Pre War .303 Lee-Enfield For Deer?
Pre War .303 Lee-Enfield For Deer?
Ever considered a Pre-World War 1 .303 Lee-Enfield rifle for deer stalking? Professional stalkers Paul Symons & Peter S Jones set out to hunt Roe deer in the UK countryside with this iconic rifle.
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Got many deer with the old sporter 303 british no1 mk3 with open sights or else the no4 mk1 with a scope , 6x . Sporter rifles of coarse. They shoot very well and are used for elk and moose hunting. My bro uses a Ross mk3 M1910 straight pull 303 british with peep sights. He hit the same hole at 500 yards with his mk3 ross rifle.
1st world war 303 .
Beautiful rifle right there. I’m saving for an Australian Lithgow made SMLE3* myself.
Thanks from Tasmania for another great short film Peter. Especially appreciative that all safety, sustainablity and humane practice aspects are included in the footage. I’ve a faint, somewhat romantic notion to use an old 6.5×55 Carl Gustav for deer stalking, but where I stalk (for Fallow) it is often ‘a long shot or no shot’, so the scoped rifle will keep going into the gun bag for now.
I get that the SMLE can be cycled a bit faster than most other military bolt actions of the period and that this is a desirable feature. What I don’t understand is why virtually every You Tube session with a Lee Enfield invariably involves someone trying to demonstrate just how quickly they can empty a mag. The Lee Enfield was a pretty good battle rifle but it also has it’s faults. What’s more, there’s a lot of myth and downright bs about the rifle that’s typically accepted as fact these days. For example, the idea that the the Germans sometimes mistook the massed shooting of SMLEs for automatic weapons. Yes, it sound good, but in reality, it’s just wartime British propaganda. There is not evidence, at all, from German records that this was ever ‘a thing’.
I currently only have a shotgun but am planning to add a Lee Enfield to the collection within 5 years. Its always been a dream of mine to own one and use it for hunting.
Peter on 6.5 creedmoor is it worth getting rid of a 243 to switch cartridge, what do you think of the caliber, I don’t reload and ammo seems plentiful 96gr-156gr options
Love shooting any 30 cal. Was brought up with the 7.62 in my service days, now shoot a .308 and a club 303. Shot a very similar nr4 on an mod range at 600 yds and 3 shots from 5 on target with open sights! Really it was a reasonably accurate 300 yd weapon in standard trim.
For deer Stalking it would be a great rifle except dusk and dawn when open sights are compromised but you would struggle finding a deer legal bullet. Great channel by the way😊
One question….why the PDS1 when we already have the DSC1 promoted by the basc? Like many others, I did the dsc1 and found it informative and worthwhile even though I’d been hunting for over 30 years when I took the course.
What a responsible and refreshing change to make such a great case for the sustainability and conservation angle. Far far more sensible to garner support for this activity from the public. Trophy hunting vids do the exact opposite😉
Have been a fan of the No.1Mark 3 Lee Enfield since I was a kid during those great days of surplus rifles 1960’s here in the United States. I STILL have one in outstanding condition, over those many decades I have hunted periodically but especially in my teens with a .303, as have some of my hunting buddies along with my brother and his son. My brother killed a wild boar with an original No4 Mark 1 as did his son with a No5. Enjoyed seeing that .303 in the deervwoods, brought back memories with the No 1 Mark 3.
cool fact: up until 5 or so years ago the lee enfield was still standard issue for The Canadian Rangers
I used a 303brit for moose (canada).
What a great show today
Funny enough I have just purchased a Lee Enfield number 4 and have it for deer stalking. Want to use open sights and get back to basics what better than the Lee, well I guess I could buy a Rigby highland stalker but the good lady would not be best pleased when she found out how much it was
Keep up the good work
I’ve had three No 4’s but no SMLE .I had a Longbranch No 4 (2 groove rifling) and two Parker Hale Sporter conversions.The No 4 outshot the Sporters!About 11/2” at a hundred yards with Winchester 170 gn SP ammo!👍I used Greek Army surplus for range use !🙂
I fired the .303 at the Severn Tunnel Ranges when I was about 12 or 13 yrs old as a member of the Army Cadet Force. The rifle was very intimidating at that time, but I enjoyed firing it and did quite well if my memory serves. I joined the Army later and used the SLR 7.62 rifle. Which I never became any use with. I wanted to do well with it but just couldn’t get it shoot straight. Oh well, that’s how it was. I enjoyed this vid, it’s been interesting. Thank you.
