Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: Help me identify my enfield

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size

Threaded View

  1. #12
    Contributing Member RobD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Last On
    07-01-2025 @ 01:00 PM
    Location
    UK / South Africa
    Posts
    944
    Local Date
    07-06-2025
    Local Time
    01:15 AM

    Case bulges

    I am not an expert, but have shot .303s all my life and regularly shoot 6 examples [ME, LEC, MLE x2, SMLE, No4]. In the past I have certainly had one .303, a MLE, which stretched cases a lot, and led to case separations after a small no. of reloadings; I tried everything but was never happy and then sold it on and became happy. And I've been very lucky ever since then with several other rifles; they vary a lot - and it was not down to headspace but the dimensions of the chamber, I understand. The chamber on your rifle does seem wider than most, from the appearance of your case. Although there is often a bright ring on a fired .303 case about 8mm up from the rim [which is, by the way, the same place where most case separations occur] , the bulge shown in your pic does seem unusually obvious. Even if you just resized the necks, I wonder if you'll start to see case separations. Those aren't catastrophic, by the way, but it is not a reassuring thing to happen on the range and it does require having a .303 broken case extractor with you [ see .303 Clearing Plug, Or Split Case Extractor. ]. My personal preference in your situation would be as follows: I'd sell the rifle back to the dealer I got it from, accepting 25% or so loss, and I'd look for another .303 from a reputable dealer but I'd ask if I can do a range test first, to satisfy myself the rifle is accurate and the cases look OK after firing. I think peace of mind has a lot of value. But as I say that is my personal view; I am quite certain others will disagree, perhaps emphatically.
    Rob
    Last edited by RobD; 04-01-2019 at 08:31 AM.

Similar Threads

  1. Please Help Me Identify Lee-Enfield Rifle
    By 99GTMichael in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 11-26-2017, 06:04 AM
  2. Need help to identify an Enfield No4 MKI
    By Dampherb in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 25
    Last Post: 10-31-2016, 03:35 PM
  3. lee Enfield mk1 no4 please help identify
    By JamesEdkins in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 12-28-2015, 09:55 PM
  4. Can anyone help me identify my Lee Enfield No4 MK2?
    By paul_costall in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 09-12-2009, 08:54 AM
  5. Could Someone Please Help Me Identify This Enfield?
    By daviddesper in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 08-25-2009, 05:40 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts