My first Lithgow

[Ro-bert]

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:

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)


The Butt Stock is (i think) not a Australian one:

anyone knows the meaning of "E.J.R" on Butt and "L&G" on Butt Plate?
Best regards
Robert.

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

Information

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[Paul S.]

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!

[Ro-bert]

..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...

Enjoy your rifle!

Thanks - i enjoy it already!

[jmoore]

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.

[Ro-bert]

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

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?

[user1]

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

[jmoore]

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.

[Ro-bert]

.. 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

[Ro-bert]

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?

[jmoore]

At what distance are the groups being generated?