303 Brit SMLE NO 4 MK 1...Scoping it

[Suo Gan]

I would like to attach a scope to my Golden State Arms 1941 No 4, MK 1 303 Brit sporter. What is the consensus on the Williams mount? I notice that there is a shim kit also available. Has anyone mounted a scope on their Enfield? Would appreciate your advice. Thanks

[robertbank]

I can't speak to the Williams mount but can for the S&K. Buy the S&K mount. It is better than the military version and is solid as a rock. The S&K requires no drilling, installs easy and works.

Take Care

Bob

[Multigunner]

I would like to attach a scope to my Golden State Arms 1941 No 4, MK 1 303 Brit sporter. What is the consensus on the Williams mount? I notice that there is a shim kit also available. Has anyone mounted a scope on their Enfield? Would appreciate your advice. Thanks

I hand made my own bases for a No.4, and a few for others.
I'd discovered that the charger bridge of an early production No.4 I was fixing for a friend was secured by screws rather than brazed as the later version were, so this gave me the idea.
On my Savage No.4 I cut and filed away its brazed bridge and made a rail from steel with arms that fit into the square notches the bridge had fit into, I then DT'd the bottom of each notch for 4X40 allenhead screws. The front base is pretty much like the standard weaver base for a small ring Mauser, but I made one by hand of steel with a single screwhole and secured it with a 6X48 screw and silver solder. I saved that for last in order to be sure it was exactly the right hight to match the rear rail.
I'd at first intended to bring the rear rail back as far as the rear sight pivot, but decided to leave room to use one leg of the L sight as a folding peep back up.
To stabilize the rail I left a small leg at the rear with counter sunk hole and used another 4X40 screw and spacer to brace the rear and level the rail. Then silver soldered the front crossbar legs for extra stability.
The end result is far more compact than any scopemounts I've found for the No.4 and very solid and durable.
With scope dismounted theres no interference with the peep sight.

By hand filing the grooves for the rings cross pin, I acheived a perfect fit. Theres never been a shift in zero when removing and replacing the scope.
I bored out the peep to a threaded large apeture, nearly a ghost ring, and made a brass insert with small countersunk disc and tiny pinhole apeture for precision use on bright days. The larger apeture is good for low light.
On my own mount I filed out the opening for the charger so with scope dismounted I can still use charger loading.
A have several extra magazines for quick reloading with scope in place.
Each set I've made was hand made and I used no drawings, just let form follow function. One day I'll make a set of drawings for this mounting.

As you can see there are times when I have far too much time on my hands. I wish I still had that much patience.

[303Guy]

Multigunner, you are a man after my own heart! I've done two No.4's.

This one's my own. I used an alloy bicycle crank arm. It's keyed and screwed and glued. It survived the drop test (literally).

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-814F-1.jpg

I'll have to find a pic of the other one I did. That one had an integral 'U' sight - the original peep sight had been cut off.

I have repared a few pooey scope mounts on Lee Enfields, which is a shame. It's so simple to do it properly.

P.S. It cannot be an SMLE No.4. It's one or the other!:mrgreen:

[webfoot10]

On .303 british.com, they have a mount made of angle iron that works well and is cheap.
I used a piece of angle iron from an old bed rail. This steel is like spring steel, I annealed
it in my forge and ground and filed it to fit my No 4 reciever. After drilling and tapping and
installing flat base scope mounts, it looks and works like any commercial mount. And is
easy to make. webfoot10

[docone31]

I made one, and I made it a bit fancy.
After cutting it to shape, drilling and tapping it for the mount, I then proceeded to flare it to the outlines, and made cut outs.
It came out well, and it was fast work.

[wiljen]

S&K is a great mount if you dont want to make one.

[screwcutter]

Here is one I made.