Spotted a gun store today in my travels, and went to check it out. I'm just looking for a plinking rifle, so I'm figuring to keep it it around .22LR, .223, or maybe .243. But just then a rather fetching Lee Enfield caught my eye. I'm not really into older guns like this, but it just felt so right when I held it. $300. How bad an idea is this? I want to put a scope on it (something small, 3x at the most). The ammo is a tad expensive too.
See if you can find a bayonet for it, I believe they are something like 3 feet long, good for stopping charging horses (or Vikings).
Check the bore real good and make sure there are no problems with the action obviously (worn parts and the like).
Is it original or sporterized? If original I would find a scope mount that did not require a drill and tap. Enfields are great rifles.
Someone said of WWI:
The Germans brought a hunting rifle. (98 Mauser) The Americans brought a target rifle. ('03 Springfield) The British brough a fighting rifle. (SMLE)
slantvaliant wrote: Someone said of WWI: The Germans brought a hunting rifle. (98 Mauser) The Americans brought a target rifle. ('03 Springfield) The British brough a fighting rifle. (SMLE)
Lulz. Too true. SMLE's are alot of fun, and .303 used to be cheap. Like, dirty cheap. You can still find it on the cheap side. But nothing like it used to be.
300 seems a little pricey, but SMLE's (and Springfields, and mausers, and everything but Mosins) have gotten alot more scarce. Sad, really. :-/
If you like it, though, it's a good opportunity to learn how to reload. :)
>300 is a bit much.
Just saying-
Ammo cost is the same.
These will NOT be this cheap in the future. The Enfield may.
Infact, when the last batch of SR's dried up about 6 mos ago (last time I had the money to spend on one) the cheapest you could find from people was 400+, and only from private sellers
Looking a bit into the history of these rifles now. Came across this image. There is something absurdly manly about it:
I was thinking three bills was a bit high too, but prices change. They only go up, especially on boom sticks. However, J&G has them at $240: http://www.jgsales.com/product_info.php/rifles/enfield/p/enfield-%234-mk-1-303-british-good-condition/cPath/209_492/products_id/4175?osCsid=c918a5c23bbec9dadbda3cd7ea16f2af so three bills at a store isn't that bad of a price, really then. Ammo has gone up too.
I should clarify. I'm not looking at this gun for any kind of historical interest. I'm not into period weapons usually, I just happened to find one and was wondering. So if I don't get it, I'll end up buying a newer Ruger or something like that.
Since I'm not interested in keeping in period, I think I'll let someone else get it. Seems like a cool rifle, but not for me.
I shot one of those. My Dad has one. It's fun, but a bit too heavy for me to want to carry it around.
Salanis wrote: Looking a bit into the history of these rifles now. Came across this image. There is something absurdly manly about it:
That's because he's Canadian.
Shawn
In reply to Drewsifer:
I wasn't trying to turn you off the rifle it would be an awesome little gun for you and I know I have been looking for one. I was just trying to point out it would be best that any modifications be done in a "reversible" manner. There are scope mounts you can get that do not require a drill and tap of the receiver.
These kinds of guns are always going to be worth more as an original than as a sporter. However even if you sporter it and keep it reversible then you are golden.
Heck my Mosin M44 is very far from being stock though I got it semi sportered and the original stock came with it though cracked. Mine is completely reversible back to stock though if I wanted. You have seen it right?
Well if you're not into it, and don't like the price of the ammo, don't buy it. Many are well worn and over priced. $300 seems quite high to me, I still see them in cosmoline at the shows for ~$99 here.
Trans_Maro wrote:Salanis wrote: Looking a bit into the history of these rifles now. Came across this image. There is something absurdly manly about it:That's because he's Canadian. Shawn
Nawww. It's the net ascot. Oh, and the kukri on his belt. 
>The history of the gun, of course, is outstanding.
The bolt, with its odd springback action, feels like its working against you in the speed dept, but then you get used to it...
and you can at that point do this-
(well, a little bit of one)
foxtrapper wrote: Well if you're not into it, and don't like the price of the ammo, don't buy it. Many are well worn and over priced. $300 seems quite high to me, I still see them in cosmoline at the shows for ~$99 here.
I'll take a couple.
haha, Fox, i thinky our memory may be a bit out of date. They were 99 when the mosins were still 40
That or go pick me up 5 of em, and I'll cover FFL and give you one for the trouble.
