SMLE III* Front Site

Can someone please confirm this for me? Pic below. Going to get the correct height Enfield front blade so I want to order the right ones instead of a bunch. To me that says --03 (dash kind of hard to see) not +03 or just .03? Is that correct so I should order --15 or 0 height blade? It shoots about 3" high at 100 yards to so the next step higher or two should be good right to be on at 100 yards?

The rifle is in great shooting shape and I want it for hunting from 0-150 yards. So 3" high would normally be good for metal plinking but not what I want to use it for.

This is one of the later SMLE's III* manufactured in 1943-44 from the Lithgow factory.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../kAfbuoJ-1.jpg

This should help.
Changing by 'one size' = 2.77" at 100yards

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

This should help.
Changing by 'one size' = 2.77" at 100yards

---

Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to confirm what is in the pic is --03 and not .03. If it is --03 then I should be good purchasing a --015 front blade. I know what to choose I just need confirmation with the starting size according to what I have in the pic.

Have you shot thing thing yet? You really need to know where it shoots before fiddling with the sights.
You'll need to slug the barrel first as well.
Factory hunting ammo and bullets for reloading are .311" or .312" with some larger cast bullets from Montana Bullets. Enfield barrels can vary from .311" to .315" and be considered OK.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by huntsman44

Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to confirm what is in the pic is --03 and not .03. If it is --03 then I should be good purchasing a --015 front blade. I know what to choose I just need confirmation with the starting size according to what I have in the pic.

---

I'm pretty sure that if there is no - or + then it is a +.

Only the - (less than zero) were marked so a :

03 is + above zero
-03 is - below zero

But if you are looking at anything apart from military blades, all bets are off.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sunray

Have you shot thing thing yet? You really need to know where it shoots before fiddling with the sights.
You'll need to slug the barrel first as well.
Factory hunting ammo and bullets for reloading are .311" or .312" with some larger cast bullets from Montana Bullets. Enfield barrels can vary from .311" to .315" and be considered OK.

---

It's in my post. I also slug all my old military rifles.

---------- Post added at 05:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:13 PM ----------

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

I'm pretty sure that if there is no - or + then it is a +.

Only the - (less than zero) were marked so a :

03 is + above zero
-03 is - below zero

But if you are looking at anything apart from military blades, all bets are off.

---

So looking at my pic which do you think it is? Looks like -03 to me.

It looks like there's a - in front of the .03 to me too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by huntsman44

So looking at my pic which do you think it is? Looks like -03 to me.

---

I'm not sure it is. There is a 'scratch' but the (few) I have handled have always had a much more definite (deep) stamping and the 'scratch' seems to run into the 0 whilst the ones I have seen there is a normal spacing between the - and the 0

For the sake of about $1 a piece why not get one of each a - 015 and a +045 then you are covered and only paying one freight charge if you have bought the wrong size.

You then may have a conundrum that whilst the ammo you are using may be bang on for 100yds when you go out further you may find that nothing correlates to the sight ladder as we all know the rifles are sighted for MkVII Ball ammunition and modern rounds we reload fly allot flatter especially the 174Gn SMK whose BC changes with velocity.
So I have said it to allot of people find a brand or reload round that groups really well in your rifle at 100yds that you are going to always use then get on the range with a pad or I-pad what ever you want to record your DATA on and get the settings at known ranges say from 100 - 500 maybe 600yds as thats as far as we shoot with our 303's I have all the data for all my rifles they all shoot the same reload separate brass for each rifle but same COAL, SMK, TTL, Powder & charge weight, Primer and cases.
Yes its allot of work to start with but in the end your not playing with front sights just finding the elevation on the sight ladder that corresponds to your cartridge you use change anything with the load and you may be back to square one but it will more than likely be close to the mark.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

I'm not sure it is. There is a 'scratch' but the (few) I have handled have always had a much more definite (deep) stamping and the 'scratch' seems to run into the 0 whilst the ones I have seen there is a normal spacing between the - and the 0

For the sake of about $1 a piece why not get one of each a - 015 and a +045 then you are covered and only paying one freight charge if you have bought the wrong size.

---

Yup, that is what I've decided to do just to be safe.

Thanks everyone!

I could tell you in a heartbeat what the height is but need a side shot of the thickness of the skirt on the sight blade.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brian Dick

I could tell you in a heartbeat what the height is but need a side shot of the thickness of the skirt on the sight blade.

---

Thank you here is a side shot. Is that good enough?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../9t7tyZP-1.jpg

It's a +.030.

Thank you!