March of the Lees

Just Some Lees

One of the first things I did when I moved to the countryside was go to the local pawn shop, the Gold Nugget. Why? Well, there wasn't much else to do here and it seemed like most of the town were there, so I figured it was a pastoral duty to visit. Fly the flag, kind of thing. Also they had guns and that was a big draw. Especially the Lee Enfield No. 4 Mk. I that stood on the rack, beckoning. Matching serials, bright bore, good rifling and a whole lot of nostalgia. So I bought it and before long the Lees were multiplying, partly because SBW was saying, "Go on! Sort out a Lee Sporter!"

That's How It's Really Done (not by me)

$100 later I was into an SMLE Mk.III porch project, stripping paint, sanding (and sanding and sanding and sanding and...) and generally fixing up an old 1917 battle rifle. I wanted to get something like a Lee Speed, which I didn't because I don't have the skills but still, I was pleased with the result. I've put an ATI rail on it and mounted a used Burris Fullfield. The scope's died, so I figure I'll get something cost-effective, maybe a Nikon.

Willie Nelson Loves Lee Enfields

That leaves a spare No. 4. Speak to a smith and get a Scout Rifle, that's what I'm thinking.

If you don't like Stardust by Mr. Nelson you're a fool.

LSP

Shoot the Lee, for God's Sake!

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You may have thought that I'd forgotten about firearms, being so busy with the Mission Field and all. But no, despite a grievous lack of readily available ammo -- please, someone, sort it out -- I've managed to get to my friend's range a couple of times.

Upgrade the glass, yo.

I was especially pleased with my "project Lee," an old 1917 SMLE that'd been sporterized once, badly, then re-sporterized by me in an amateur attempt to own a make-believe Lee Speed. Not being a stereotype, I want to own something approximating to the hunting rifle of the British Empire.

Sand, Plane, Rasp, Blue

Whatever, the mock Speed shot pretty well, putting rounds in a Dime with a used Burris(!) scope. Not bad for a WWI rifle that's gone through several porch project gunsmith hours. 

There's a Rifle on the Table1

Some people have motorcycles in their front room, or "lounge." Others go for Lees on the Mahogany. Same strategy, different tactic? 

Fruity!

In other news, the oddly named Gavin SameSex Welby has come out vastly in favor of wimmin bishops and rather cautiously in favor of gay sex. Go on, Gavin, bite the bullet!

Snack

Yours unstereotypically,

LSP

Shoot the Lee!

I've been saving a couple of boxes of .303 British thinking, for some reason, that they were hard to come by, which they're not. This foolishness had stopped me firing my Lee Enfield for the last month or so until today, when the scales fell from my eyes. "Don't be stupid, LSP,'" I thought to myself, "take the SMLE out for a spin, you can always get more ammo."

Struck by this ammunition epiphany, I loaded up some weapons and drove off to my Treasurer's farm for a shoot. First off I stalked the acreage with a .22 looking for rabbits - no joy, doubtless because they were 1/2 a mile away gorging on vegetables in the plot behind the barn.

Nothing daunted I set up a target by some hay bales and fired off a box of .45 ACP to decent effect, somewhere in the region of 3 inch groups at around 20 yards. Shot lower left of target initially but got things together after a time and pulled up close to the center.

Then it was off to the combine harvester with the Lee. The advantage of the CH being that you can sit up high on the machine and shoot safely down on the target from appx. 60/70 yards.

Despite ammo paranoia induced lack of practice, the rounds grouped well, albeit a little low. Used battle instead of peep sights - perhaps an error. But that was less important to me than the sheer enjoyment of the action of the rifle, which I find robust and well engineered.

Shoot over, it was back to church for Vespers and a conflab with parishioners who were setting the hall up for a Father's Day reception after Sunday Mass. They figured it should have a theme and chose "On the Beach." I don't know why and didn't ask, but did congratulate their ingenuity.

Have a great Father's Day.

LSP