Lee Enfield no 4

[Broadarrow]

Just testing the water - has anyone fitted a modern scope mount on a Lee Enfield No 4 .303 ?

I have seen some on ''non gunsmith'' types on the web and wondered if they were any good ?

My no 4 is a great rifle and would like to use a scope on it for some targets and other uses ....but dont want to butcher it by installing a mount that requires drilling etc

 

[alberta boy]

I've used pretty much all of them . The S&K mount is pretty solid , the ATI is OK , but not as durable The Canadian made Addley Precision is a really good mount but raises the line of sight on the scope fairly high . I just used a removable cheek piece ( straps ) to get a usable cheek weld . The AP version also has a longer rail than the previous two that gives you more room to mount your scope . They run about $100 CDN , give or take , at the moment .

AB

 

[fra150l]

I think Fultons at Bisley do a non drilling one.

 

[enfieldspares]

The non-gunsmithing mounts do, yes, allow mounting a 'scope without butchering the rifle. But they are costly. I've a better idea? If I might? Buy a Parker-Hale (or other decent maker's) sporterised No4. In fact the acme of the P-Hale conversions their "Supreme Deluxe" has a certain appeal and character. And what's best is they usually are seen as cinderella rifles now as nobody wants them. So for well under £100 you'll get one with mounts and all already done. And FWIW a better option IMHO than no gunsmithing mounts on a No4. And a justified additional rifle if you've a commonsense FEO.

Here's what a scan of the worldwide web produced:

8 models of Parker Hale Enfield sporters

I wanted to share pics on my Parker Hale sporter collection. As far as I can tell there are 8 basic variations of the PH sporterized enfields, I have a decent example of each here. top to bottom is: Custom no1 Custom no4 Standard no4 Standard no1 Deluxe no4 Deluxe no1 Supreme no4 Supreme...

www.milsurps.com

Santa Fe Supreme No4 scope mount part 2

Oldhand entrusted me with his rifle today. The mount I made for his rifle and then sent to him via USPS,arrived...

www.enfield-rifles.com

Lee Enfield Parker Hale sporterized conversion information.

What is the history on these Parker Hale converted LE rifles? Does anybody have a definative story on the whole effort? Has this been discussed on this site in the past? I am looking for the history on these rifles, how many were made and from which types of rifles they were converted from...

forums.gunboards.com

 

[alberta boy]

The non-gunsmithing mounts do, yes, allow mounting a 'scope without butchering the rifle. But they are costly. I've a better idea? If I might? Buy a Parker-Hale (or other decent maker's) sporterised No4. In fact the acme of the P-Hale conversions their "Supreme Deluxe" has a certain appeal and character. And what's best is they usually are seen as cinderella rifles now as nobody wants them. So for well under £100 you'll get one with mounts and all already done. And FWIW a better option IMHO than no gunsmithing mounts on a No4. And a justified additional rifle if you've a commonsense FEO.

Here's what a scan of the worldwide web produced:

8 models of Parker Hale Enfield sporters

I wanted to share pics on my Parker Hale sporter collection. As far as I can tell there are 8 basic variations of the PH sporterized enfields, I have a decent example of each here. top to bottom is: Custom no1 Custom no4 Standard no4 Standard no1 Deluxe no4 Deluxe no1 Supreme no4 Supreme...

www.milsurps.com

Santa Fe Supreme No4 scope mount part 2

Oldhand entrusted me with his rifle today. The mount I made for his rifle and then sent to him via USPS,arrived...

www.enfield-rifles.com

Lee Enfield Parker Hale sporterized conversion information.

What is the history on these Parker Hale converted LE rifles? Does anybody have a definative story on the whole effort? Has this been discussed on this site in the past? I am looking for the history on these rifles, how many were made and from which types of rifles they were converted from...

forums.gunboards.com

I have to agree , I have a couple of PH No4 Mrk2 based sporters that see a lot of use , great rifles . One has the PH three screw side mount , the other has the base screwed to the top of the receiver and the rear base fits where the original sight mounts , it also has a fixed peep sight built in , both work really well . They sell for more here than in the UK , they still have a large and faithful following , me included .

AB

 

[enfieldspares]

Are the Epps'ed? Or as is chambered?

