What Caliber for Enfield No1 Mk3*

[WALKERs210]

OK this is the end of the mystery, thanks to all that gave advise. "Drum Roll -------" the ammo that I purchased for it from a local gun shop was , ready for this, NOT .303 ammo. It turns out that the surplus ammo had gotten moved, mixed or just plain mis-labeled. The gentleman I got it from graciously returned my trade and offered sincere apologizes. He took the Enfield to the same gun shop and the owner pulled out .303 from the shelf and presto it did fit. I never gave the surplus ammo a serious inspection and just trusted it to be what we thought it was. One thing is I have had too many irons in the fire lately and I do believe that with a clearer head I would have picked up on this maybe not from the start but never to the point that it did.

 

[HexHead]

It never dawned on you to look at the head stamp on the brass? So what was it?

 

[WALKERs210]

I did look at the head stamp, but for some reason it just didn't "Click". Like I said I have had so much on the plate lately I just overlooked the rounds until I got home with it. I went back to Gun shop and sales person started pulling almost any thing on shelf test fitting the ammo, every thing except for .303. He was under impression that the surplus I had purchased earlier was indeed surplus .303 when in fact it was .308 or 7.62x51. At least the question was answered.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

rofl

 

[mokin]

Well... After reading 29 posts about this mystery SMLE I learned that it is important to make sure you are putting the right cartridges in the rifle. But I admit, I was looking forward to a really exotic chambering. Glad you figured it out.

 

[WALKERs210]

I was looking forward to a really exotic chambering

I was just about to the point of trying a black powder setup, I guess over the last 25 yrs of so I had gotten dependent on one man and his knowledge. He was a retired Marine, with a serious =Don't Mess With Me" outlook, but as an old saying went, if he don't have it you don't need it. But in the long run it was my screw up, I should never have trusted a store employee just hand me something without me really knowing what I'm looking for. So go ahead and get your snickering out of the way and we can move to the next "What the ***** is it"

 

[Sergei Mosin]

Be interested in hearing how it shoots, especially compared to an unmodified SMLE.

 

[WALKERs210]

Be interested in hearing how it shoots, especially compared to an unmodified SMLE.

It will be at least about 3days before I will have a chance to test fire it. Between myself and wife we spend most of days in or at another doctors office. I purchased a slip on recoil pad for one of my 12 shotguns, I think I will slip it on to the Enfield to help keep my skinny bones from getting rearranged, or at least reduce the bruising I expect.
And yes their will be picture's and hopefully a vidio or two. I will not post one if it kicks me down to my Bottom .

 

[303tom]

Always look before you leap !.................Interested in hearing how she shoots..................

 

[rondog]

Glad the mystery's solved, and without any drama! I'd like to see a photo of that rifle next to an unmodified No.1 Mk.III.

 

[macadore]

OK this is the end of the mystery, thanks to all that gave advise. "Drum Roll -------" the ammo that I purchased for it from a local gun shop was , ready for this, NOT .303 ammo. It turns out that the surplus ammo had gotten moved, mixed or just plain mis-labeled. The gentleman I got it from graciously returned my trade and offered sincere apologizes. He took the Enfield to the same gun shop and the owner pulled out .303 from the shelf and presto it did fit. I never gave the surplus ammo a serious inspection and just trusted it to be what we thought it was. One thing is I have had too many irons in the fire lately and I do believe that with a clearer head I would have picked up on this maybe not from the start but never to the point that it did.

That's good news. It should be a sweet shooter. Karamojo Bell used to shoot elephants with the 303.

 

[RAINS]

Yeah I used to think people who put the wrong caliber ammo in any gun were just stupid. Then "I" had an off day and found myself trying to shoot .40S&W out of my .45 1911. I was lucky it did not work! Doh!
I'm just glad it all turned out good for you. Have fun with that new gun. .303 brit is a fun round!


R

 

[tahunua001]

Yeah I used to think people who put the wrong caliber ammo in any gun were just stupid. Then "I" had an off day and found myself trying to shoot .40S&W out of my .45 1911. I was lucky it did not work! Doh!
I'm just glad it all turned out good for you. Have fun with that new gun. .303 brit is a fun round!

it happens to the best of us. I spent an afternoon shooting with a buddy and after a box of ammo was through it I noticed he was spitting split casings at me... he was shooting 9mm out of a glock 22!
a few other times I've been picking up brass in the driveway and found 380 auto casings...I don't own a 380...

 

[WALKERs210]

Solved Round Size

Yes it both make me feel foolish and on the other hand at least I learned something (I think). Any way it was a journey that I think kept a few interest up for a while. My wife being the wonderful woman she is bought me a new Pistol today or was it a Cup- Wait It's BOTH. She knows that I love my coffee and my guns so here is what she got.

 

[gunnutery]

Well, this thread had me hooked. Glad to hear it was a simple "fix".

 

[natman]

I was looking at Brownell's for the casting material and was trying to remember a material that we used in the Navy back in the late 60's. We would make a mold of a table spoon, cast using this material, when the spoon was put in a coffee cup of hot coffee the spoon would dissolve making the waitress almost panic (yes we fest up) it was a lot of fun .

Sound's like Wood's metal, an alloy of lead, bismuth, tin and cadmium. I suspect that Brownell's Cerrosafe is something similar.