Collecting Tips for Lee-Enfields (No. 1 Mk. III/*s, No. 4s, No. 5s)

[Pedantic_Potato]

I have the rigid one. 1000 times the quality of the Lyman, Although, it needs a smart phone or a laptop to work. When the gunshows start again, I may have to buy the flexible one to take with me. If it could be improved, I would suggest they add an adjustable brightness dial on it. The Lyman has a dial, but even at max setting the light is crap.
EDIT: looks like they have more expensive models now with their own screen if you don't have a phone or laptop - at $129 instead of $80.

Just had a look at that brand (Teslong) and their reviews on Amazon, seems like a good piece of kit. In you opinion, would a rigid or flexible one be more effective/easier to use? (provided both have their own screen and that the flexible one is out of stock at the moment...).

When buying any collector's item; be it a classic rifle, a classic car or whatever. It's better to pay a bit more for proper quality! If you are new to what you are searching for; go to a reputable dealer.
The quality will remain long after the price is forgotten.

Absolutely agree, and it seems like all the advice I've gotten in this thread is pointing towards just that maxim.

Inflation, scarcity, and just about every election drive up the price - value will catch up, although that doesn't help the gut punch when you first find out you paid a couple hundred too much. Know the range of quality vs/cost first. This forum has been great for asking about that!

Part of me is also kind of sad that elections drive up prices for even old guns like Lee-Enfields, this year has certainly discouraged me to same extent at certain times seeing rifles fly off the shelves. I figure patience rewards people in the stock market, so why wouldn't it here if patience means research and learning.

[Surpmil]

This may have been said already(?), but perhaps the first thing to settle is your budget?

Once you know what that is, you will know whether you can afford to focus on rifles as original as possible, or "fixer-uppers", of which there are many.

In view of the dramatic rise in prices and the decline in the supply of rifles and parts, the latter is probably the most logical option for anyone who has the interest and skills to work on their rifles themselves.

Of course what work to do and how, is a fraught question, which depends on a number of factors, but where you start with a rifle that has been "sporterized", refinished and otherwise changed past the point of no return, IMHO you can "restore" to your heart's content. (With a few obvious exceptions such as pieces so rare or old they should simply be left as-is for historical reasons)

As long as such work corresponds as closely as possible to the military specs and methods, I think it can be done in good conscience.

That's my tuppence!

[Pedantic_Potato]

You never pay to much*, but you can buy too early

* Except buying a mismatched shot-out tomato stake from RTI

Not gonna lie, that gave me an honest chuckle. I have been told to avoid RTI. I saw one in a gun shop being transferred to someone, 'twas absolutely caked in grime and who knows what the internals looked like...

[ssgross]

mismatched shot-out tomato stake from RTI

Ha Ha! Yes. Do plenty of homework first!

[browningautorifle]

borecam.

Those would be an excellent investment, I bought a rifle that supposedly had a "Shiney" bore but when it arrived only the lands had some shine. A nice bore cam pic and return slip should have been the order of the day. It would help at gunshows where the lighting is less that superb.

[ssgross]

In you opinion, would a rigid or flexible one be more effective/easier to use? (provided both have their own screen and that the flexible one is out of stock at the moment...).

I have the rigid one. I have never used the flexible one, but my thinking is the rigid one would be easier to "focus". There is always "play" in the distance between the lense and the barrel surface, varies with caliber, and effects focus. You need to move it around to get your pics. Nothing special and unique to the teslong, just a fact. I felt the flexible one would make it too hard to get the right focus.
The cord is plenty long. I have an old computer running linux under my workbench, and an old monitor sitting at the end with a USB port on the side. I've taken the camera to my local gunshop and used it with my phone too. It comes in a heavy cardboard tube that makes it somewhat portable. I imagine the flexible one would transport more compact, and be less awkward to the guy behind the counter when you whip it out. It certainly does make over-priced shops nervous. When you want to look inside, and pull out a proper camera. Reactions behind the counter vary from clear anger and annoyance - especially if they know their price is inflated, to pleasant curiosity if they are selling something which you are more familiar with than them.

[Pedantic_Potato]

This may have been said already(?), but perhaps the first thing to settle is your budget?

