Post by perry on Aug 31, 2016 3:02:19 GMT
I get there's no Centrefire Posts on an Air Rifle Forum but I thought I'd kick it off. Any one else here into Lee Enfield Rifles ? in particular Wildcat variations on the .303 British Cartridge. I'd be keen to hear about any of your Lee Enfields !
Years back ex military Firearms where about the only affordable Centrefire Firearms available here in Australia that could be modified into Hunting Rifles for very little investment. Inventive types Sporterised the Stocks, necked the .303 Brit Cartridge, down, up even shortened it and set back the Barrel but left the Caliber the same. Sometimes a combination of Shortening and changing the Neck Diameter. A Canadian by the name of Epps created a steeper Shoulder Angle on the .303 Brit which also removed the Taper from the Cartridge for a large increase in Case Capacity. The .303 Epps particularly when chambered in a P14 Action generated some seriously impressive Ballistics. Then of coarse the Epps was Wildcatted. If I ever get hold of a P14 Action I would love to have a 25.303 Epps built
Arguably the most popular Wildcat Cartridge in Australia was the 303.25. Aftermarket Cases are still produced from time to time. The 303.25 is roughly equivalent to the .243 Winchester. There where several versions of it and many are still in use today throughout the Country. Ever since I was a young Fella I was intrigued with .303 Wildcats and at different times coveted a 303 Falcon[ 22.303 ] and a 303.25, even a 303.270. But through it all a reference in an old Shooting Magazine by Nick Harvey a well known Gun Scribe in Australia captured my imagination - the 35 Territory aka 35.303 which to my young mind painted images of early Asiatic Bufflo Hunters in the Northern Territory. Its the .303 Brit necked up to .358. It produced Ballistics in line with the .358 Winchester but falls well behind the 35 Whelen. Both of these before becoming Factory chambering's were Wildcats on Military Cartridges. The .358 Win is a necked .308 and the 35 Whelen is a necked up 30.06.
About 10 years ago I finally commissioned a 1943 Lithgow No1 Mk3 Action to be rebarrelled to 35.303. It cost me an indecent amount of Coin, many times the Value of an ex Military Action, actually about twice the Value of a never Issued still in the grease No1 Mk3 but this does not matter, that I finally have what I wanted for near 40 years is whats important. It sports a 22 inch No5 Profile Barrel from Total Solution Enginnering and a Special Interest Arms Piccatiny Rail, this is a particularly good Scope Mount as it stiffens and ties into the Receiver perfectly. I had Allan Murray at Pine Rivers Lock and Gun do the Smith work for me, he does flawless work well worth the expense. My project is still not finished, I'd like a classic English Style Stock based on the Lee Speed variant but a fancy Walnut Stock is serious Coin I can not justify right now. In the mean while I have an aftermarket Synthetic Stock that does a great Job for this Rifles primary use as a Hunting Rifle.
Here she is sans Scope. I have a Leupold VX3 1.5-5X20 Scope in Optima Quick Detach Rings on her now. The Iron Sights are Recknagel, the Scope Mount is grooved and allows easy access to the Irons when I drop the Scope off the Rifle to Hunt Pigs close up in the Lignum and thick Scrub
Over a Benchrest this Rifle has shot a 3/4 MOA Group. This is a testament to Allan's Gunsmithing ability not my Shooting. I developed 2 loads for this Rifle - PPU Brass CCI LR Primer 43 grains of ADI 2208 225 Grain Sierra Gameking JSP [ never chronied but should be giving me around 2150fps ] and the 2nd Load using same Brass and Primer 38 Grains of ADI 2206H 260 Grain CBE Cast Bullet I have chronied this at 1885 fps with a 6 fps per shot variation over 5 rounds. Both conservative Loads that are very accurate and perform brilliantly on Game.
Years back ex military Firearms where about the only affordable Centrefire Firearms available here in Australia that could be modified into Hunting Rifles for very little investment. Inventive types Sporterised the Stocks, necked the .303 Brit Cartridge, down, up even shortened it and set back the Barrel but left the Caliber the same. Sometimes a combination of Shortening and changing the Neck Diameter. A Canadian by the name of Epps created a steeper Shoulder Angle on the .303 Brit which also removed the Taper from the Cartridge for a large increase in Case Capacity. The .303 Epps particularly when chambered in a P14 Action generated some seriously impressive Ballistics. Then of coarse the Epps was Wildcatted. If I ever get hold of a P14 Action I would love to have a 25.303 Epps built
Arguably the most popular Wildcat Cartridge in Australia was the 303.25. Aftermarket Cases are still produced from time to time. The 303.25 is roughly equivalent to the .243 Winchester. There where several versions of it and many are still in use today throughout the Country. Ever since I was a young Fella I was intrigued with .303 Wildcats and at different times coveted a 303 Falcon[ 22.303 ] and a 303.25, even a 303.270. But through it all a reference in an old Shooting Magazine by Nick Harvey a well known Gun Scribe in Australia captured my imagination - the 35 Territory aka 35.303 which to my young mind painted images of early Asiatic Bufflo Hunters in the Northern Territory. Its the .303 Brit necked up to .358. It produced Ballistics in line with the .358 Winchester but falls well behind the 35 Whelen. Both of these before becoming Factory chambering's were Wildcats on Military Cartridges. The .358 Win is a necked .308 and the 35 Whelen is a necked up 30.06.
About 10 years ago I finally commissioned a 1943 Lithgow No1 Mk3 Action to be rebarrelled to 35.303. It cost me an indecent amount of Coin, many times the Value of an ex Military Action, actually about twice the Value of a never Issued still in the grease No1 Mk3 but this does not matter, that I finally have what I wanted for near 40 years is whats important. It sports a 22 inch No5 Profile Barrel from Total Solution Enginnering and a Special Interest Arms Piccatiny Rail, this is a particularly good Scope Mount as it stiffens and ties into the Receiver perfectly. I had Allan Murray at Pine Rivers Lock and Gun do the Smith work for me, he does flawless work well worth the expense. My project is still not finished, I'd like a classic English Style Stock based on the Lee Speed variant but a fancy Walnut Stock is serious Coin I can not justify right now. In the mean while I have an aftermarket Synthetic Stock that does a great Job for this Rifles primary use as a Hunting Rifle.
Here she is sans Scope. I have a Leupold VX3 1.5-5X20 Scope in Optima Quick Detach Rings on her now. The Iron Sights are Recknagel, the Scope Mount is grooved and allows easy access to the Irons when I drop the Scope off the Rifle to Hunt Pigs close up in the Lignum and thick Scrub
Over a Benchrest this Rifle has shot a 3/4 MOA Group. This is a testament to Allan's Gunsmithing ability not my Shooting. I developed 2 loads for this Rifle - PPU Brass CCI LR Primer 43 grains of ADI 2208 225 Grain Sierra Gameking JSP [ never chronied but should be giving me around 2150fps ] and the 2nd Load using same Brass and Primer 38 Grains of ADI 2206H 260 Grain CBE Cast Bullet I have chronied this at 1885 fps with a 6 fps per shot variation over 5 rounds. Both conservative Loads that are very accurate and perform brilliantly on Game.
