Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Lee Enfield Rising


So, LSP, what's up with the Lee Enfields? I hear you ask in that bated breath kind of way. I'll tell you, not much, that is until today. Here's the backstory.



After more sanding than I care to mention, I'd refinished and restocked a 1917 Mk. III. Being a cheapskate, I put an ATI rail over the action to mount an optic. Being a double cheapskate, I bought a second-hand Burris Fullfield for fifty bucks and put it on the rail. After 60 rounds or so the scope wouldn't adjust for windage and I thought it was broken, like the Church of England but less expensive. The scope lived on my mantlepiece for a year, looking outwardly sleek and deadly, but inwardly I knew it was dead. Until the other day that is, when I decided to drag it off its perch and give it a second chance in life.



I looked at the windage dial, which was absurdly adjusted full right. I winded it back to a place that intuitively felt right, maybe 150 clicks left, not that I was counting, and as I did, I noticed the reticle moving left. Windage worked, obviously. I boresighted, using a King James Bible as a rest, and sure enough, my instinct was right, the scope was pretty much on. Result. 

Turkey

Took the rifle to the range this morning and it shot well enough, achieving 1- 3" groups at 100 yards from the bench, using 180 grain Privy Partizan, which had an easy time of slicing through steel turkey. Not bad for a firearm that's almost 100 years old and certainly good enough for minute of hog. 

Shoot on,

LSP

6 comments:

jenny said...

Here's an educated comment: What a pretty gun!

But really, the work you did turned out nice-- a good finish is painstaking.

Was that turkey out there by the blue and wooden thing? Some day I will try shooting something other than a handgun with one eye closed. Apparently one can do fancy things.

LSP said...

Thanks Jenny -- I was pleased with the result.

Enjoy those pistols!

lukeya said...

Happy Beltane Padre

LSP said...

Good old Beltane, gotta love her.

The Suburban Bushwacker said...

"I boresighted, using a King James Bible as a rest, and sure enough, my instinct was right, the scope was pretty much on. Result."

That's 'you' right there dude, great writing.
SBW

LSP said...

Thanks for the plaudit, SBW, and credit where credit's due -- you got me moving on the Lees...