Not kidding.
rebelgtp wrote: In reply to Drewsifer: I wasn't trying to turn you off the rifle it would be an awesome little gun for you and I know I have been looking for one. I was just trying to point out it would be best that any modifications be done in a "reversible" manner. There are scope mounts you can get that do not require a drill and tap of the receiver. These kinds of guns are always going to be worth more as an original than as a sporter. However even if you sporter it and keep it reversible then you are golden. Heck my Mosin M44 is very far from being stock though I got it semi sportered and the original stock came with it though cracked. Mine is completely reversible back to stock though if I wanted. You have seen it right?
I haven't seen your Mosin. Although from another site I go to, as soon as I mentioned wanted to put a non period scope on it everyone said "Just got a Mosin instead then!" 
. And don't worry, you just sort of helped me decide not to get this rifle. It is cool, however I'm am wary about a rifle of this age, and I'm not in love with the price of ammo. While it would be a neat rifle to have, I'll pass and let someone who really wants it get it. Plus this probably wasn't a good time for me to be buying something like that anyways!
For fun-
If you want a fun scoped WW2 rifle, but is correct to a point, and isnt too expensive, do this-
That is a 91/30 with a drilled reciver (blasphemy!) to mount the more modern side-rail scope mount used on the SKS/AK/Dragunov, along with pretty much anything Russian that they want a scope on.
Mounted is a POSP scope from Kalinka Optics
This is the SVD/Dragunov version of the scope, so the internal 1000 yd range finder works (SVD fires tthe same round as the 91/30 and has similar barrell length) and it has a lit reticule, which is nifty.
Gunsmithing is 4 holes- 2 in wood 2 in reciver and some slight wood shaving. And a bent bolt is required (not pictured)
People try to tell me its not right to do that to a Mosin, but I beg to differ. I can still mount a PU (period WW2) scope and right now there are terrorists/whatever fighting the russians in the Balkans with this exact set up.
Total cost- between 300 and 400. I did the smithing myself so I have about 190 sunk in the Rifle so far.
All this said, I wish now I hadnt done it to an ex-dragoon (circa 1928) I should have done it to one of the later round-reciver guns. Mucking up a more rare SMLE I wouldnt ever do, Unless I went full period.
slightly off-topic, the crazy bagpiper on the Normandy beaches just passed away very recently. when two German snipers were asked why they didn't target him, they both opined he was obviously so mad he had something akin to a death wish anyway.
Right now Mosin's are so cheap and plentiful, hacking one up is no big deal. Then, I'm a moderator on www.sporterizing.com, so I may be a bit predisposed to an opinion. SGN has had some good articles on sporterizing a MN.
We've had this discussion before. Right now, a Mosin and a case or two of milsurp ammo is the best deal going. It won't last forever. 1903's used to be ten bucks. Mausers were $100 5-6 years ago, and 8mm ammo was 8 cents a pop.
In reply to Drewsifer:
Here is my Mosin.
This is the initial setup when everything was black, ATI stock, cheap scout mount (now replaced with a very nice setup from SK), long eye relief scope, bipod, sling, cartridge holder and the bayonet is still present (folded back though).
Here it is after a camo paint job and the bayonet was removed (still not upgraded to the new scope mount)
For reference here is what a stock M44 looks like.
Bob your Mosin setup looks nice mind shooting me a few more detailed photos of the setup?
BobOfTheFuture wrote: haha, Fox, i thinky our memory may be a bit out of date. They were 99 when the mosins were still 40
The prices seem to go up and down like yo-yo's. But this spring, someone had a big pile of them at the Howard county (Carrol county?) gun show for $99 again. And the AK47's were below $400. The Enfields were beat to heck, many with the mysterious wire wrapped stocks, all greasy and nasty.
I would not be surprised at all if this week they were $300. I can't predict the prices of guns. It follows no rhyme or reason that I can detect.
Slightly off-topic... I've got a fine looking 100% original A3-03 of Smith Corona manufacture... had since I was a kid. It has 3 ring scope clamp scars on the stock and in nice shape. Its got the FJA stamp and the P inspection marks but... is there any way to learn more about it from the serial? The man who gave it to me (my father's uncle who fought at Normandy and all over europe) passed away 25+ years ago. He wasn't much of a story teller before he passed.
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