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#184546 - 10/08/09 02:41 AM Picked up a new rifle today...
JohnE Offline
Addict

Registered: 06/10/08
Posts: 601
Loc: Southern Cal
built in 1945. It's a Lee-Enfield Mk5 Jungle Carbine .303 caliber.

Got it after a recommendation from the "I'd really like to know what in the hell happened to him.." former member of this forum, Chris Kavanaugh.

Found one online at a dealer that specialises in antique/curios and relic firearms.

It's in very good condition, haven't shot it yet but I'm hoping to do so this weekend.


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JohnE

"and all the lousy little poets
comin round
tryin' to sound like Charlie Manson"

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#184550 - 10/08/09 03:19 AM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: JohnE]
scafool Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 12/18/08
Posts: 1534
Loc: Muskoka
I had some problems with Winchester shells not feeding in my 303 back about 1980 or so.
It seems they were made a bit longer than the military rounds and have rounder points. They were OK if you dropped them in from the top single shot style, but they would not feed from the magazine. Maybe they have fixed that now, it was not every shell either, but out of a box of 20 at least 4 would be like that.


You can use .308 bullets if you are loading your own shells. They are slightly smaller than 303 bullets but not enough to hurt anything.
Almost all bullets in 30 calibre are .308 diameter while .303 is just a bit larger and actually measures .311 or .312 diameter.

Sierra might still make match grade 303 bullets.
I used to use 150 grain .308 bullets instead of the .303 bullets when I was hand loading. They seemed to shoot about the same as the 303 on the range. They were certainly easier to find in the stores.


When you are buying ammo you will notice 303 is available in up to 220 grain.
You really don't need that heavy of a slug for anything you might hunt in North America, except possibly a Kodiak.
The most common weight seems to be 180, and even that is heavy compared to most other 30 calibre rifles like 308 or 30-06.
You can still get the 174 grain bullets too if you look for them, but they are usually older surplus stock.


Edited by scafool (10/08/09 03:30 AM)
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#184554 - 10/08/09 04:47 AM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: scafool]
JohnE Offline
Addict

Registered: 06/10/08
Posts: 601
Loc: Southern Cal
I've found and bought some 180 and some 174 grain bullets. I'm probably going to learn how to reload as I've been told by knowledgeable folks that a 150 bullet is an ideal round for my rifle. I don't plan on hunting any bears with it...;^)

Thanks for the info.


_________________________
JohnE

"and all the lousy little poets
comin round
tryin' to sound like Charlie Manson"

The Future/Leonard Cohen


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#184557 - 10/08/09 06:31 AM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: JohnE]
LED Offline
Veteran

Registered: 09/01/05
Posts: 1474
Nice find. What a great rifle. Mind me asking what you paid for it, ballpark figure is fine.

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#184559 - 10/08/09 08:12 AM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: LED]
Paul810 Offline
Veteran

Registered: 03/02/03
Posts: 1428
Loc: NJ, USA
A buddy of mine used to have a Jungle Carbine that we would take to the range all the time. With the regular iron sights it wasn't the most accurate thing I've ever shot, but it was plenty accurate for a battle rifle. The best part about it, IMO, is the carbine size. I never used to be one for short barreled rifles, but the Enfield changed my mind.

In fact, after messing around with it I decided I had to own a compact size rifle, though in a more modern cartridge such as .308 or maybe even .223 to keep it more managable. I decided on Ruger's M77 Compact, though I haven't had the chance to pick one up yet. frown

Anyway, good luck with it. They're definitely neat little rifles.

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#184560 - 10/08/09 08:43 AM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: JohnE]
Desperado Offline
Veteran

Registered: 11/01/08
Posts: 1530
Loc: DFW, Texas
Would be interesting to know if that was OBG's old Jungle Carbine. I know it was kept in California.....
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#184574 - 10/08/09 12:50 PM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: JohnE]
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078
The Lee Enfield No 5 has a pretty serious design fault for a carbine as unlike the AK47 or M16 derivatives it can't really be used without making sure the butt stock is securely held into the shoulder as it will kick like a mule especially with Mk7 and Mk8 ammunition. It should still be accurate out to 800 metres though with the best ammunition, which is something AR15 and AK47 owners could only dream about (esp AK47 owners) whistle

I always find it amusing that this type of rifle is always referred to an antique/museum curio/relic when in the right hands is much more powerful and deadly than current issue assault weapons.

Another entry for the 'It might be an antique but...' post perhaps.. grin





Edited by Am_Fear_Liath_Mor (10/08/09 01:04 PM)

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#184585 - 10/08/09 04:07 PM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor]
NobodySpecial Offline
Member

Registered: 03/03/09
Posts: 197
Not a firearms expert but I thought I understood physics.
Why does a shorter barrel produce more recoil?

I would have thought that more of the gas from the charge escaped out of the barrel before expanding fully, so the bullet has a lower velocity and so there is LESS recoil transferred to the weapon?

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#184586 - 10/08/09 04:09 PM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: NobodySpecial]
el_diabl0 Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 12/31/06
Posts: 301
Loc: NE Ohio
Originally Posted By: NobodySpecial
Not a firearms expert but I thought I understood physics.
Why does a shorter barrel produce more recoil?

I would have thought that more of the gas from the charge escaped out of the barrel before expanding fully, so the bullet has a lower velocity and so there is LESS recoil transferred to the weapon?


One word...rifling
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#184588 - 10/08/09 04:29 PM Re: Picked up a new rifle today... [Re: NobodySpecial]
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078
Quote:
Not a firearms expert but I thought I understood physics.
Why does a shorter barrel produce more recoil?

I would have thought that more of the gas from the charge escaped out of the barrel before expanding fully, so the bullet has a lower velocity and so there is LESS recoil transferred to the weapon?


The muzzle velocity for the No5 (2,539 ft/s 774 m/s) wasn't that much different from the No4 (2,770 ft/s 844 m/s) but the No5 was nearly 2 lbs (about 7 lbs compared to 9lbs for the No4) lighter or about the same as the lightweight M16 ). The No4 was already known for its substantial kick.

e.g if you compared the ft.lbfs energy of the .303 at 180gr you get (2,636 ft·lbf) as apposed to the 5.56x45 Nato at (1,303 ft·lbf) the .303 has twice the recoil energy in a rifle weighing the same. The No5 Carbine makes the AR-15 feel like an underpowered plastic pop gun by comparison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAKUhv1gSQA

For exampke the No5 is 4 1/2 lbs lighter than a M14 for similar recoil power.


Edited by Am_Fear_Liath_Mor (10/08/09 04:46 PM)

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