Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing SMLE 303 Brit

Thanks for that Cowboybart. Let me just pop in to our local library before you make the expense of an international fax call.

My interest in the 6.5 is lower recoil and still retaining my favourite case and action. I finally took it out for a hunt after many years and have rediscovered its merits just from a carrying safety standpoint. In reality, there is nothing wrong with my 303's recoil. It is very comfortable to shoot. I just don't load to max.

As a side comment, someone on this forum mentioned a fella using 303 Savage ammo in his 303 Brit! As shocking as this may sound initially, it probably would work just fine. The case headspaces on the rim and the bullet locates in the chamber throat. I'm just not sure why someone would want to do that!???

However, the base diameter of the 303 Savage is somewhat smaller than the 303 British..................

Ted

Maybe this has been said here, didn't read the entire thread, but I think, officially, only the No. 1 rifles were known as SMLEs. I hate to pick nits, but there it is.

The No 4s were very much different, had a heavier barrel, and a stronger action. And a different trigger mechanism in the later models. There were more diferences in a SMLE and a No. 4 than in a 03 Springfield and a 03A3, I believe.

The Pattern 14 was known as the No 3. rifle when GB changed their naming pattern, which wasn't until after 1939 or so, when the No. 4 was introduced. (I think.)

Gibbs converts a lot of Enfields to 45-70. But the 303 is a great round, just expensive on the surplus market.

If you ever pull the bullet from a 303, you'll find it's filled with cordite, stringy powder that looks like small pencil lead and was put into the case before the case was necked. Also, it has a fiber wad between powder and bullet. Cordite, I have read, burns really hot with a low pressure, and hence few cherry original .303 rifles are found. Most will have erosion in the chamber area.

Yup, I know ......looks like a lashup, ...the proofing fixture certainly was.

Old Uberti Barrel ( tapered octagon ) breech sleeved for a shoulder, and fitted to a MK4.....

A .45-90 smokeless / jacketed bullet ( Norma Brass) rig, very light and handy.

We really didn't think it would go Shrapnelistic,....but proofing is proofing......No?

I was offered the opportunity to "try" this 7 1/2 lb little monster, and politely declined......

Very effective little "Thumper", .....I'm not all that recoil shy, .....but like my 90s in a 10 lb + kinda' platform.





GTC

[quote=Yukoner.....However, the base diameter of the 303 Savage is somewhat smaller than the 303 British..................

Ted [/quote]

Yeah ... I know. It's amazing that the case does not split at the base!!! (But why would anybody do that in the first place)!

Sounds right.

So that's how they got it in! I always wondered.

Hang on there now ..... Are you saying someone will actually fire that thing from the shoulder? With full loads?

HOLY $#!% !

Mind you, such a heavy slug with a low pressure cartridge would give a strong push more than a sharp kick, so maybe it is managable. I would want to see someone else fire it first to pluck up enough courage. It looks great 'though. Actually, it looks really great!

The Pattern 14 was produced in the US for Great Britain in World War I, until the US entered the war and stopped shipments of .303s, because we (Remington) started making .30-06s as the P-17.

Savage was making No.1 MkIII Enfields, too, in violation of our neutrality. It was the secret shipments of munitions from Savage and Remington on passenger ships which led Germany to sink the Lusitania, after running a full-page ad in the New York papers warning passengers that Undersecretary of the Navy Franklin Roosevelt was conspiring with his counterpart in the Admiralty Office, Winston Churchill, to ship munitions to England.

The contracts(3) had actualy had finished,Winchester,Remington and a Remington subsidiary ERA (Eddystone).The British were making enough SMLEs by then.They think someone at Remington suggested the conversion of the P-14.Hatcher oversaw it. The 30-06 works better in it anyway.

Savage also made #4s during WWII

Yes, I have one of each, Savages from both WW1 and WWII.

After the Longbranchs,the Savage #4 is very highly considered by the 303 crowd.

That thing kicks like a Missouri Mule, ....with it's light loads.

I'm thinking it's a bit light for caliber.

GTC

ive got a No. 4 Mk1* made by Savage.........

The Brits had been so disarmed after WWI during the scares of communist insurgency, that when WWII broke out, they were asking American civilians to ship rifles and handguns to them for the Home Guard, sort of like our State Guard units, which were used to guard factories and patrol the coasts (as were our State Militias ).

[quote=crossfireoops.......
That thing kicks like a Missouri Mule, ....with it's light loads.

I'm thinking it's a bit light for caliber.

GTC [/quote]

It still looks pretty appealing!
One could 'weight' the butt-stock quite a bit? Wouldn't harm the balance I should think?

Looking for a Peep sight for my early 1905 MK 1 BSA SMLE Sporter.

In my mind the only cartridges on the action worth a hoot are the .303 Brit, the .375 2-1/2" NE and the .375 JDJ or Ken Waters Express version.

Looking at an old Parker Hale catalog from the 1920s/30s, I see BSA sporters on SMLE actions offered in .303, .375 (I suppose the 2 3/4") and of all things 8x50R Austrian. Wonder who bought those.

kk alaska, it would be real easy to fit a peep sight to your rifle. Are you wanting a rear mounted type? It would have to be made up of course. If you know of anyone near you who has, or works in, a machine shop - you could give him a design and he could make it for you.