Can My Enfield mount a scope??

[Jaco303]

Can I fit a scope to my No.1 MK3 Rifle?
If I can what will the best scope be that fits it? I don't want to spoil it with any modern scope.
Can some one please assist me with this and direct me where I can get a scope.
Thanks.

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

Well.............. it COULD if you REALLY wanted to. The BEST scope would be a modern S&B but you don't want that so I presume that you want an old 1st war original. And............ Do you have pots and pots of money?

[Ridolpho]

Jaco303: As luck would have it there's an Australian version of the pattern 1918 scope for sale on e-bay as we speak. Starting price is $1500.00 and no bids yet. Unfortunately it doesn't come with the mounts that go on the rifle and I've never seen any repro's advertised. If you're simply looking for improved sighting over the standard sights you could slap a Parker Hale or similar vernier peep on it which would have the plus of not altering what looks like a pretty nice rifle.

Ridolpho

[Peter Laidler]

Or just leave your nice No1 as it is and buy a cheap-ish No4 and make a good, shootable, useable and competitive repro No4T. It's still a repro of course.................. But there again, so would your No1 be! - and butchered into the bargain!

I think that the concensus on this forum would be to leave yours alone. Just my valueless 2c's worth

[JerryEAL]

Valueless!!! You Sir are in fact one of the few in this forum that can say what is truly fact. We count on yours and the other advisors in this forum for your opinion to save us ,"the uniformed "from destroying beautiful pieces of history. Sure we can buy them,but we are always tempted to make them they are something they are not. Hense the original product as it is,could be the real treasure.

[RobD]

Jaco, it is completely futile to try to turn this rifle into a WW1 sniper. Too many reasons to explain, but believe me.
So what you are going for is a scoped WW1 rifle, not a WW1 sniper. This is not what Nature intended, and I would advise against it.

But if you really must, there are 4 essential steps:

1st of all, check that this rifle is accurate (reason: they aren't often that good, and don't get any better with a scope).
2nd, get a "no gunsmithing" scope mount from several sources online. These don't need to be drilled/screwed onto the rifle but fit by clamping onto the metal without damaging it. Fit whatever 2nd-hand scope you can get in the Transvaal for a few Rands. Do not, repeat not, tap the rifle for a screwed-on scope mount, as it will destroy the value of your fine WW1 collectors rifle. See for example ATI 303 Enfield Rifle No 1 MK 3 Mark 3 Scope Mount Only | eBay (Note your rifle is NOT a No4 and cannot have the usually-available scope mounts).
3rd, discover that the rifle is now no more accurate than it was without the scope.
4th, return it to its "iron sights" configuration, sell the scope and the mount on Bid or Buy, and relax, a sadder and wiser man.

alles van die beste
Rob

---------- Post added at 09:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:41 PM ----------

One more suggestion: if you want to make the rifle much, much more accurate and easy to shoot, fit it with an aperture (peep) target sight. These will not damage the rifle. There are several to choose from, the most popular being the 5A by Parker Hale. No permanent modifications besides replacing 2 screws and a spring, and they are rock solid. Your collector and dealer pals in Joburg will be able to get one for you.

[gsimmons]

The other option one of the many target/receiver sights of the era.
Attachment 43142

[bigduke6]

Jaco303,

You have a nice example SMLE, please take the advice from the above and leave as is, or mount a target sight such as Robd and gsimmons suggest, if your hell bent on building up a " sniper rifle" then look for a rifle which has already had some form of ill treatment, plenty of them about, and cheap as chips.

[Jaco303]

Thank you for the advice.

[Anzac15]

Not to mention it's an LSA. Not a whole lot made. Think you'd be glad to leave this one be!