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My Lee Metford has an expensive diet
I was able to go shooting today, and one of the rifles I took with was a MLM Mk II, manufactured at Enfield in 1892. It has New Zealand ownership marks, with a sold-out-of service stamp. Bore worn and frosty, but the Metford rifling still looks strong with very little throat erosion.
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This rifle has never been very accurate. It would normally produce 6 to 8 inch groups at 100 yards, regardless of bullet diameter. 311 and 312 diameter bullets all gave large, generally centered groups.
Well I stumbled on a bullet/powder combo that proved this old girl still has some teeth to her. I put together a load of 215 grain Woodleigh solid round-nose bullets backed by IMR 4064. I didn't have my chronograph with me, but the load book gave me an estimated velocity of 1900 FPS.
I lost the first 8 rounds and figured I'd missed the target board completely at 100 yards. About 8 inches below the target (on the target backer), I found a nice group measuring about 4 inches in diameter. I walked the next four rounds up with each shot. With the rear sight set at 250 yards, I sent my final 8 rounds into a clean target and produced a 1.5 x 2.75 inch group.
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I couldn't have been happier with this rifle. I found a load it really likes. The only problem being it likes expensive bullets. The 215 grain Woodleighs cost me $52 per box of 50. If this rifle were a girlfriend, her "diet" would put me in the poor house!
