AM i NUTS??? Saving a LEC

[Evanguy]

so i was given this rifle back in the spring(2016), i was told buy a guy at work that they were "100% f**ked" and he was "going to throw them in a lake". i told him how much im into them and how i now have 7 (then, now 12) and love them, one day i hope to have a full room just filled with them, he said i could have the two 303s, i bought him a bottle of jack daniels and he was more then happy.

so the next day he shows up with the rifles.....................well, he did not lie about the condition, that is for sure.

at the time i had no idea about really any lee Enfield older then the no1mkIII's, i actually didn't know what the LEC was or that this rifle was stamped that until i got the wire bush out.

after being told i have a "Lee Enfield Cavalry Carbine" and i google'ed them, i was hooked. anything newer then a LE1* I had lost a lot of interest for.

ive put a lot of work into this rifle so far, more then one probably should have. but i had a strong drive from within and im unsure what fueled that drive but it was/is there.

il post the first pics of what it looked like when i got it, and leave it for comments, then illl post the rest of the story and pics, (its now just in need of blueing and the wood set to show up in the mail) i have collected every part needed (i have to admit without Englishman_ca's help i would never be where i am today(it worked out well for him to have invested the time he did in helping me))

the other rifle in the pics is a 1941 Lithgow, thats being restored to a sporter state now, basically to match my sporter no1mk3 .22 trainer and my sporter no1mk3 .410. ill have three rifles that look identical other then the barrel bore. but that is another story.


ill post the rest of my adventure with this rifle maybe tonight or over time since i have about 100 pics to find in photobucket and copy the links with a cell phone hotspot as my connection (very slow)








---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 PM ----------

so first things fist, i had to figure out a way to get this rifle apart. i starter slowly and took my time using a wire brush and clean and removed parts in order of now easy they came apart.
as i was getting it cleaned up i noticed it has a matching bolt and receiver, a no4 barrel as well as the butt stock, i was in need a a few peices to make this rifle correct and started looking for them,











---------- Post added at 02:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:18 PM ----------

after getting the rifle mostly apart i noticed ill need to fix the little key in the cocking knob so i fixed that up and finished cleaning the bolt as well as getting it apart. also i needed a rear lug on the bolt for the dust cover
i borrowed a old bolt to copy the rear dust cover lug off of. i made the lug out of 1018 cold roll, and silver soldered it in place, honestly who this whole project that lug has impressed the the most, i cant believe how well it turned out lol.
so i cleaned the bolt up and started working on the broken parts.











---------- Post added at 02:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:20 PM ----------

then it was time to remove the barrel, i later used that barrel to make a 410 shotgun
then after talks with englishman_ca i worked out a deal that got me a sporter long lee barrel to and a LEC barrel to copy the taper and length. that went well and i then had a barrel to use that would look proper. i also borrowed an LEC nose cap to copy because i was unable to find one to buy.













---------- Post added at 02:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:21 PM ----------

i bought a no4mk1 off the same guy as who give me the lec , so when i seen the rifle and noticed the 5 round mag that goes in the carbine i bought the rifle just for that alone, that was a good score. it also came with an no4 10 round mag too!!

i also ended up with a non matching numbers LE1 for parts/ accessory stripped usable sporter and got a the proper mag cut off from that for my carbine.
then all i was in need of was to find a barrel band and retainer, then i was sent one of each off one a matching rifle for me to make some copies of. im still working on them and have no pics yet.
it was coming a long well and i had it to this stage for a while, when i was distracted for a bit with other projects, but i still needed to fix the holes in the receiver from the scope mount and remove all the old blueing, as well as get the receiver fully apart.







---------- Post added at 02:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:22 PM ----------

so as of now this is how the rifle sits today and the only things left is, reblue all the parts and wait for my stock set to come in the mail with a proper butt plate fitted. then i can assemble the rifle and shoot the crap of it(check and deal with head space is any problem arises), i got the holes filled from the scope mount, you can still see the outline of them but with all the pitting there already it probably will be fine, and also i didn't want to put any more heat into the receiver, i submerged the receiver in water and tig welded the holes full, so i didn't feel like setting all that up again
oh i also have all the screws needed, i didn't get them in the pic, i forgot them at work the day i took it.

ill post more updates as they happen, i think ill have the stock set some time in Spring, maybe sooner
i need to get on rest browning these parts soon, ill get pics of that.






---------- Post added at 02:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:23 PM ----------

This is what i was working on Lately, its not for the LEC but it for its bigger brother

ILL be back on this LEC and also a few MLE's when i get back to work next month.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Daan Kemp]

Awesome!!!!!

[englishman_ca]

Evan, to answer your question..., yes, you are nuts!

But that makes two of us and we are in good company.

It will be a nice carbine and well worth the effort. You will be proud of it when finished.

[enfield303t]

Way to go. Great you have the ability to do what you did, it is nice to see her on the journey to being a proud LEC again!

[CINDERS]

More installments please great job.......

[P246]

Very nice to see one saved thanks for posting

[Evanguy]

Thanks guys, ill get more posted as i go, im also working on a few other rifles too, once they start to be finished up ill post them up too. they are all lee enfield/metfords.

and Englishman_ca: well, i always kinda assumed i was crazy, BUT im glad to hear its not just me, and yes im very excited to have this carbine complete. i love the look of them, an LEC in full wood is probably my favorite lee Enfield Rifle. well i also like the Lee Speed trade pattern carbine No2 rifle[funny nose cap with no top wood at all], not fitted for bayonet a lot as well. they are my favorite two rifles build on Lee receivers

[rugersworld]

WOW, just awesome!
You have amazing skills.

[Ovidio]

Not nuts at all, it's passion and ability. My respect!

[Roy]

Nice work!