My first Lithgow

Hi!

I am not for so long time in .303 Club. However, i bought my first SMLE. I wanted to have a Rifle from Down Under, a phosphated one - and here is it:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ithgow01-1.jpg
Could be almost my dream Smle - but Bubba has desecrated the Wood, Barrel is also not so nice, but it is able to make fine holes in cardboard;): (comparison between my ROF No4 and Lithgow)
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...owbarrel-1.jpg

The Butt Stock is (i think) not a Australian one:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...hgowbutt-1.jpg
anyone knows the meaning of "E.J.R" on Butt and "L&G" on Butt Plate?
Best regards :beerchug:
Robert.

PS - Some more Pics, woodwork will i post shortly.

Robert, your rifle looks good. The bore, the inside of the barrel is actually quite good considering the use it has had. Enjoy your rifle!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paul S.

..The bore, the inside of the barrel is actually quite good considering the use it has had.

---

In this relation - To be honest - I have not been thinking yet. I read somewhere that all SMLE's were field used. And field use is something quite different than the Sunday walk to the shooting range, followed by complete cleaning in hobby room...

Quote:

---

Enjoy your rifle!

---

Thanks - i enjoy it already!:D

Nice photo collection, Ro-bert. Good details in the montage. (See his link in post #1.)

You seem to have experimented with the o-rings on the base of the cartridge to minimze case wall stretching during the first firing. Might make a good thread on it's own. It hasn't been discussed here much lately. You could revive the subject for those that haven't been exposed yet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmoore

Nice photo collection, Ro-bert. Good details in the montage. (See his link in post #1.)

---

Thanks. I took these photos at the first inspection and cleaning - so some detail are not photographed so well. I have only flash on Camera and i could not expose indirectly - so some pictures are glaring.. later I had to degrease even the camera:D

Quote:

---

You seem to have experimented with the o-rings on the base of the cartridge to minimze case wall stretching during the first firing.

---

SMLE has about 0,0138" of excessive Headspace (No4MkII has 0,0059") - I've measured it provisionally, with a full sized case and i stacked Feeler gauge tape, cut in pieces.
Is almost no difference to see with the naked eye on the fired brass. But i could observe on cartridges without O-Ring was several times primer a bit pushed out of pocket. So - i think - with the O-Ring method could my SMLE cases live longer.
What do you think - is it reasonable to use O-Rings also on my No4?

Great photos mate,Nice smle to have as your first.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ro-bert

Is almost no difference to see with the naked eye on the fired brass. But i could observe on cartridges without O-Ring was several times primer a bit pushed out of pocket. So - i think - with the O-Ring method could my SMLE cases live longer. What do you think - is it reasonable to use O-Rings also on my No4?

---

The o-rings of either monofilament or rubber seem to negate any headspace dramas if used on the first firing. Not needed afterwards if cases are resized only to the point where they will JUST chamber without undue resistance. However, these rounds MUST be only used in the rifle from which they were fired.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmoore

.. Not needed afterwards if cases are resized only to the point where they will JUST chamber without undue resistance. However, these rounds MUST be only used in the rifle from which they were fired.

---

Of course - i agree with You. To be sure about - I have a very simple method : HXP cases are used for SMLE, Federal & Winchester are used for No4MKII :D

Another question: My SMLE shoots some 9-10" to high. Installed Blade is marked with "O" (i don not know, if this is zero or a O for Orange) and is ,2185" high. How much higher blade i need?

At what distance are the groups being generated?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmoore

At what distance are the groups being generated?

---

:( sorry - distance was 100m, with lowest setting of the rear sight
I hope, i did everything right with assembly ,i worked according this "manual" Collecting and Shooting the Enfield No. 1 Mk III - Rifle Disassembly/Reassembly . I read here in forum about the inner band screw. I have tightened it.
The high group surprised me a bit - the previous owner was supposed to be a shooter and reloader. Could also be that he was shooting reduced charges only?:confused:

Actually, somewhat lower than standard velocity rounds (assuming ~174gr projectiles) often strike higher at 100m. But 9-10" (~23cm) high is a bit much! You would have to know what rounds he was shooting- 123gr,150gr,174gr,180gr and at what velocity.

The sights will go slightly below "2" (200yds) but if it was set at "2", then you would expect impacts about 3" high at 100yds (about the same at 100m).

Are you shooting the ammo which will be your "standard"? If not, then a re-zero at this point may be counterproductive.

Actually, it's easy math to sort out the blade height change at this point- Except I don't have an SMLE at hand right now (at work), and I don't remember the sight radius! If you can measure from the rear of the front sight to the rear face of the rear sight, all the other info is known. Metric on English- whatever units are easiest- but the sights are marked in inches (we'll guess yours is a standard height- marked "0"), so that's gonna be the most useful for our purposes.

