longbranch sniper build with modern scope. the purists are screaming..........

[303Guy]

It would be far easier to inlet for a floating barrel, than to hand fit to achieve proper bearing, and military barrels were never packed with cork.

Never packed with cork? I always thought they were. Was it only target rifles that were packed then?

Inletting the barrel channel for floating may be easy but bedding the action for free floating is tricky - remember they didn't have epoxy bedding materials like we do. Clamping the action down onto the bedding with the bottom metal is tricky too, even with epoxy bedding. Also, the fore-end has to support the barrel when the bayonet is mounted. Mind you, more modern battle and assault rifles had no barrel support.

[gsimmons]

Read Peter's articles on stocking up, it's all in there.

[sluggo]

6..
q. Remove sufficient material from the front barrel bearing to allow 3/16 free float of the barrel, ensure that there is no contact between the barrel and the fore-end or handgauards at the muzzle end.
...
s. Remove excess wood from the guard to allow free float of the barrel along the top.

First line Maintenance Instructions
Rifle, Calibre .303 No.4 All Marks,
1005-21-107-2101
Canada, Department of National Defense
1991-06-28
With Equipment
Doesn't this document describe free floating the barrel, with the exception of having a centre bedding? Could you do the same thing,with a sporterized stock, that is centre and knox form bed with no top guards ?

[Peter Laidler]

Yes it does but you have been selective in what you've chosen to repeat in the Canadian EMER. We have the same relaxation in standards in our EMER but unlike yours, our date is at the other extreme of the No4's life. It was to allow for the dearth of good seasoned wood made during wartime. Your relaxation was to cater for the lack of spare parts AND suitably trained Armourers at the end of the No4's life in Canadian Govt. service (?) in 1991. Likewise, we allowed the same relaxation for the DP rifle too. But NEVER the No4T. Why? Because it NEEDS a muzzle bearing to remain accurate

[sluggo]

I selected the text from Part 5 -"Maintenance Under Unusual Conditions: -Section 1-Preparing No 4 Rifles for Competition".

"Section 2 Furniture" specifies repair/replace if the barrel doesn't bear evenly with 2-7 pounds of down pressure, etc- but does again give the caveat that this does not apply to centre bedded rifles. I find this kind of confusing- it does'nt seem like a relaxation, but more like a improvement for target rifles? (not talking about the No4T of course).

BTW The Canadian Rangers are still using the No4 currently, as the government drags its heels on selecting a replacement.

[mil-surp60]

Well all i can say about the top rifle, might have been a good build till you got to the painting part, and just why i have to ask? kind of dropped the ball there,JMO, second where do you get off saying enfields are not accurate, only if you have a shot out overbore barrel maybe, the no1 mkt was the most accurate and sought after to this day of all sniper rifles, and i am getting sub 1.5 inch groups @ 150 meters with this uf 55 irish contract rilfe i use, can shrink those up a lot of i use my handloads, this rifle here is capable of astounding accuracy cant speak for yours.Fultons armoury scope mount.German made scope, very accurate to the 600 meters i have to shoot.Attachment 47194Attachment 47195Attachment 47196Attachment 47197Attachment 47198Attachment 47199 I have several enfields including a mint no5 shirley jungle model, all shoot very well. Enfields not accurate? When the russians were asked what they feared most in afghanistan, their reply ,those damn Enfield Rifles. the recoil pad is only because i have very long arms and needed more room for scope without altering rifle,works great for me.Enfields not accurate?

[mil-surp60]

BTw when the weather breaks ,ill post some range reports bedding? i would never do that to any enfield that was in original configuration , they are allready accurate enough as they are.
All i did to above rifle is add the mount and scope, shoots as good as you could ask for any mil surp and better.I do not see the use for a good bored enfield to do anything but maybe scope it when we get tired old eyes like mine but that is just me. Good luck with all that and let us know how it shoots after, im anxious to see it was worth messing with at all.Could be wrong but im no thinking so. Nice mount tho.

[mil-surp60]

and yea i agree a 4 inch group at that range center mass is standard unless you are 1 heck of a sniper and marksman, I can manage on a calm day a few at 600 just under 3.50 and that is with 174 gr bthp mtch bullets.

[Peter Laidler]

I am astounded how you can hold and fire a rifle with a telescope that far rearwards. What about eye relief.....? Just where does your head/cheek fit in relation to the butt and even more so, the eye rim of the telescope. Having been well and truly bitten by a recoiling L42 - but only once..... - maybe one of your pals can take a picture ogf you shooting it! Just amazed that's all!!!!!!!

[mil-surp60]

I am astounded how you can hold and fire a rifle with a telescope that far rearwards. What about eye relief.....? Just where does your head/cheek fit in relation to the butt and even more so, the eye rim of the telescope. Having been well and truly bitten by a recoiling L42 - but only once..... - maybe one of your pals can take a picture ogf you shooting it! Just amazed that's all!!!!!!!

Well maybe if you READ my entire post and looked at the pics you would see it has a 2 inch removable recoil pad for that, the average american GI had much longer arms than the average britt did at the time, And enfields DO NOT KICK HARD LOL. in fact compared to every other bolt action mil surp i own, all like my springfield 06,p17 06, various mosin nagants, and the many 8mm mausers i own, the enfields are quite the pansie as far as recoil goes compared .Puts my eye directly where it needs to be with pad installed,would it hit me in head without the pad ,? most likely, im not dumb enough to try , it works just fine as is and i have pics of me shooting it, i have pics of my 4 ft 10 inch 102 lb wife shooting it, does not have that stout of recoil in comparison to any other milsurp i own. Maybe next time you can read the entire post before barking my friend. And how can ya miss that pad on back plain as day lol??????????? and that is a very expensive vintage German scope my man, great working scope. And hits everything i aim it at with ease. thats kinda funny actually enfields kick hard lol since when? Maybe if the man holding it is, meek, recoil shy and scared of it , i am not. i fire much much larger on regular occasion , kick hard lol , not even a little to me compared to those. MY hunting rifle in .308 has stouter recoil. Kinda shaking my head on that 1 lol like i have to prove i shoot it , what ya think it just sits in safe ,well you are very wrong theres at least 200 rounds a yr goes through that rifle if not more. still laffing at that 1 lol srry.but thats funny. Did i not say as soon as the weather gets warm again i would range report it? lmao @ get a buddy to take a pic lol?, what is this romper room lol. I can dig ya up a few pics of it being fired as is above you need 1 that bad. Another i need proof, need to be shown type of guy huh lmao well that can be done as well np. Got quite the laff out of that 1 my friend thanx for the afternoon chuckle. What are you 5 ft 4 150 lbs lol im a 6ft 2 215 lb man. Recoil from an enfield? laughable.