So why is it…..

[Foxyboy43]

Just had a day at the club range and for a change I only took my two Mosin Nagants and Mauser, none of this modern high magnification scope or moderator stuff.
Net result was a great day plinking in the sunshine and (occasionally) hitting steel out to 400 metres with only a scout-mounted 4x long-eye relief pistol scope on each of them. Every time I let someone have a shot the result is always a broad grin despite trigger pulls north of 8lbs and a Shoot and See target which even at only a 100 yards resembles the dot on a modern scope! Could be the associated history with these old girls or just the pleasure of shooting and even hitting targets with hundred years old technology I guess but the result is always that grin!
The latest convert/disciple proved their metal with a counter-bored M44 which has very little by way of rifling in it’s 16 or so inches of bore but with my homeloads he was hitting gongs at 400 and with some authority - dunno whether it was his obvious surprise or the inevitable grin that pleased me most.
A great day spent in good company - who could ask for more?

 

[Pete1774]

I shoot with both rifles and cameras and don't buy new stuff until I reckon I've reached the point where I can shoot better than the kit I already have. In the case of rifles its not very often

 

[alberta boy]

Just had a day at the club range and for a change I only took my two Mosin Nagants and Mauser, none of this modern high magnification scope or moderator stuff.
Net result was a great day plinking in the sunshine and (occasionally) hitting steel out to 400 metres with only a scout-mounted 4x long-eye relief pistol scope on each of them. Every time I let someone have a shot the result is always a broad grin despite trigger pulls north of 8lbs and a Shoot and See target which even at only a 100 yards resembles the dot on a modern scope! Could be the associated history with these old girls or just the pleasure of shooting and even hitting targets with hundred years old technology I guess but the result is always that grin!
The latest convert/disciple proved their metal with a counter-bored M44 which has very little by way of rifling in it’s 16 or so inches of bore but with my homeloads he was hitting gongs at 400 and with some authority - dunno whether it was his obvious surprise or the inevitable grin that pleased me most.
A great day spent in good company - who could ask for more?

View attachment 333772

Nice . I just picked up another 91/30 . It's in really good shape , but the bore is a little dark . I'm not concerned too much as , even with a rough bore , the old girls will surprise you with how well they shoot . This one is a mid war Izhevsk that came with a sling , cleaning kit and a handful of stripper clips . If it shoots , it might be going out on our annual milsurp hunt . It depends how my new , to me , Longbranch No4 Mrk 1* shoots . They're both coming to the range this week for a shoot . I love shooting the old stuff , and your right , someone always asks for a shot or two , and they all get the same grin on their faces when they do .

AB

 

[Foxyboy43]

Absolutely right sir! My M44’s bore looks like an unrodded sewer yet my pal was able to hit a gong at 400 yards with this very afternoon.
Good luck in your endeavours.

 

[viking90]

It's hard not to have a big smile when you're shooting the best cartridge

 

[Foxyboy43]

It's hard not to have a big smile when you're shooting the best cartridge

Can’t argue with that sentiment and from memory also the oldest still in military service!
The M44 “boomstick” is like nothing I have ever fired before - in a class of its own especially when it comes to lighting up the place!

 

[finnbear270]

Apair of very clean looking old war horses, good to get proficiency going again.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Nice . I just picked up another 91/30 . It's in really good shape , but the bore is a little dark . I'm not concerned too much as , even with a rough bore , the old girls will surprise you with how well they shoot . This one is a mid war Izhevsk that came with a sling , cleaning kit and a handful of stripper clips . If it shoots , it might be going out on our annual milsurp hunt . It depends how my new , to me , Longbranch No4 Mrk 1* shoots . They're both coming to the range this week for a shoot . I love shooting the old stuff , and your right , someone always asks for a shot or two , and they all get the same grin on their faces when they do .

AB

Good man!
Last time I was in Pa a crate of 20 91/30 Mosins with slings, cleaning kit, stripper clips, bayonets and 2x440 tins of ammo was just on 1000 dollars! I wonder what they are now - if you can get one!
You might well get a surprise - even with the dark bore; my M44 has the worst bore ever yet as stated above with 180gns Sierras it shoots better than me; the much better-bored 91/30 also fitted with a pistol scope is an absolute tack driver using Sierra 150gns.
Good luck with your new purchase AB - don’t forget that if you are using the battle sights it will have been zeroed with the pig-sticker bayonet attached!

 

[quarrystalker]

I`ve always liked the old .303 smle ( put in for one with my renewal ) & last week shooting at Barton military range, the safety officer from our club bought his number 4 smle out. We were shooting the figure 11 targets with open sights at 500 yds with big grins.