Hokay, sight radius is about 19 7/6" as measured off a spare barrel. (quicker than breaking out a complete rifle!)

So, making everything in inches, and with a bit of rounding:

x/19.44=9.5/(39.37x100)

x=(9.5x19.44)/3937
x=~0.047" tall front sight.


ETA: Good deal! As it's pretty close to a standard size, you need a +0.045 sight if you don't change anything (including lighting conditions and the weather!).

See the link below for Simon P's chart (Post #25):

-.060 Blade, foresight on a Lee Enfield No 4 MK 2 rifle !


ETA2: the "0" on your sight is likely the size- "OA" would be an Australian manufacturer's mark.

ETA3: If you have the opportunity, check the zero at 200m with the sight set at one hash mark up from "2" -nominally 225 yds- before finalizing your sight choice.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmoore

Actually, somewhat lower than standard velocity rounds (assuming ~174gr projectiles) often strike higher at 100m. But 9-10" (~23cm) high is a bit much! You would have to know what rounds he was shooting- 123gr,150gr,174gr,180gr and at what velocity.
...
Are you shooting the ammo which will be your "standard"? If not, then a re-zero at this point may be counterproductive.

---

Just for "first feeling" i tried some (more light) Loads / loading data without any guarantee:
1) Sierra Pro Hunter 180 grs. .311"
HXP
Fed. LR
36,0 grs. VV N140
78,10mm

2) Sierra Pro Hunter 180 grs. .311"
HXP
Fed. LR
37,0 grs. Varget
78,10 mm

3) Sierra MK 174 grs. .311"
HXP
Fed. LR
41,0 grs. VV N140
78,10 mm

4) S&B 180grs.
HXP
Fed. LR
37,3 grs. VV N140
OAL 78,10 mm

6) PPU 174grs.
HXP
Fed. LR
39 grs. VV N140
OAL - lower edge of the cannelure

Yes, I assume that the standard ammunition also may be something in this direction. POI change was minimal through all charges.

Quote:

---

...So, making everything in inches, and with a bit of rounding:
x/19.44=9.5/(39.37x100)...

---

Thank You very much for Sight-calculation-ABC
Allow me one (beginner:o) question : what means 39.37?

I have at this time only the 100m range available.

...jmoore - thaks for Your patience!:beerchug:



EDIT: I just found this one . OK, it is to high so some rework would be needed. Advantage is thickness (my eye don't like the thin SMLE Blade too much)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ro-bert

Allow me one (beginner) question : what means 39.37?

---

1 meter = 39.3700787 inches

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmoore

1 meter = 39.3700787 inches

---

:banghead:

Hello again!

at yesterday evening's leafing through my birthday present (:D ) i found something interesting and I think i have solved some of the puzzles:
Peddled Scheme contractor for Stock buts was, among others, also the company E.J. Riley.
Citation from this Page:
".... The fateful year of 1914 saw the capital increased to 1120,000, but in August, the war started and the machines were turned over to war work, with Rifle Butts and Aeroplane Struts being made instead of billiard tables..."
So could i assume that my SMLE Butt was made by this company - E.J.R. Stamp??

The L&C (or L&G, L&O) on Buttplate - could that mean Linley & Co. ? Also a Peddled Scheme contractor?

:confused:
Front sight blade... Is it jut dove-tailed or somehow additionally secured? I can't remove it .
I don't have the front sight tool - but with hammer & brass pin punch - it wont move :crying:

The front sight blade SHOULD be merely dovetailed and held by the interference fit. Could be staked in place additionally, but that ought not defeat a larger hammer. (Make sure the base is well supported before impacting the sight at it's bottom at the dovetail area. The assembly may just need a bit of extra force to get moving for the first time in 50-60 years! Once movement has started it ought not take as much force.

I DO recommend using a larger hammer. High velocity blows from a too small hammer will likely peen the metal in a localized area rather than merely causing the sight to move.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmoore

...I DO recommend using a larger hammer. ..

---

:thup:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ithgowfs-1.jpg
Yea! Larger Hammer helped (like in most "technical problems"). I was just to careful - I was afraid that I'll break something.
Thanks for help! :beerchug:

The "Show" must go on..
At last detailed cleaning I broke the ejector spring. I bought new one, but the SMLE typical smooth action is gone. Now i need to pull the handle realy. I measured the Spring tension - ejector starts to move @ 12 lbs (instead 9 lbs).
Where can i buy "normal" ejector spring?

I am already "looking forward" the spring assemble :(