 

[alberta boy]

Standard chambering , I did have an Epps built P14 based sporter in 303 Epps years ago , a pretty decent rifle actually . Epps is still in business and will put one together for a price . They were more common 20 or so years ago , I can't remember the last time I saw one for sale .

AB

 

[Muir]

I have the Sante Fe Supreme but not scoped. It should be though: it is impossible to use the iron sights as the comb is too high. Need to drag that one out and reshape that comb. I remember (quite painfully) that it shot very well.~Muir

 

[enfieldspares]

Standard chambering , I did have an Epps built P14 based sporter in 303 Epps years ago , a pretty decent rifle actually . Epps is still in business and will put one together for a price . They were more common 20 or so years ago , I can't remember the last time I saw one for sale .

Thank you. Here in Uk I did once see and owned, but briefly, an SMLE that had been converted in Australia to their common factory loaded wildcat 303/25. But although the ammunition did come up for sale also now and again that happy event never occurred at the same time as my owning the rifle. So I never did shoot it.

 

[Fosbery Holster]

At one time l was contemplating the very same conversion of my No4 Mk2, non-gunsmith mount, the one that attracted me the most was the Fultons of Bisley, steel constructed, plus being a longer mount than others affording greater flexibility with mounts and choice of scope eye relief, although the Fultons mount was the most expensive at @ £120.00.
Didn’t get round to doing it and now the rifle is with a local dealer waiting to be sold.

But some time ago l did purchase a Parker Hale sporterised P14 .303 with Parker’s overbore mounts similar to the P14 Sniper, plus it came with a No42 scope and all this for the princely sum of £50.

 

[alberta boy]

Thank you. Here in Uk I did once see and owned, but briefly, an SMLE that had been converted in Australia to their common factory loaded wildcat 303/25. But although the ammunition did come up for sale also now and again that happy event never occurred at the same time as my owning the rifle. So I never did shoot it.

I've run across a few 25/303 chambered No 4's over the years , one was converted to a one piece stock ( Epps ) , apparently it was a good deer cartridge . One I should've bought was a P14 based sporter in 35/303 , a very nice rifle and a good big game cartridge . For all extents and purposes , a 35 Winchester , a round that had a good reputation for our heavier game in the Winchester 1895 . I still might build one , that , or another No 4 in 444 Marlin ........... so many rifles , so little time .

AB

 

[Sonicdmb73]

I owned a No4 mk1* many moons ago. It had been converted to 7.62x51mm with a heavy profile barrel. The lad I got it off had changed the butt stock with a higher cheek piece and fitted a B-Square no gunsmith mount.
It was awful, as it was aluminium and flexed in the gunbag. Unbeknown to me at first. It caused me many a headache trying to work out what was going on with my zero.
I would go for something made from if I bothered at all.

 

[Harry mac]

I've run across a few 25/303 chambered No 4's over the years , one was converted to a one piece stock ( Epps ) , apparently it was a good deer cartridge . One I should've bought was a P14 based sporter in 35/303 , a very nice rifle and a good big game cartridge . For all extents and purposes , a 35 Winchester , a round that had a good reputation for our heavier game in the Winchester 1895 . I still might build one , that , or another No 4 in 444 Marlin ........... so many rifles , so little time .

AB

Hey AB. Am I right in thinking that the .405 Win could be made from a .303 case? The head dimensions look close enough to be virtually interchangeable. A P14 sporter in Roosevelt's "medicine" cartridge would be quite a thing.

 

[Harry mac]

Just testing the water - has anyone fitted a modern scope mount on a Lee Enfield No 4 .303 ?

I have seen some on ''non gunsmith'' types on the web and wondered if they were any good ?

My no 4 is a great rifle and would like to use a scope on it for some targets and other uses ....but dont want to butcher it by installing a mount that requires drilling etc

A company called "Bad Ace Tactical" does a good No-Smith mount for the No4. It looks like a much better option than the B-Square types that fit on the rear sight mount and then use a jamming wedge or Allen screws to act against the charger bridge. It also allows the scope to be mounted a little bit further forward and lower than the cheaper options.

