Bedding the "H" Barrel SMLE

[Frederick303]

Newcastle,

I have to disagree with you. No a heavy barrel SMLE will not go head to head against a M1903 at short range shooting "good" ball ammunition, but at long range correctly set up No 1 MK III might give the M1903 shooting ball ammuntion a run for its money at 800 through 1000 yards. Certainly in the 1930s, the target used by the SMLE in competition at long warge was smaller than that used by the M1903 rifle (36" v.s. 30").

They are not MOA guns, but 2 to 2.5 MOA guns with full power loads, which is not bad. Most shooters will find with the light weigth and low comb they are hard pressed to shoot the rifles up to their potential in matches, at least that is my personnel experince. With reduced loads one might even do a bit better, though I cannot say I have ever pursued that angle.

As far as setting up H barrel SMLE rifles, in the late 1990s you could still buy Lithgow heavy barrels, new in the wrap. I bought three of them and still have one new, in the plastic wrap. Most of the heavy barrels guns in existance are privately set up examples for target shooting. Until the last 10 years they were not that uncommon in AUS and NZ, I personnelly imported quite a number at what woudl be seen even back then at low prices.

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[Demo]

There's still plenty of heavy barrels around in Australia and I've come across quite a few still sealed and wrapped just in the last 6 months. You just have to pay big money to get them in most cases.