A .303 will easily take deer.
Who cares about the military stuff? .303 rifles were shooting elephants in Africa, grizzlies and moose in Canada, red stags in New Zealand and crocs in Australia.
A Kiwi deer culler would strip that military rifle of its sight ears, sling swivels, magazine cut off, charger bridge and the safety, all the superfluous ironmongery, then saw two-thirds of the forestock off, split a strip off the butt with an axe to shape a pistol grip. Then sharpen the side of the magazine spring in case you lose your knife; shove a bit of candle and two spare rounds up the cleaning hole, slap ten rounds in the mag and one up the spout and you were in business as a government shooter – ten shillings a skin and five bob a tail and if you used more than three rounds a deer you paid for them…
The Lee Enfield 303 has likely taken more game in Southern Africa than any other bolt action rifle.
To this day, you will be hard presses to find a farm in Namibia without a "three-oh-three" in the gunsafe. A good many venision hunters still use sporterised Enfields.
Hunting in the UK is so different to here in NZ .. you lot are so stiff upper lip ..
I still use 303 here in New Zealand, I load 308 bullets as there aren’t a large range of 303 bullets
I was at the range with the old Lithgow which has never lost a match. Yeah there’s better modern rifles that have fallen to the old beauty. A young fellow at the range asked what it was and he said the oh the 303 British is the perfect cartridge. Hi praise indeed.
I understand what you say, but hey it’s just us humans deciding on life or death for other sentient beings that inhabit our planet alongside us. Animals have a tough time. Some have a hell of a life. I won’t kill them.
Given quality ammunition and keen eyesight?
There’s little reason an SMLE in good working order can’t make accurate hits out to 600 yards in the hands of someone well acquainted with either the SMLE or later number 4 mark pattern Enfield rifles. Such long shots aren’t ethical for game hunting.
But for target or combat shooting?
Perfectly acceptable as the .303 cartridge has plenty of power for the job.
As an aside or two.
Most Enfield pattern rifles tend to windage adjust off of their front sights. Not via their rear sights, like many modern combat rifle designs.
But this adjustment is meant for initial zeroing of the weapons sights only.
And in the U.S..
Especially in the South?
The Enfield had a bit of a sportsmans cult following amongst deer hunters due to thousands of the rifles finding their way to U.S. shores and the inexpensive surplus rifle markets after the world wars.
Their cost effectivness placed them within the means of Southern hunters who might not have much money in their pockets with which to buy expensive domesticly produced hunting rifles.
But who still needed to feed and protect their families or keep varmints out of their crops.
Why is he lifting his head !
The .303, many of them from pre WW1, were issued to New Zealand Forest Service deer cullers from the early 1920’s until the early 1960’s, when I was issued one. Cullers accounted for about 30 million deer in that 40 years. Enjoyed the video, subscribed. Cheers.
and yet , the FUDDs go mad , when they see a hunter with an AR-15 in the country side "that is totally unsuitable for hunting " or "why do you have a such an evil weapon of war ? this is not america they should be banned " etc however when a hunter takes a lee enfield rifle into the countryside despite being a true weapon of war , with its bolt action designed to be faster then any mauser action for one reason only – to enable more rounds down at the enemy , a 10 round box mag which in ww2 would of been considered a high cap magazine , the FUDDs are totally ok with it ! no wounder we lost handguns and semi auto rifles back in the day
Here in New Zealand the old .303 is still in common use with hunters and range shooters. Fitted with a non drill mount and scope they are good for a lot longer range than 100 yds! My go to is a No. 5 (Jungle Carbine) used for the last 40 odd years and no problems. They do the job just as well now as 100 years ago. Federal , Norma or PPC 150gr ammo is easy to get as well.
I hunt deer with my 1924 Mosin Nagant with iron sights. Its does EXACTLY what it says on the wrapper.
I bought a 1944 Lee Enfield for £150 and refurbished it, including polishing the trigger etc. I now have a classic 1970’s x4 scope on it and hand load 150grain soft points – used it on a good few deer. great rife.
A bit of overkill for the 303 british. it packs almost as much power as the 308!!
Absolutely. I shot my first deer and many subsequent ones with a 1913 BSA made SMLE. No I MK III.
