So i got my P.A.L today. now need advice

[mrcrossbow]

Soooo i got my p.a.l and now its burning a hole in my pocket. i must buy new toy, bows ,crossbows, flintlocks, airguns, now i need to add to my toy box

So i enjoy hunting,plinking, etc,
I enjoy older things ( ie flintlock) so i was looking at old rifles i might be interested in and i keep going back to the Le Enfield im not sure why but i do,

So is the 303 brit a good round for every thing from plinking to bear hunting ?

Is the ammo easy to find ( ie nearest walmart ) if i felt the urge to just go ruin a piece of plywood out back.

Oh and most importantly is a le enfield costly to buy ?

are there some draw backs to it ? cant scope it easly or what not

Is it easy to clean, ( i dont overly enjoy long cleaning times )

any ways thanks in advance to any imput. only so much can be read online before you just need ask some ppl that have used the item you are interested in and have some real world answers

[MahoganyMan]

First thing I'd get is a stock 10/22, a resetting target, and a couple bricks of ammo.




hours of fun, and a little aromatherapy..

[Dick284]

X2 on a .22rimfire

[raised by wolves]

Read all the threads and banter on the perfect cartridges such as 308Win, 270Win, 30-06, 7RemMag, etc. Then read about the various praise and complaints about every firearm ever manufactured. See if any of your buddies have one they claim shoots well, feels comfortable, and kills everything cleanly within 2km, and spend some time at the range to figure out what you like.

[Boogerfart]

Getting a .22 or five is a excellent idea! But to answer the op's question there's nothing at all wrong with the 303 British and if you want a Enfield buy one. They're tough, easy to clean and service, parts are available and it's a part of Canadian history. Better rifles are available but not in the same price range as a sporterized Enfield.

[MahoganyMan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whtgz6-wJSE

Here is a link of a local fella that does a lot of reviews, this video is on a 10/22 with a fab defence stock.

[DiabeticKripple]

Start with a .22, practice a lot with it, especially a slow constant trigger squeeze until it fires. This will help your accuracy with a bigger caliber.

[gitrdun]

[QUOTE] is the 303 brit a good round for every thing from plinking to bear hunting ?[QUOTE]

It will do quite well

[QUOTE] Is the ammo easy to find ( ie nearest walmart ) if i felt the urge to just go ruin a piece of plywood out back. [QUOTE]

Shouldn't be too difficult to find.

[QUOTE] and most importantly is a le enfield costly to buy ?[QUOTE]

That depends. Some folks are collectors. Certain models are highly collectable, others not so much. Plenty of SMLE discussions, history and articles can be googled.

[QUOTE]are there some draw backs to it ? cant scope it easly or what not[QUOTE]

It can be scoped. It may require drilling/tapping the receiver. There are scope mounts specifically made for them. Drawbacks : they can have excessive headspace being a battle rifle meant for mud, dirt and grime. Not good for a sporting rifle and potentially your face. Learn what headspace is, find a smith with a set of gauges who can measure for you. And swap to another bolt head if required

[QUOTE] Is it easy to clean, ( i dont overly enjoy long cleaning times )[QUOTE]

No harder than any modern firearm. This is not a task that you should omit and cut corners with.

[elkchaser]

First buy should always be 22 cheap fun plinking machine . Great for practicing . My opinion on a 303 is never again had 2 over the years . There are some great cheaper guns out there that I think you would much happier with. my suggestion would be on cal would be 30-06 308 and 270 . Mabey look for a lightly used win model 70 ,rem 700 or a new sav axis (acu trigger) ruger American ,a marlin xl7 if you can find one . I bought my son one 4 years ago and he can constantly hit a 6x6 in steel plate at 400yards . Just a few ideas for you

[J0HN_R1]

Pardon me for being frank, but you've been here for 3 years and know nothing about firearms ?

Yes, .303 is adequate for bears (pricey for plinking, IMO) and is readily available at Walmart.

Good luck !

[mrcrossbow]

i looked at the rem 700 but i cant find any with iron sights, im a fan of them personal thing , just dont like scopes.
dont really need a .22 for practice as i shoot my flinty ( 54 cal ) lest 20 times a week,
i just seem to be having a very very hard time finding new bolt rifles with iron sights so i startd looking at older rifles hence the enfield

[mrcrossbow]

lol not to much john , all iv done is bows and flints, newer firearms not so much of a idea.

[ghfalls]

Savage hog hunter has iron sights. .308 and you're good to go

[Prairiewolf]

Originally Posted by mrcrossbow

i looked at the rem 700 but i cant find any with iron sights, im a fan of them personal thing , just dont like scopes.
dont really need a .22 for practice as i shoot my flinty ( 54 cal ) lest 20 times a week,
i just seem to be having a very very hard time finding new bolt rifles with iron sights so i startd looking at older rifles hence the enfield

The Remington 700 BDL goes for $879.99 + GST at Wholesale Sports. One of the most popular / purchased rifles ever. I'm sure if you put a request on the buy and sell you'd drum up some interest in a used one too.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by MahoganyMan

First thing I'd get is a stock 10/22, a resetting target, and a couple bricks of ammo.




hours of fun, and a little aromatherapy..

