lee enfield reference library, where to start?

[henry r]

it's time to get some reference books on lee enfields, but where do i start?

my intentions are to end up with a no1 mk3 and a no4 mk1 t (or T replica) and get them shooting as accurately as i can, so this is where i intend to focus my reading material for now.

thanks.
henry.

Information

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[Robert303]

Take your time, learn to 'Cut and Paste' to word documents and build your own 'books' from reliable sources on the web such as many of the articles on this site. (The is my no4T a fake is an excellent article) Get the Capt Laidler books on the No4T and the 32 scope. See
http://www.skennerton.com/handbook.html for the handbooks on the SMLE and the No4 these are a good intro and will not break the bank. Later, and if you have the cash, get the Reynolds and Skennerton books on the whole range of Lee Enfields but these are now either hard to get or expensive at 50 UK pounds or more so do not rush. As to getting them to shoot accurately just remember that in most cases it is the shooter that needs to improve not the rifle! If you are already a good shot that's great and you can fiddle about with the rifle if not sort yourself out and leave the rifle alone. I'm not a great shot and so get a friend of mine to shoot my rifles when testing new loads, new Parker Hale sights etc. It's saved me a lot of time and money over the years as I've watched others spend a small fortune on the latest gizmos / red dots etc and heard them blame everything but themselves for the 'flyer' or shotgun pattern on the target.

[bigduke6]

Henry, I,d take Robert303's advice, but would limit it to two books to start with,

a must is Ian Skennerton's THE LEE-ENFIELD... A Century of Lee-Metford & Lee-Enfield Rifles & Carbines, ISBN 978 0 949749 82 6.

Second is, AN ARMOURER'S PERSPECTIVE: .303 No. 4 (T) SNIPER RIFLE AND THE HOLLAND & HOLLAND CONNECTION. By Peter Laidler with Ian Skennerton.

If your going for a replica T, then can I suggest you use a sporterized rifle as a starting point and not a decent run of the Mill Enfield just my point of view and don't like to see good honest rifles carved up to look like something there not and building something like that, it is what it is, a replica.... If you put original parts on (Scope and Bracket) then they are an investment and when the original scope less No4 T comes along your on a winner....... believe me, good things come to those who wait ......

As for the No 1 Mk 111...... plenty out there still at a reasonable price, being were you are I gather you would go for a Lithgow ? If I was to look for just a rifle and not worry regarding it being a Military or the make/year etc, then look for a commercial No1 Mk 111..... maybe just me but The quality and finish have the edge on a Milsurp

[CINDERS]

Heres a couple but also read the threads heaps of info on this web site

[Badger]

Check the MKL for Lee Enfield manuals and books to download ...

Milsurps Knowledge Library - Manuals/Précis

Regards,
Doug

[henry r]

thanks gentlemen.

Peter Laidler's 2 books were on the list already, i had assumed one of ian skennertons books was a must, but had no idea which. again i had intended to buy one of the accurizing books but was unsure which.

i think the reynolds book might have to wait a while, i saw a copy in the local second hand book shop a few months ago and was going to grab it... then i saw the price and carefully put it back onto the shelf. i have spent hundreds over the years on books, manuals and catalogues for one of my other hobbies, but never that much on a single book.

thanks badger, i hadn't seen the manuals there.

as far as which no1. i keep reconsidering, national pride says a Lithgow (which the geeky collector side in me corrects to a shielded lithgow), a guy i talked to said '16 and earlier recievers were machined to tighter tolerances (but all the early ones i see for sale are enfields or BSA's) and i want it to have a decent H barrel. all in a package that isn't too good (or valuable) to be used as my only centrefire rifle.
i guess only time will tell.

[Badger]

i think the reynolds book might have to wait a while, i saw a copy in the local second hand book shop a few months ago and was going to grab it... then i saw the price and carefully put it back onto the shelf. i have spent hundreds over the years on books, manuals and catalogues for one of my other hobbies, but never that much on a single book.

thanks badger, i hadn't seen the manuals there.

Milsurps Knowledge Library - The Lee-Enfield Rifle By Major E.G.B. Reynolds - 1960

Regards,
Doug

[henry r]

wow doug, this place amazes me.

thanks to everyone who has put so much time and effort into making it what it is.

[CINDERS]

Pic of my No 1 Mk III '16 H Lithgow 5MD the early ones do come up but of late they are getting expensive saw a 21 Lithgow with a 43 FTR barrel in it go for 2K on usedguns the other week.

[henry r]

this was a '19 and it's certainly cheap, it was fired with corrosive ammo then put away dirty and left for 30 years... plus someone cut grooves in the front of the reviever. everything else i was prepared to deal with, but the grooves make it too far gone for me to consider.

Attachment 64681Attachment 64682

https://www.usedguns.com.au/Product.aspx?p=60290

your '16 is a thing of beauty.