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  1. #1
    Legacy Member huntsman44's Avatar
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    SMLE III* Front Site

    Can someone please confirm this for me? Pic below. Going to get the correct height Enfield front blade so I want to order the right ones instead of a bunch. To me that says --03 (dash kind of hard to see) not +03 or just .03? Is that correct so I should order --15 or 0 height blade? It shoots about 3" high at 100 yards to so the next step higher or two should be good right to be on at 100 yards?

    The rifle is in great shooting shape and I want it for hunting from 0-150 yards. So 3" high would normally be good for metal plinking but not what I want to use it for.

    This is one of the later SMLE's III* manufactured in 1943-44 from the Lithgowicon factory.

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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

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    Legacy Member Alan de Enfield's Avatar
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    This should help.
    Changing by 'one size' = 2.77" at 100yards
    Mine are not the best, but they are not too bad. I can think of lots of Enfields I'd rather have but instead of constantly striving for more, sometimes it's good to be satisfied with what one has...

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    Legacy Member huntsman44's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield View Post
    This should help.
    Changing by 'one size' = 2.77" at 100yards
    Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to confirm what is in the pic is --03 and not .03. If it is --03 then I should be good purchasing a --015 front blade. I know what to choose I just need confirmation with the starting size according to what I have in the pic.

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    Legacy Member Sunray's Avatar
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    Have you shot thing thing yet? You really need to know where it shoots before fiddling with the sights.
    You'll need to slug the barrel first as well.
    Factory hunting ammo and bullets for reloading are .311" or .312" with some larger cast bullets from Montana Bullets. Enfield barrels can vary from .311" to .315" and be considered OK.
    Spelling and Grammar count!

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    Legacy Member Alan de Enfield's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntsman44 View Post
    Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to confirm what is in the pic is --03 and not .03. If it is --03 then I should be good purchasing a --015 front blade. I know what to choose I just need confirmation with the starting size according to what I have in the pic.
    I'm pretty sure that if there is no - or + then it is a +.

    Only the - (less than zero) were marked so a :

    03 is + above zero
    -03 is - below zero

    But if you are looking at anything apart from military blades, all bets are off.
    Mine are not the best, but they are not too bad. I can think of lots of Enfields I'd rather have but instead of constantly striving for more, sometimes it's good to be satisfied with what one has...

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    Legacy Member huntsman44's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sunray View Post
    Have you shot thing thing yet? You really need to know where it shoots before fiddling with the sights.
    You'll need to slug the barrel first as well.
    Factory hunting ammo and bullets for reloading are .311" or .312" with some larger cast bullets from Montana Bullets. Enfield barrels can vary from .311" to .315" and be considered OK.
    It's in my post. I also slug all my old military rifles.

    ---------- Post added at 05:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:13 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield View Post
    I'm pretty sure that if there is no - or + then it is a +.

    Only the - (less than zero) were marked so a :

    03 is + above zero
    -03 is - below zero

    But if you are looking at anything apart from military blades, all bets are off.
    So looking at my pic which do you think it is? Looks like -03 to me.

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    It looks like there's a - in front of the .03 to me too.

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    Legacy Member Alan de Enfield's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntsman44 View Post

    So looking at my pic which do you think it is? Looks like -03 to me.

    I'm not sure it is. There is a 'scratch' but the (few) I have handled have always had a much more definite (deep) stamping and the 'scratch' seems to run into the 0 whilst the ones I have seen there is a normal spacing between the - and the 0

    For the sake of about $1 a piece why not get one of each a - 015 and a +045 then you are covered and only paying one freight charge if you have bought the wrong size.
    Mine are not the best, but they are not too bad. I can think of lots of Enfields I'd rather have but instead of constantly striving for more, sometimes it's good to be satisfied with what one has...

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    Contributing Member CINDERS's Avatar
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    You then may have a conundrum that whilst the ammo you are using may be bang on for 100yds when you go out further you may find that nothing correlates to the sight ladder as we all know the rifles are sighted for MkVII Ball ammunition and modern rounds we reload fly allot flatter especially the 174Gn SMK whose BC changes with velocity.
    So I have said it to allot of people find a brand or reload round that groups really well in your rifle at 100yds that you are going to always use then get on the range with a pad or I-pad what ever you want to record your DATA on and get the settings at known ranges say from 100 - 500 maybe 600yds as thats as far as we shoot with our 303's I have all the data for all my rifles they all shoot the same reload separate brass for each rifle but same COAL, SMK, TTL, Powder & charge weight, Primer and cases.
    Yes its allot of work to start with but in the end your not playing with front sights just finding the elevation on the sight ladder that corresponds to your cartridge you use change anything with the load and you may be back to square one but it will more than likely be close to the mark.

  14. #10
    Legacy Member huntsman44's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield View Post
    I'm not sure it is. There is a 'scratch' but the (few) I have handled have always had a much more definite (deep) stamping and the 'scratch' seems to run into the 0 whilst the ones I have seen there is a normal spacing between the - and the 0

    For the sake of about $1 a piece why not get one of each a - 015 and a +045 then you are covered and only paying one freight charge if you have bought the wrong size.
    Yup, that is what I've decided to do just to be safe.

    Thanks everyone!

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