Holy crap,that is pretty much my set up complete...throw a scope on it and you are good to go!

303 Brit will do anything and everything you ask of it, yes they are easy to clean and maintain, yes you can get ammo almost anywhere...not the prettiest girl on the block but who needs a high maintenance woman/rifle anyways...

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by J0HN_R1

Pardon me for being frank, but you've been here for 3 years and know nothing about firearms ?

Yes, .303 is adequate for bears (pricey for plinking, IMO) and is readily available at Walmart.

Good luck !

There is no room for frank...frank has left the forum

[BobM]

I have a 303 Lee Enfield that I have hunted with for 30 years it is sporterized with a 3x9 40mm scope and I have taken down bears, moose and deer with it.

No complaints, I bought it thru Sears mail order when I lived in Grande Prairie and added a scope a few years later, I think I paid around $25.00 for it and a lot more for the scope. Great rifle easy to clean and ammo can be found anywhere.
Mine came with a new stock and sling

Can't go wrong with one.

[brendan's dad]

The .22 idea is a great idea, but if you are using in for a training rifle then I would look at a bolt action savage/marlin or cz if the funds are available. Then you will develop the muscle memory of operating a bolt action and improve your accuracy.

[jayboots]

Cooey 22. Then look at getting a 7mm-08 or if your interested in the old military cartages, a 30-06 or a 6.5x55. Can pick up some cheap 6.5x55s and 30-06's from Trade ex canada, and they are a good company to deal with. https://www.tradeexcanada.com/

[gitrdun]

IN the buy/sell forum:

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?p=3113236

[synik]

Originally Posted by mrcrossbow

i looked at the rem 700 but i cant find any with iron sights, im a fan of them personal thing , just dont like scopes.
dont really need a .22 for practice as i shoot my flinty ( 54 cal ) lest 20 times a week,
i just seem to be having a very very hard time finding new bolt rifles with iron sights so i startd looking at older rifles hence the enfield

So you prefer sights. Have you considered a lever? You can pick up a Winchester or Marlin 30-30 for $400ish if you watch and you can always find ammo as it is very common.

[hogie]

303 is one of my favorite calibers.
I collect and shoot milsurp rifles. Lee Enfields are good. Look for a good bore. No4 mk1 or mk2 have better sights.

Lee Enfields were designed to have upward pressure on the barrel. If you get one and it doesn't shoot well then barrel pressure could be the problem. Easy fix.

If you want to shoot it lots handloading is the way to go.

Another option for 303 is a Ross rifle. I bought one last year and it very accurate. By far the most accurate open sight rifle I own.

[superlooper]

if you want a remington, i have a 700 BDL chambered in a .270 that id sell ya, like brand new with about 10 rounds through it. no iron sights on it though. you can put some on it though.

[El-Brento]

Pistol caliber carbines are a ton of fun for plinking, can be good for deer at closer range. My 44mag is my favourite rifle for shootin'

[Groundhogger]

Originally Posted by mrcrossbow

Soooo i got my p.a.l and now its burning a hole in my pocket. i must buy new toy, bows ,crossbows, flintlocks, airguns, now i need to add to my toy box

So i enjoy hunting,plinking, etc,
I enjoy older things ( ie flintlock) so i was looking at old rifles i might be interested in and i keep going back to the Le Enfield im not sure why but i do,

So is the 303 brit a good round for every thing from plinking to bear hunting ?

Is the ammo easy to find ( ie nearest walmart ) if i felt the urge to just go ruin a piece of plywood out back.

Oh and most importantly is a le enfield costly to buy ?

are there some draw backs to it ? cant scope it easly or what not

Is it easy to clean, ( i dont overly enjoy long cleaning times )

any ways thanks in advance to any imput. only so much can be read online before you just need ask some ppl that have used the item you are interested in and have some real world answers

You'll have to forgive people for suggesting a .22 if mention "plinking" so many times in your thread starter! I've been shooting nearly 40 years, and I've never heard/seen "303" and "plinking" in the same sentence. Anyhow, IF plinking is the goal...you could do allot worse than an iron-sighted .22. A CZ 452 LUX would be a superb choice, and older BRNO, etc. Pretty sure Marlin/Savage still offer iron-sighted bolt guns too. There were 22cal Enfield "Trainers" made back during the war, but they're highly collectible these days and a little to much $ for my blood. (would love to have one)

As for a good quality, good value, iron-sighted hunting rifle that shoots readily-available ammo with great knock-down power~I'd echo the "Savage Hog Hunter" advice. Not a vintage battle rifle, but affordable...and versatile.