Once you know what that is, you will know whether you can afford to focus on rifles as original as possible, or "fixer-uppers", of which there are many.

In view of the dramatic rise in prices and the decline in the supply of rifles and parts, the latter is probably the most logical option for anyone who has the interest and skills to work on their rifles themselves.

Of course what work to do and how, is a fraught question, which depends on a number of factors, but where you start with a rifle that has been "sporterized", refinished and otherwise changed past the point of no return, IMHO you can "restore" to your heart's content. (With a few obvious exceptions such as pieces so rare or old they should simply be left as-is for historical reasons)

As long as such work corresponds as closely as possible to the military specs and methods, I think it can be done in good conscience.

That's my tuppence!

That was the first thing I went to when I started this process of looking to buy a Lee-Enfield in 2019, but then I realized that a lot of the rifles in ordinary budget ranges then (I think I saw on Reddit a $300 rule/guide in 2019) were not what I was looking for purpose/goal wise (what I want to do with the rifle). For my Lee-Enfields, I would like to take them (and my shooting skills) through the test of historical period Musketry Trainings and Qualifications (i.e. 1914, 1939, 1942, 1953) which has shooting out to 600 yards max. That in mind, I figured a good condition barrel and stock bedding would be the most important. Since I will be devoting quite a lot of time, money, and energy in shooting those Musketry practices, I decided to inflate my budget by quite a bit in order to try and get a nice rifle(s) the first time around. That's the process in my head, but you're right on all your points, Surpmil. Looks like I have a lot more questions to ask and more research to do.

The cord is plenty long. I have an old computer running linux under my workbench, and an old monitor sitting at the end with a USB port on the side. I've taken the camera to my local gunshop and used it with my phone too. It comes in a heavy cardboard tube that makes it somewhat portable. I imagine the flexible one would transport more compact, and be less awkward to the guy behind the counter when you whip it out. It certainly does make over-priced shops nervous. When you want to look inside, and pull out a proper camera. Reactions behind the counter vary from clear anger and annoyance - especially if they know their price is inflated, to pleasant curiosity if they are selling something which you are more familiar with than them.

I'll mull it over for a few more days yet and then make a decision. I've seen recommended borescopes that are like $1000, so the fact that these Teslongs are decently rated and priced is blowing my mind.

I figure if I'm berated at a gun store for doing my due diligence as a firearms owner and purchaser, then that business does not warrant a purchase from me, no matter how good a deal is.

[ssgross]

I've seen recommended borescopes that are like $1000, so the fact that these Teslongs are decently rated and priced is blowing my mind.

For what it's worth, I thought it was too good to be true also - just a couple years ago the Lyman borecam, at $250-$300 (they are $270 ish right now, over $300 for the wifi version) was the only alternative to a Hawkeye, which if I remember correctly was $1600+ depending on what options you wanted. The recent surge in new precision shooters created a market - which is also why you see all the "affordable" factory PRS rifles now. I splurged one birthday and got a Lyman, and was dissapoited. It always gave dull, grainy pictures even on a brand new hand lapped bore. I kept looking and within a year I saw an Amazon suggestion for the rigid teslong. No comparison for an electronic borescope, Teslong beats Lyman. They've been out for a couple years now. I don't think there are really any alternatives right now - the cheap $10 endoscopes are still too big for small bores. As far as quality goes, it's like taking pictures with a modern cellphone versus a phone camera from 20 years ago. Of course the Hawkeye is like sticking your eyeball in the bore.
I just checked Brownells and the Hawkeyes have fallen to well under $1k. Lyman's website only shows the "Pro Wifi" model right now for well over $300. Funny what competition does.

[Surpmil]

If your eyes are good, a decent borelight is probably all you need. Occasionally I've had to ask a shop to run a brush through a rifle, and they usually will without complaint, but would depend on the shop. Maybe a pull through and a few 4x2s in a baggy is worth carrying?

Since you sound like a "practical rifle" shooter, a really well refurbished No4 might be a good place to start; that is one with an excellent bore which someone has restored or "tidied up" for whatever reason.

[browningautorifle]

Maybe a pull through a few 4x2s in a baggy is worth carrying?

I've done that too. And a nice new brush.