.303 accuracy?
- Thread starter Triggermortis
- Start date
404Shooter
Well-Known Member
Good ‘marksmanship principles’, sir!
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Good shooting . I have a sporterised Long Branch No4 Mrk1* and a Winchester made P-14 Enfield that will group 3 rounds inside one MOA , not quite as tight as yours , but good enough for government work . What model is your 303 ?
AB
Phil fox man
Well-Known Member
I nearly bought a no4 jungle carbine for stalking till I shot it on the range
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.Triggermortis
Well-Known Member
Recently picked up a 1902 MLE, all original, complete and matching numbers and in remarkable condition, we were hitting an 8” gong at 100yds but it was interesting never having used open sights, could do with a few lessons I think ( and I’m not joking ) 
Anyone near enough to give me any lessons?
Anyone near enough to give me any lessons?
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
With open sights a lot of accuracy depends on the target. Forget trying to shoot at a little one inch dot - you can hardly see it and cannot get a consistent hold.
Best target rather depends on your sights and preferred sight picture - but I like an inverted T made from two 6” strips of black Duck Tape.
As others have said Enfields can give very good accuracy and perfectly capable of taking game out to 200 in competent hands. But at 100 yards most should be more than adequate for deer sized targets.
But practice and get a repeatable sight picture with bullets falling on top of the bead.
One secret with the bead is to black it with smoke of match to stop it glaring in the sunlight. Such things make bullets go high.
Best target rather depends on your sights and preferred sight picture - but I like an inverted T made from two 6” strips of black Duck Tape.
As others have said Enfields can give very good accuracy and perfectly capable of taking game out to 200 in competent hands. But at 100 yards most should be more than adequate for deer sized targets.
But practice and get a repeatable sight picture with bullets falling on top of the bead.
One secret with the bead is to black it with smoke of match to stop it glaring in the sunlight. Such things make bullets go high.
ChesterP
Well-Known Member
Where are you based Trigger'?Recently picked up a 1902 MLE, all original, complete and matching numbers and in remarkable condition, we were hitting an 8” gong at 100yds but it was interesting never having used open sights, could do with a few lessons I think ( and I’m not joking )
Anyone near enough to give me any lessons?
View attachment 269961
View attachment 269962
Triggermortis
Well-Known Member
I’m based in Kent buddy
I saw that in another forum, stupid spelling and seems people accept it, why is another question.
I nearly bought a no4 jungle carbine for stalking till I shot it on the range
The Jungle Carbine as it’s affectionally known is actually the No5 Mk1. Cracking little rifles though.
Triggermortis
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the thought Chester, much appreciated
So, questions for those in the know…
With the rear sight set as low as poss, what range is it set to?
With the sights set as above where will it be shooting at 50yds and 100yds in terms of elevation?
Ammo used is :-
Winchester 180g sp
Federal 150g sp
Ppu 174g fmj’s
Opinions vary as to where the tip of the foresight should be in relation to the “V” of the rear, just visible in the bottom or level with the top?
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Hard to say without a close up pic of the rear sight , they varied a lot during the early transitional years of the Lee Enfields . Yours should be sighted for 100 yards with the top of the front sight level with the top of the rear sight . The trouble with these old rifles is that they've been through many hands over the years so it's a bit of a crap shoot . Does yours still have the barley corn front sight , or is it a parallel sided blade ? The only way to be sure is to take the old girl out and shoot it . Heym SR20 gave some very good suggestions regarding targets and sight blacking . I actually use a commercial product , predictably called sight blacking lol , quite a lot as I shoot iron sighted rifles on a regular basis . Use a target that will allow you to aim at the bottom of a larger square , flat bottomed inverted triangle or T shape . You won't get an accurate idea of how well your rifle is shooting by aiming at the center of a large round target . I've also found that a medium blue coloured target is easier to focus on for some reason . It was shown to me by an old friend who shot on the Canadian Army Rifle team . It did make a difference , for me at least , especially in regards to eye strain . Long story short , take it out and enjoy yourself learning about a classic old rifle . Keep us posted . By the way , that's a really nice example of an older Lee , probably one of the better ones I've seen in a number of years , enjoy .
AB
AB
Triggermortis
Well-Known Member
Thanks Alberta boy, this is the front and rear sight, I’ll sort out some targets as you suggest and give it a go
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Now I think about it , there should ? be yardage graduation markings on the left side of the rear sight base . The lowest setting will either be 100 or 200 yards . The yardage marked on the sight ladder indicates yardage when the ladder is in the vertical position . Looking at the steel target you posted , and assuming your POA was the bottom of the gong , I'd say your rifle is probably set to 200 yards zero . If you were holding dead center , that would be a 100 yard zero . Either way that'll work nicely for what you have in mind .
AB
AB
If he’s offered you the opportunity to shoot it before you buy then that’s probably the best way to answer your question.
ChesterP
Well-Known Member
Best thing is to shoot it and see. Worth doing a drop test at 50, 100, 200 and 300 yds with sights at min distance to begin with then see how it corresponds with rear ramp sight at the interval markers for each range. I shot one out to 660 yds and with open sights managed to put 3 out of 5 onto a 1m by 800mm square. At 100 yds I was getting just under a 4 inch group but it was a pretty shot out barrel which had probably had thousands of rounds down it. Great fun shooting it though and a lovely rifle even by modern standards to shoot.
Sako3006
Well-Known Member
It is a Ruger #1B
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