Hunting isn’t all about showing off a new state of the art rifle. Sometimes the layers of scratches on a well worn stock are more impressive than a shiny finish or intricate engraving. For years military surplus rifles have allowed hunters to get tough and accurate rifles for cheap. These old rifles carry their own brand of appeal. The military arm that has put the most meat on Canadian tables are the Lee Enfield rifles.
History
The Lee Enfield No4 Mk1 was the standard issue rifle for the Commonwealth during the Second world war and is basically a No1 Mk3 modernized for easier production. Other small changes include removal of the magazine cutoff and a different rear sight. The basic action remained the proven design that had served the Commonwealth through both world wars.
After the Second World War, the western countries started looking for an autoloading rifle. This left them with stockpiles of Lee Enfields that they no longer had a use for. The used rifles sold at bargain basement prices in hardware stores across commonwealth countries. Many hunters bought the rifles and removed the military stocks to lighten them before repurposing them as hunting rifles. Finally, in 2015 the Canadian Rangers retired their Lee Enfields, marking the end of the rifles military use in the Commonwealth.
Specifications
The standard bolt action Lee Enfield comes with a 10 round detachable box magazine. The gun can be fed by stripper clips, although most people will just push the rounds into the magazine through the top of the receiver. They are typically chambered in the 303 British with a few variations in 308 Winchester. The WW2 vintage rifles have a peep sight at the rear of the receiver. The sights are adjustable out to an optimistic 1300 yards.
The action is a striker-fired cock on close design. Unlike most modern bolt guns, the locking lug is at the rear of the bolt. This makes a unique action that is different from hunting rifles designed today. The rifles weigh 9.6lbs and have 25.2 inch barrels.
Strengths
Many of the attributes that made the Lee Enfield exemplary in its service to the Commonwealth also serve it well in the field. First of all, the Enfield has an incredibly fast bolt. This is due to the cock on close design, in which the striker is cocked when the bolt is slamming home, not when the bolt handle is being lifted initially. This ensures the bolt has the momentum to quickly overcome the resistance of the striker. The real world implications are faster follow up shots for the shooter. It’s this speed that led to the creation of the Mad Minute.
Next, the iron sights on the No4 Mk1’s are very good, especially the sets made before 1942. Quality peep sights are the most accurate type of iron sights. However, manufacturing peep sights is expensive and as such they are relatively rare. The No4 Mk1 comes with an excellent set of irons that can shoot way past what the shooter can do with iron sights.
Another advantage is the price. Even today, sporterized Lee Enfields cost right around 300 dollars. This is significantly cheaper than the cheapest new bolt action on the market. Furthermore, the Enfield doesn’t require one purchase an optic before they can shoot it.
Also, the guns are very durable. Everything on the rifle is made of steel and wood and nothing is flimsy or prone to breaking. The Lee Enfield is designed for war. From the protected front sight to the steel trigger guard, the Lee Enfields are built to absorb punishment and keep on going.
Finally, the cartridge. Although the 303 British is getting pretty long in the tooth, it is still an excellent hunting cartridge. An average load for a 303 British would be a 174 gr bullet travelling at around 2500 feet per second. While slightly less powerful than the 30-06, the 303 British is a very useful cartridge that is excellent for taking deer but still has the potency to kill a moose if need be.
Weaknesses
In spite of all its positives, the Lee Enfield does show its age. The rifle weighs over 9lbs without an optic, which makes it quite a bit heavier than many modern hunting rifles which weigh around 6-7lbs. The trigger is a a basic military trigger. It’s reasonably crisp and pulls around 6lbs.
Another detractor of the Lee Enfield is the fact that it uses a rimmed cartridge. This means that the end user must take care when inserting rounds into the magazine to make sure the rims don’t overlap. If they do they can catch on the rim of the cartridge below and jam the gun. This phenomenon is known as rimlock. Enfields aren’t as prone to rimlock as some other rimmed bolt actions like the Mosin Nagant. Nevertheless it is another failure point that doesn’t exist with modern cartridges.
Not only is the rimmed cartridge obsolete but it is also expensive. Factory ammo is readily available, but it is more costly than in standard hunting calibers like the 30-06 or the 270. This is not as critical for handloaders but if one wants to shoot factory 303 expect to pay around 45 dollars a box.
Even the handloader faces challenges with this cartridge. The Enfields have generous chambers to account for low quality ammo and reliability in the mud and dirt. This means that brass will expand more than it would in other rifles. Full length sizing each firing will quickly lead to case-head separations. The key to brass longevity when loading for an Enfield is to match the brass to the rifle that shot it and then neck size only.
Also, the accuracy on the Lee Enfields is mediocre for a bolt action. Depending on the example they shoot between 1.5-3 MOA. This is accurate enough for most big game hunting. However, for a bit more money budget bolt action rifles like a Savage Axis or a Ruger American will shoot groups half the size.
Competition
At the 300 dollar price point the Lee Enfield is the best common hunting rifle available. Some might argue the SKS is another option in this price range. However, the Enfield provides a better hunting cartridge, greater accuracy, and a lower price. The Savage Axis is probably a better hunting rifle, but even the base model will cost close to 500 dollars. For a hunting rifle on a shoe-string budget, the Lee Enfield is the only real option.
Closing Thoughts
The Lee Enfield is a historic weapon that has left its mark on the history books. They are also intriguing guns from a design standpoint as they are from a lineage of bolt action rifle design that mostly died out after WW2. They are no longer the cutting edge of rifle design its true. For shooters who enjoy the history, or new hunters looking to get started on a barebones budget, the Lee Enfield continues to serve well as it has for over a century.