The rifle is absolutely accurate enough, and the cartridge is very effective for quick, clean kills on large deer. Canadians hunt moose with them, and carry the No 4 mk2 for bear protection in the far North.
wouldn’t you have spare mag clips ready to pop & go not manaully popping single rounds from your pocket
I shoot a No4mk1* Longbranch as issued I have hunted with it and take it on all my hunts though usually as back up rifle (I prefer to use a bit more accurate rifle as some shots are up to 300m in our countryside) But it is an awesome plinking rifle particularly with the mild cast lead loads I make for it 200gr hollow point at 1700fps has plenty of energy and stopping power for large deer though I mainly use it for feral goats. What most people don’t realize is how delightful they are to shoot one of my favorite things is to take young guys down to a quarry I manage hand them the 303 and a hundred rounds of ammo and just let them have (safe and controlled) fun.
.303 Enfield its as simple as this Its killed every kind of game up to and including elephant
and every kind of human too . it may be marginal for some of the larger mor agressive species but in the right hands they will fallto it too.
Tens of thousands of deer were shot with .303 SMLE rifles by cullers in NZ. They are still used today for the same thing…..
Schoolboy error making ready closing the bolt with the muzzle pointing 45ﾟ up in the air!!!
I’m from UK and want to start shooting/hunting.
I’m ex army and miss the feel of shooting but could do with some knowledge on the laws and the best calibre.
Any info or help would be appreciated.
Your Queen demands you not hunt the deer or own a firearm!
A great, very interesting video! Here in the U.S. there are a fair number of 303’s used by hunters for deer hunting, mainly states bordering Canada. The Canadian’s still have a large number of 303’s still in use, picked up over the years from surplus stocks sold off at very reasonable prices. Very effective on deer, moose, etc. I’ve fired them with friends but not owned one myself, I would love to find a Mk-4 at a reasonable price, knowing they are not cheap anymore regardless.
Just found your channel, very good content and interesting to learn about hunting in the UK! Thank you!
I have a 1941 lithgow no1mk3 and with handloads my best is right at 2 inches at 100 yards shes definitely a keeper and is my new rifle for hogs
Nicely done lads, smoothest bolt and cock on closing ensures a rapid rate of fire. James Paris Lee the inventor of the rifle was born in Hawick here in the Scottish Borders. Three generations of my family used the various models and marks of the Lee Enfield and due to them being good /lucky soldiers I’m here today. Thanks for sharing. Best. GD
I started stalking with a 1917 BSA SMLE in 303, that and my 1907 Swedish cavalry carbine have filled my freezer many a time
I can still take out a kudu bull at about 500m with my BSA 303 rifle
One of the Best weapon made by Britan
Use this to take down ELEPHANT 🦏 HIPPO AND 🐯
A 303 for hunting? Hell yes!! A 215gr round nose, soft nose Woodleigh bullet from the old 3oh, is nearly as good as the venerable.318 Westly Richards. I used a No 1 MkIII carbine for hunting pigs etc, for years and it never failed to deliver the bacon. 👍😁👏👏👏
I currently own a HRBCo Martini Henry actioned .303 and the bore is still in VG condition. I have used it for target shooting and now enjoy shooting it with cast lead projectiles. 😁
I’m from the UK and really didn’t know hunting was a thing here 🤣 love the channel and subscribed.
Suprised you are using a dsc1 target and not a pds one
My first deer hunting was with a 1915 .303 SMLE. It did the job well. The only negative I remember is the weight — that iron bayonet lug must weigh more than a pound all by itself.
its weird when voice is only coming from one of your ears …
If a 22 Magnum or a 223 can harvest a little deer, the 303 is more than enough to do the job. I still use my 1942 Longbranch for moose here in Canada ( I also use a 308 WIn ). A few other hunters I know also use the 303 from various years, all with great success on moose, bear, caribou, etc. I am also a Canadian Infantry veteran, so owning this rifle that was made in Mississauga Ontario at the Longbranch Armories fills me with great pride. Stay safe and happy shooting.
Bought one of these for anti piracy options for some friends sailing back to Holland from Oman, local souk took 60 rials off me for one, ammunition was a faff, Russian. 303 copies. Did a bit of basics with the sailors, and off they went. No dramas en voyage and they stripped it to bits and scattered it into Rotterdam harbour before arriving! A solid bit of kit, but not sure I’d use one for deer, no sights, no moderator, and a big brass buttplate to smack me squarely in the shoulder each time. Nice to have the bayonet option though….lol