere. So wouldn't it just extrude out into the groves?

Just a thought.

Joe

[JReed]

Yes and no. Most of the displaced metal will end up on the back of the bullet kind of like shavings that gets flattened against the base by combustion pressure. Try using an unsized cast bullet as it will be larger. The other upside to cast is if you use the right alloy and have enough pressure it will obdurate the base and help seal it up.

[J Miller]

Jeremy,

My casting set up was archaic back in the 1970s, now it would be considered primitive.
And the only alloy I have is wheel weights.

Let me tell you a secret, but don't tell nobody, OK. I like shooting cast bullets, I like learning about them, but I hate casting. That's why I ask questions like the above cos I know where I can buy some really sweet cast bullets.

Joe

[JReed]

Wheel weights should work. I you can get your caster to make you up some unsized you should be good to go.

[Modoc ED]

Joe, I've been looking at this thread since you posted it and I just can't keep it in anymore -- working on a gun on an "ironing board" just isn't manly.

[mescalero1]

Well, ModocEd broke before I did

[2ndovc]

Well, ModocEd broke before I did

Joe,

Go to Auction Arms and do a search for BurnhamBill. He sells .303 200 gr LRNGCs for about
$8-9.00 / 100.
that's who I get mine from.. Also use them in my 7.62x54R.
If he doesn't have anything listed send him an email.

I haven't gotten the whole casting thing down yet.


jb

[J Miller]

ED, M1,

I was wondering if anyone was going to say something about that.

As you can my area is a total manly disaster. I needed a place to put the rifle to take it's pic and there was the ironing board. Soooooo, I appropriated it.

Stealing from the wife, that's manly ..... isn't it?

jb,

Thanks for the lead. I just might do that. Except that I gotta squirrel away all my cash for the get together in two weeks. After that maybe.

Joe

[2ndovc]

ED, M1,

I was wondering if anyone was going to say something about that.

As you can my area is a total manly disaster. I needed a place to put the rifle to take it's pic and there was the ironing board. Soooooo, I appropriated it.

Stealing from the wife, that's manly ..... isn't it?

jb,

Thanks for the lead. I just might do that. Except that I gotta squirrel away all my cash for the get together in two weeks. After that maybe.

Joe

I'll bring you a handfull to try and the guy's email if you like them.
I need to order another batch. Darned things are really addictive!

jb

[Modoc ED]

Joe said:

Stealing from the wife, that's manly ..... isn't it?

Well, normally, that would be manly Joe, BUT the ironing board is foo foo Robin Eggs Blue with foo foo Baby Blue and Green plaid stripes. So that kinda erases the "manly stealing from the wife" concept.

However, I will give ya 5-points for quick, rifle, prop-up, thinking.

[mescalero1]

Well Joe,
You gonna have to pull off some good shots at the get together to socially redeem yourself.

[J Miller]

Well Joe,
You gonna have to pull off some good shots at the get together to socially redeem yourself.

I'll do the best I can. Maybe smoke the place up with black powder. That's manly ... I hope.

Joe

[Modoc ED]

Well Joe,
You gonna have to pull off some good shots at the get together to socially redeem yourself.

I'll do the best I can. Maybe smoke the place up with black powder. That's manly ... I hope.

Joe

Don't worry Joe!!! You're a manly guy. We'll just call the ironing board episode a slip and forget about it.

[JReed]

Well Joe,
You gonna have to pull off some good shots at the get together to socially redeem yourself.

I'll do the best I can. Maybe smoke the place up with black powder. That's manly ... I hope.

Joe

That works. We will both be burning the holy black together.

[mescalero1]

I knew there was a shot at redemption.

[Old Ironsights]

Well Joe,
You gonna have to pull off some good shots at the get together to socially redeem yourself.

I'll do the best I can. Maybe smoke the place up with black powder. That's manly ... I hope.

Joe

That works. We will both be burning the holy black together.

I have a few pounds to bring along... 3F & 4F OK?

Oh, FWIW I'm planning on dong some experiments so I'm bringing along a .357 Lee Loader and Chrony too.

[J Miller]

OI,

Sounds like fun. Whatcha gona shoot the bp out of?

Joe

[Old Ironsights]

OI,

Sounds like fun. Whatcha gona shoot the bp out of?

Joe

50 Caliber, externally ignited caseless ammunition assault rifle.

Plus a .72 smoothbore Howda and a brace of .36 dueling pistols...

[2ndovc]

OI,

Sounds like fun. Whatcha gona shoot the bp out of?

Joe

50 Caliber, externally ignited caseless ammunition assault rifle.

Plus a .72 smoothbore Howda and a brace of .36 dueling pistols...

Cool! I really want to see that Howda go off!

jb

[Old Ironsights]

Gotta get some Ticking tho. My current patches are too small.

I've got .690 Balls doncha know... (much to the consternation of my urologist...)

[J Miller]

Bwahahahahahahah, I got you guys now!!!! I just bought me box of Hornady gummie tips in .45 Colt. That aughta make my Marlin out shoot all your lever guns. Ha ha ha!


Joe who is loony to pay what he did for 20 rounds of silly factory shells.

Joe

[JReed]

That Howda is a cool gun. OI let me shoot it at the last get together. Looks like the smell of sulfur will be heavy in the air this time.

[J Miller]

I told my wife about it and she gave me one of those sideways looks that means she thinks we're a bit loony. I told her that before we got married.

Joe