Ammo for Lee Enfields

[HK91]

Hello everyone,

I just recently picked up an Mk4 Enfield and would love to shoot it. I remember my Garand could only shoot sirplus ammo because of modern pressures are too much on the gun and will damage the op rod.
Do I need to worry about anything like this with the enfield? Are modern pressures dangerous for the gun? Or can I just buy any .303 Brit and not have to worry about damage to my rifle? Is there any perticular ammo you reccomend?

Thank you all for your help!

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[AKA Hugh Uno]

I remember my Garand could only shoot sirplus ammo because of modern pressures are too much on the gun and will damage the op rod.

FIRST, this is absolutely NOT correct. It has NOTHING to do with chamber pressure and the whole slower powder no commercial ammo advice in M1 Garand thing is at best a significant and often invalid overgeneralization.

Do I need to worry about anything like this with the enfield?

NO

Are modern pressures dangerous for the gun?

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "MODERN PRESSURE" in the .303 (or virtually any other military rifle made since about 1900.). The pressure you would get from ANYTHING you can buy at ANY Walmart, Cabela's etc. is essentialy the SAME as the WW2 ammo you might bump into.

can I just buy any .303 Brit and not have to worry about damage to my rifle?
YES

Is there any perticular ammo you reccomend?

WOLF GOLD is without any doubt in my mind the best made and most accurate commercial .303 ammo ever made.

[gunner]

Hi,

normally i shoot reloaded ammo, but the PRVI 174grs ammo is also good.
My two Enfields ( No.4 MK.I* ) like this ammo and it is cheap.

Regards

Gunner

[HK91]

Thanks for the help, both of you!

[spinecracker]

To clarify on this point, would there be any problem with purchasing the .303 ammo that I see pop up on gunbroker that is listed as "for machinegun use only" then using it in a No.4 Mk.1? I would have thought that Mk.VII .303 ball ammunition was the same (or essentially the same) wherever it came from, but I am a newbie :P

[jmoore]

Its probably MkVIIIz ammo which has a boat tailed bullet and possibly a bit more velocity. If the boat tailed bullets shoot well in your rifle its generally no problem in No4's. I've shot quite a bit w/ no measurable wear or "stretching". Others might not want to risk it. Probably not the best thing to do in a high value weapon- except you never know when a hungry Bren or Vickers will need feeding!(Folks will often let you play (esp. if your ammo is the real deal) w/ one- its not like you have to buy into the club.)

With the Wolf/Prvi available for good prices I'd only stock up on the "machine gun" ammo if its really cheap.

[HotTom]

Just for clarification: Wolf Gold and Prvi Partizan are the same round. Same head stamp. Different box.

Not only are they the best and most available and most reasonably priced .303 ammo out there, the brass is excellent (maybe the best) for reloading.

So, if you or your buddies reload .303 save the brass and use it. If not, ship it to me. USPS Flat Rate will do just fine....

HT

[Alan de Enfield]

Taken from
"Regulations For Army Ordnance Services - Small Arms Ammunition"
Dated 24th February 1945


Rifles *
Mk8Z SAA (Small arms ammunition) will not be used except as in the case of the Bren gun if necessity should arise.

* Although the use of Mk7 and kindred types of cordite loaded, flat base bulleted ammunition reduces Mk8Z barrel life, the reverse is not the case. No deleterious effects will therefore be produced by the occasional and restricted use of Mk8Z ammunition in these weapons.

Its interesting to note that any machine gun barrel that had fired Mk7 ammunition had to be stamped with a 7 and returned to stores and a Mk8Z barrel 'demanded' in exchange.
Mk7 ammunition wears out Mk8Z barrels !!!

As a side issue the booklet makes note that US manufactured 303 ammunition differs from UK manufactured ammunition - I didnt know that.

[Mk VII]

Any .303 loaded to SAAMI specs will be safe in any Lee-Enfield.
Having said that, boat-tailed bullets may not 'set up' well in a bore that is worn. Unfortunately most current 'milspec'-like brands do tend to use these bullets, the Portuguese FNM brand being the only one that doesn't that I can recall.

[jmoore]

As a side issue the booklet makes note that US manufactured 303 ammunition differs from UK manufactured ammunition - I didnt know that.

My uncles (father's side) traveled to New England around 1940 in order to work in the Winchester plant which was apparently churning out huge quantities of 303 ammo for shipment overseas. It was loaded w/ a powder that looks like an IMR type. Headstamped WRA w/ the year of mfg.

The money they saved bought my grandparents their farm (the first land they ever owned!) in 1946.