Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Lee Enfield Prices are Very High!

In many cases, it's cheaper to buy a Savage Axis or similar budget rifle. Even sporterized rifles - both No1s and No 4s - often start at $350 and go up (like the No 1 below).

No1s are cheaper than No4s of the same condition, but that's primarily because the No4 has an aperture rear sight instead of a standard notched iron sight like the No 1.



If you are into metal and wood, buying a beat up Lee Enfield can be a bargain. A simple swap using a new 308 barrel will vastly improve the groups. A 30-303 is simply a 303 British with a slightly smaller bore. It opens you up to more bullet weights and vastly improved accuracy. The reason? When the bullets fit the bore, groups improve.

Ever since the first 303s appeared on the surplus market, hunters and shooters have been using undersized bullets. Lee Enfield barrels have a ,314 groove diameter. Shooting .311 or .312 jacket bullets through one often results in insufficient obturation. The bore does not seal and the bullet isn't correctly spun. The result? bad groups.

Here is a picture of the SAAMI chamber drawing for the 303 British. Note the circled area and the notation of a .314 groove diameter.

Is there a particular company that might sell pre fit No 4 bbls? In the .308...What about the boltface? extractor, and maybe the real bugaboo the ejector?
Given the potential accuracy of the .30 Army aka .30-40 Krag, I would think that would be a logical conversion...what say you?

No one sells prefits. Contoured .308 barrel blanks are the way to go. You can fit the forend to it. A rasp makes short work of hogging out a forend.

A new barrel does not affect the ejector. The ejector is located on the receiver.

When a gunsmith installs a new barrel, it will be headspaced to the existing bolt face which means the extractor works too.

If you are thinking about a build, I would chat with your gunsmith. You can also ask Brian Dick at www.bdlltd.com for a gunsmith who does these near you. Brian is in SC, and can give you info about prices and the time required.

You can also read about my builds, load data and other info here - www.303british.com . I also have a book available on the 30-303.

The snooty nitpicky fellows over on Gunboards claim that the friction of the 303 rim sliding down the left receiver wall...forced left by a good strong extractor spring usually ejects the case before it hits the screw protrusion...anything to that?

If that was the case, a strong extractor spring would negate the purpose of the screw. Since no mod ever came out to change or strengthen the extractor or spring, that means the ejector is necessary. The ejector and extractor work together.

When I read a claim like that, two responses come to mind: Pure BS, and who gives a s--t! GD

I chuckled as well, but it's the Internets after all.