Clean Up That Mess.

One of the things I like to do on Thursday after saying Mass is clean guns on the porch. It's relaxing and you know what they say, "A clean gun is a happy gun." As opposed to a gopping, miserable piece of non-working liability.

With that in mind, I snaked out my old SMLE Mk.III sporter and felt good about it. That rifle's proved itself handy in the field and at the range and I'm proud of an amateur 'smithing project that went right.

Speaking of guns, I just read The Red Circle by Brandon Webb, in which Webb describes his time in the SEALs and, especially, his work as a SEAL sniper. It's an easy read and when I put it down I thought, "LSP, this guy's forgotten more about shooting than you're likely to ever know."

Humbling and at the same time an incitement to learn more. Excellence in all things, not least shooting, being the catchphrase.

Mind how you wave that saber.

LSP

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

Sporterizing the Lee Enfield Porch Project -- All Scoped Up & Ready To Go

It took some time, a little patience and an amount of sanding, but the venerable SMLE is finally ready to shoot.

getting ready for bed

The ATI scope mount was easy to install along with 1" medium Weaver rings from Walmart, it's topped off with a Burris Fullfield that I found second hand at a local gunshop for $50.

Now I won't bore you with the rationale behind the project other than to say that  SBW put me up to it and it seemed like a good idea -- get a beat up old sporter with some fine Empire history behind it and turn the rifle into a handy shooter with 10 rounds of .303 power. A custom gun on a budget, sort of thing.

apply the safety, for goodness sake

So how much did it cost? Less than something plastic from Walmart, with the added satisfaction of having a hand in its making.

I'll dial it in at the range tomorrow.

Thanks, Bushwacker, for the inspiration and Lukeya for chivvying me on...

Cheers,

LSP