Bad Ass Wallace
10-07-2020, 06:26 PM
I have several 303's that I have managed to get shooting with cast bullets
The shooters always take me to task, when they say "slug" the bore to determine the correct size cast bullet to use. I say, all that determines is the size of the tightest spot in the barrel, better to start a boolit into the muzzle and make sure the rifling at that point (the last point of contact before exiting) contacts both the top and bottom of the lands. Then size your projectile to that dimension.
The barrel of a No.4 will be either a 2 groove or a 5 groove and measuring the "slug" of a 5 groove, the micrometer will be on top of the land on one side and between 2 lands on the other 0(i.e. inaccurate).
According to the Small Arms Identification Series by Ian Skennerton "Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle" Page 29
1) Lee Metford and Lee-Enfield Mk1:
Barrel Specification:
Barrel Length - 30.5"
Rifling Metford - 7 groove L.H. 1 turn on 10"
Rifling Enfield - 5 groove L.H. 1 turn in 10"
Bore Dia - 0.303"
Metford Rifling Depth - 0.004"
Enfield Rifling Depth - 0.0055
Metford Land Width - 0.023"
Enfield Land Width - 0.0936
From book "The British Service Lee" by Ian Skennerton Page 86
2) Short Magazine Lee Enfield Mk 3:
Barrel Specification:
Barrel Length 25.2"
Rifling Enfield - 5 groove L.H. 1 turn in 10"
Bore Dia - 0.303"
Enfield Rifling Depth at muzzle - 0.0065
Enfield Rifling Depth at breech and to within 14" of the muzzle - .005
Enfield Land Width - 0.0936
From book "The British Service Lee" by Ian Skennerton Page 158
3) Short Magazine Lee Enfield Mk 4 & 5:
Barrel Specification:
Barrel Length 25.2"
Rifling Enfield - 5 groove L.H. 1 turn in 10"
Bore Dia - 0.303"
Enfield Rifling Depth at breech - .005
Enfield Land Width - 0.0936
It would seem from this data that an Enfield 303 could be .303" over lands and a bore of up to 0.314" at the breech and up to 0.316 at the muzzle.
My Martini 303's shoot best with a .314 dia projectile which would seem to fit with the above specifications and bore diameter of .313"
A lot of folk don't realize there are two chamber specifications for the 303; Martini Enfields, LE & SMLE Mk1 all have a chamber suited to Mk6 ammo with a 215gn cupro-nickle, While the Latter No.1 Mk3*, No4's and No5's are chambered to suit Mk7 with a 174gn boolit.
When it comes to cast boolits, this is important to choose the right boolit to limit boolit jump into the rifling, normally about 0.010" - 0.020"
My starting load is 28gn 3031 and boolit are approx 14BNH. I am presently working on testing a powder coated boolit at higher velocities.
Start by tapping a boolit into the muzzle and see where the rifling bites into the boolit. If the barrel is in good condition that cast boolit should see rifling touching the nose.
This group fired with my 1896 Martini Enfield and the CBE 220gn boolit
https://i.imgur.com/8h9H6qFm.jpg
The shooters always take me to task, when they say "slug" the bore to determine the correct size cast bullet to use. I say, all that determines is the size of the tightest spot in the barrel, better to start a boolit into the muzzle and make sure the rifling at that point (the last point of contact before exiting) contacts both the top and bottom of the lands. Then size your projectile to that dimension.
The barrel of a No.4 will be either a 2 groove or a 5 groove and measuring the "slug" of a 5 groove, the micrometer will be on top of the land on one side and between 2 lands on the other 0(i.e. inaccurate).
According to the Small Arms Identification Series by Ian Skennerton "Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle" Page 29
1) Lee Metford and Lee-Enfield Mk1:
Barrel Specification:
Barrel Length - 30.5"
Rifling Metford - 7 groove L.H. 1 turn on 10"
Rifling Enfield - 5 groove L.H. 1 turn in 10"
Bore Dia - 0.303"
Metford Rifling Depth - 0.004"
Enfield Rifling Depth - 0.0055
Metford Land Width - 0.023"
Enfield Land Width - 0.0936
From book "The British Service Lee" by Ian Skennerton Page 86
2) Short Magazine Lee Enfield Mk 3:
Barrel Specification:
Barrel Length 25.2"
Rifling Enfield - 5 groove L.H. 1 turn in 10"
Bore Dia - 0.303"
Enfield Rifling Depth at muzzle - 0.0065
Enfield Rifling Depth at breech and to within 14" of the muzzle - .005
Enfield Land Width - 0.0936
From book "The British Service Lee" by Ian Skennerton Page 158
3) Short Magazine Lee Enfield Mk 4 & 5:
Barrel Specification:
Barrel Length 25.2"
Rifling Enfield - 5 groove L.H. 1 turn in 10"
Bore Dia - 0.303"
Enfield Rifling Depth at breech - .005
Enfield Land Width - 0.0936
It would seem from this data that an Enfield 303 could be .303" over lands and a bore of up to 0.314" at the breech and up to 0.316 at the muzzle.
My Martini 303's shoot best with a .314 dia projectile which would seem to fit with the above specifications and bore diameter of .313"
A lot of folk don't realize there are two chamber specifications for the 303; Martini Enfields, LE & SMLE Mk1 all have a chamber suited to Mk6 ammo with a 215gn cupro-nickle, While the Latter No.1 Mk3*, No4's and No5's are chambered to suit Mk7 with a 174gn boolit.
When it comes to cast boolits, this is important to choose the right boolit to limit boolit jump into the rifling, normally about 0.010" - 0.020"
My starting load is 28gn 3031 and boolit are approx 14BNH. I am presently working on testing a powder coated boolit at higher velocities.
Start by tapping a boolit into the muzzle and see where the rifling bites into the boolit. If the barrel is in good condition that cast boolit should see rifling touching the nose.
This group fired with my 1896 Martini Enfield and the CBE 220gn boolit
https://i.imgur.com/8h9H6qFm.jpg