Enfield No.4 sight question

[onlycrimson]

I recently picked up a mixed parts Enfield for cheap and I noticed the rear sight says "Mk. II" on it. I'm wondering, with the rear flipped down is the sighting for 100yds or 300?

Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

That is the "battle sight" which is set, I believe, for 300 yards (might vary a bit for different backsight versions). But most definitely not 100 yards and anyway totally useless for target shooting. Peter Laidler might not agree with my low estimation of that huge hole - I guess it was probably described as "for rapid target acquisition".

[JBS]

The experience with mine and drawing on combat arms from this side of the pond is that the combat sight is good from zero to three hundred yards. When a belt buckle hold is used on the target the bullet will impact in an area from just above center of chest to the belt buckle depending where the target is from zero to three hundred yards. The first group I fired with my new Faz hit exactly eight inches high and centered at one hundred yards, this would have been point of aim at three hundred. In the attached post I made a drawing and showed how to install a target peep adapter that can be glued into the battle sight. This lets you target shoot without a permanent change to the gun. Target Peep insert

[Peter Laidler]

As I remember the what we called 'flip-over' sights, the lowest aperture was 300 yards with bayonet fitted and the highest aperture was 600 yards WITHOUT bayonet fitted.

They were never declared obsolete but just obsolescent. As a result, the Mk2 sights were still fitted and in regular use when the very last Cadet Force No4's were withdrawn in the 90's

[onlycrimson]

Thanks for all the info guys. I think I'll try to make the small insert you mentioned. I might be able to make it out of some hard rubber so it can be popped in and out easily.

[onlycrimson]

Well, my little insert failed at 100yds. I used a .057 hole and It still shot high by 8" at 100yds, at least my new k98 was dead on : ) I was thinking what else could be done to improve the sights for 100yds? I could make an insert with a smaller hole, but what about a modern aperture sight? I found this one, but I kind of don't want to butcher the receiver with holes, plus it doesn't look quite right. Williams 5D-SMLE Receiver Peep Sight British Lee Enfield Nos. 1, 4, and 5 Aluminum Black - MidwayUSA

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

You could just change the front sight blade to fix your elevation problem. They were made in different heights and are available from several sources.

[jmoore]

8" high at 100yds sounds about right. Probably close to dead on at 300. So it IS correctly sighted in!