 

[Foxyboy43]

I`ve always liked the old .303 smle ( put in for one with my renewal ) & last week shooting at Barton military range, the safety officer from our club bought his number 4 smle out. We were shooting the figure 11 targets with open sights at 500 yds with big grins.

Excellent and I am very jealous. I finally bought a 1916 Smelly some years ago - a personal ambition to own an Enfield bearing the Battle of the Somme year which has particularly special resonance over here. With it I got 2 boxes of PPU and rushed off to the range like a 10 years old….
5th shot the action travelled down the butt about 5 inches - think of axe and block of wood - after much too-ing and fro-ing with a certain well known mainland RFD I got a full refund. Still have a hankering for one though…..

 

[quarrystalker]

Excellent and I am very jealous. I finally bought a 1916 Smelly some years ago - a personal ambition to own an Enfield bearing the Battle of the Somme year which has particularly special resonance over here. With it I got 2 boxes of PPU and rushed off to the range like a 10 years old….
5th shot the action travelled down the butt about 5 inches - think of axe and block of wood - after much too-ing and fro-ing with a certain well known mainland RFD I got a full refund. Still have a hankering for one though…..

I bet that was a scary experiance. What caused the failure ?

 

[Foxyboy43]

I bet that was a scary experiance. What caused the failure ?

Actual cause unknown - alleged cause - “not properly seasoned stock”. Proposed remedy “just send it back for glueing and repair - you will never know the difference”. My response - probably best not to detail on this shy retiring membership site….

 

[quarrystalker]

Actual cause unknown - alleged cause - “not properly seasoned stock”. Proposed remedy “just send it back for glueing and repair - you will never know the difference”. My response - probably best not to detail on this shy retiring membership site….

Do you have any pictures to share of the aftermath ? Also this site may be of interest to you or others in future Lee Enfield Parts & Militaria They seem to stock quite a few spares inc wooden furniture.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Sadly no pics.
I may well try another - still have the bayonet…..

 

[NP435]

Nice . I just picked up another 91/30 . It's in really good shape , but the bore is a little dark . I'm not concerned too much as , even with a rough bore , the old girls will surprise you with how well they shoot . This one is a mid war Izhevsk that came with a sling , cleaning kit and a handful of stripper clips . If it shoots , it might be going out on our annual milsurp hunt . It depends how my new , to me , Longbranch No4 Mrk 1* shoots . They're both coming to the range this week for a shoot . I love shooting the old stuff , and your right , someone always asks for a shot or two , and they all get the same grin on their faces when they do .

AB

The 91/30 is amazing, crude and often showing signs of neglect yet they do very well. One of my friends has a 91/30 PU that shoots under 1.5 inches with 5 shots at 100 yards standard factory ball ammo. He is also a fan of all things SMLE, had I not met this fellow my thought toward both rifles would be severely prejudiced by what was read in the 70's- and 80's-gun press. I guess that means it's better to experience then form opinions.

 

[Smellydog]

The 91/30 is amazing, crude and often showing signs of neglect yet they do very well. One of my friends has a 91/30 PU that shoots under 1.5 inches with 5 shots at 100 yards standard factory ball ammo. He is also a fan of all things SMLE, had I not met this fellow my thought toward both rifles would be severely prejudiced by what was read in the 70's- and 80's-gun press. I guess that means it's better to experience then form opinions.

So why haven't you got a Winchester 94 then hmmmm....?

 

[Foxyboy43]

The 91/30 is amazing, crude and often showing signs of neglect yet they do very well. One of my friends has a 91/30 PU that shoots under 1.5 inches with 5 shots at 100 yards standard factory ball ammo. He is also a fan of all things SMLE, had I not met this fellow my thought toward both rifles would be severely prejudiced by what was read in the 70's- and 80's-gun press. I guess that means it's better to experience then form opinions.

Have a look at my avatar - 91/30s can be a very pleasant surprise!

 

[NP435]

Sim

So why haven't you got a Winchester 94 then hmmmm....?

Simple, if I wanted a traditional lever action it would be a Marlin. I had one of those and sold it.

 

[StoatallyDifferent]

Great fun and beautiful rifles, shame you didn’t leave them original though (someone was going to say it, may as well be me!)

You should really get rid of those buttplates though and embrace the steel

 

[Foxyboy43]

Great fun and beautiful rifles, shame you didn’t leave them original though (someone was going to say it, may as well be me!)

You should really get rid of those buttplates though and embrace the steel

Yes, I know but the original lacquer (?) finish was both distressed and distressing so had to go…..
The rubber buttplates are indeed a waste of space and the original steel shoulder-busters are firmly back in their rightful place as I am assured my shoulder will be in only a few months……..