Lee-Enfield Scope Mount Steel Mounting Base Low Profile No Drill Rock Solid

NOTE: Fits both Lee-Enfield No.4 and No.5 and does NOT fit any other Lee-Enfield models such as SMLE and No.1 The No.4 and No.5 (Jungle Carbine) have aperture sights that located at the back of the receiver. The rear sight base looks like two "ears" after the rear sight leaf is removed and the...

www.badacetactical.com

I had the Fulton's steel mount for my No4, and took the rifle out stalking a couple of times. A couple was enough. The outfit weighed the thick end of 12lbs by the time you've factored in the steel mount, rings, scope, add-on cheek piece and 10 rounds in the mag.
Once I'd got that out of my system I sold the Fulton's mount and didn't take a .303 out again for a few years, when I got myself a No5 carbine. I put one of the cheaper, aluminium mounts on that and a Lisenfeld 6x42. That was a much more manageable outfit and quite a few deer were dropped by it before I got a proper .303 stalking rifle.

 

[alberta boy]

Hey AB. Am I right in thinking that the .405 Win could be made from a .303 case? The head dimensions look close enough to be virtually interchangeable. A P14 sporter in Roosevelt's "medicine" cartridge would be quite a thing.

It will be a little short , but they share the same basic case . The 35 Winchester is formed on the same case head and rim dimensions . It's common practice here to form 35 Win out of 30/40 brass as well , again a little short , but still usable . Fortunately , 405 brass is easy to come by now . I don't have a 405 , but I did pick up 150 Hornady cases a while back , you never know ............ By the way , it's a bad sign when you buy brass for rifles that you don't own yet lol

AB

 

[alberta boy]

A company called "Bad Ace Tactical" does a good No-Smith mount for the No4. It looks like a much better option than the B-Square types that fit on the rear sight mount and then use a jamming wedge or Allen screws to act against the charger bridge. It also allows the scope to be mounted a little bit further forward and lower than the cheaper options.

Lee-Enfield Scope Mount Steel Mounting Base Low Profile No Drill Rock Solid

NOTE: Fits both Lee-Enfield No.4 and No.5 and does NOT fit any other Lee-Enfield models such as SMLE and No.1 The No.4 and No.5 (Jungle Carbine) have aperture sights that located at the back of the receiver. The rear sight base looks like two "ears" after the rear sight leaf is removed and the...

www.badacetactical.com

I had the Fulton's steel mount for my No4, and took the rifle out stalking a couple of times. A couple was enough. The outfit weighed the thick end of 12lbs by the time you've factored in the steel mount, rings, scope, add-on cheek piece and 10 rounds in the mag.
Once I'd got that out of my system I sold the Fulton's mount and didn't take a .303 out again for a few years, when I got myself a No5 carbine. I put one of the cheaper, aluminium mounts on that and a Lisenfeld 6x42. That was a much more manageable outfit and quite a few deer were dropped by it before I got a proper .303 stalking rifle.

I've never used this mount , but have seen a few . By all accounts , they work quite well . Would your proper stalking rifle be a BSA P 14 sporter ? If it is , I have to agree with you .

AB

 

[Harry mac]

Would your proper stalking rifle be a BSA P 14 sporter ? If it is , I have to agree with you .

AB

Oh yes. It's MY "medicine rifle".

 

[alberta boy]

Strangely enough , I ran into this at a local gunshow last sunday . An original Ellwood Epps P14 in 303 Epps , unfortunately , this is the only pic that I saved . Long story short , it's mine now , with a set of dies , for 400 bones ............. I don't really need it , but that's never stopped me before . I even got the original owners reloading note book with it , it should be fun . There was another Epps P-14 there as well , . It was in 311 Norma Mag , another common conversion back in the 1960's . Epps just used a 308NM reamer with a 311 pilot to ream out the original 303 Brit chamber . Impressive paper ballistics , but I have my doubts as to how a standard cup and core 303 bullet would stand up to velocities attainable in the 311NM . Cool , but not that practical .
I have to fireform some cases now and then see what the old warhorse can do . I might have to take it out for Moose this fall , it's the Canadian thing to do lol .

AB

 

[Southern]

It looks to be in fine shape.
Nice find !

 

[alberta boy]

It looks to be in fine shape.
Nice find !

Life is funny , I haven't seen one in years . Enfield Spares mentioned the 303 Epps in his previous post and one turns up , it was meant to be lol . It has some honest wear , but it's a sound old rifle . I'm debating putting a scope on it , the Williams receiver sight is very fast to use and it makes for a trim rifle . We'll see how it shoots , it'll be down to my old eyes more than the rifle .

AB