lee enfield magazine

[6878mm]

Does anybody have ANY???? idea if a No4 lee enfield magazine can be modified to feed 308, or do I need a dedicated 7.62mag
Please, don`t refer me to some sort of ??
Just your own experiences

[No1Mk3]

Plenty of Lee Enfield mags around, from $70 to $100+ depending on series and Mark, (ie: a No 9A mag will cost north of $1500 or a Hiscock-Parker for the No 1 trainer more than $2000). The No 4 mag is a pain to modify for 308 and you may wreck a couple trying but it can be done, to find a 308 mag is a better option but you will pay over $150 for it.

[6878mm]

WHERE???? do I find a 7.62 magazine
I would if I could

[in2anity]

Look for an Isaphore, a Sterling or pay money to T-bone to adapt you one.

[6878mm]

IF???? I could see what needs to be done, I can do it myself

[6878mm]

AND!!!! If I thought that there was enough demand I might convert a couple more

[Vince24]

I had been looking for a Sterling mag for a while, it took me a few months but finally, one went up last year on Ozgun sales for $275.... I jumped on it as if my life depended on it and 5 minutes after it was mine. I was lucky the ad had just come in.
Sometimes later, another went for sale at $320... it was sold in a matter of minutes.
For a long while, one was for sale at 800$ on SSAA... it is sold now, not sure at what price...
Have to be both patient and quick if one shows up at less than $400!

Note that there is no guarantee that the Sterling mag will fit well to all No4. Mine fits well the Enfield it was intended for (pfeew!), but it does not fit all my other No4.

It is probably possible to do a conversion but... somehow it does not seem that anybody does it! Maybe not that easy?
Those 308w conversions are always a bit finicky, and it never cycles absolutely as well and as reliably as a good old 303.

Point of attention, the magazine is not the only issue, you also need a modified extractor
I got mine here
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/304065422798
It was not working very well, I had to tighten the ejector screw to the absolute limit to have it work decently.

With the experience of my 2 Enfields in 308w, my 1903 in 308w, my Israeli Mausers in 308W, I tend to think that rifles work just better in their original calibre.
None of these conversions cycles as well as with the original calibre.
Even my Ishapore 2A originally built in 308w does not cycle as reliably as a basic 303 SMLE I find.

[Jorlcrin]

Is the No.4 .303 magazine a different fit to the No. 1 Mk3 .303 mags?
Does either fit into either?

I dont think I've ever checked.
Must have been a pain in the arse if they are different.

[Vince24]

the answer is that they are not interchangeable in all circumstances, depending on the models etc,

On the conversion, another thought is that the Sterling is a 10 round mag, whereas any conversion of a 303 mag will necessarily be less - 8 rounds I have read somewhere.

[No1Mk3]

Is the No.4 .303 magazine a different fit to the No. 1 Mk3 .303 mags?
Does either fit into either?

I dont think I've ever checked.
Must have been a pain in the arse if they are different.

Yes, they are different. Most No1 mags will not lock in to the No4 action, some will.

[Jorlcrin]

Is the No.4 .303 magazine a different fit to the No. 1 Mk3 .303 mags?
Does either fit into either?

I dont think I've ever checked.
Must have been a pain in the arse if they are different.

Yes, they are different. Most No1 mags will not lock in to the No4 action, some will.

Well; There ya go!

I had (what I thought was) a SMLE mag here in the house, so cleaned it up and compared it to the variants described and photos online.
If I'm reading it right, turns out this one is a Lee Metford 10-round mag(assuming I have ID correct).
The spring has a hooky section that hinges under the follower, and clips to the front top of the mag.
I have a single Broad Arrow stamped on the upper of the mag follower; just in front of the rear lips.

What I dont understand, is the markings on the spine, and whether they match up:-
One the spine(no rivets) I have a broad arrow at the bottom, and then halfway up the spine, I have what looks to be a crown under crossed scepters,
and then under that, I have 'A4',
and then under that, I have '13'.

Would '13' be Year of Manufacture?
If so, would they have still been making magazines for the Lee Metfords in 1913??
Or is this same mag design being used in some of the SMLE variants?

It seems the more I delve into the dark arts of Lee Enfields, the more confused I get!

[No1Mk3]

Is the No.4 .303 magazine a different fit to the No. 1 Mk3 .303 mags?
Does either fit into either?

I dont think I've ever checked.
Must have been a pain in the arse if they are different.

Yes, they are different. Most No1 mags will not lock in to the No4 action, some will.

Well; There ya go!

I had (what I thought was) a SMLE mag here in the house, so cleaned it up and compared it to the variants described and photos online.
If I'm reading it right, turns out this one is a Lee Metford 10-round mag(assuming I have ID correct).
The spring has a hooky section that hinges under the follower, and clips to the front top of the mag.
I have a single Broad Arrow stamped on the upper of the mag follower; just in front of the rear lips.

What I dont understand, is the markings on the spine, and whether they match up:-
One the spine(no rivets) I have a broad arrow at the bottom, and then halfway up the spine, I have what looks to be a crown under crossed scepters,
and then under that, I have 'A4',
and then under that, I have '13'.

Would '13' be Year of Manufacture?
If so, would they have still been making magazines for the Lee Metfords in 1913??
Or is this same mag design being used in some of the SMLE variants?

It seems the more I delve into the dark arts of Lee Enfields, the more confused I get!

It's going to get worse the deeper you get. The Magazine Lee Metford Mk I & I* used an 8 rnd single stack mag with a coil spring under a flat platform, the Magazine Lee Enfield Mk I & I* used the same magazine as the Magazine Lee Metford Mk II & II* being a 10 rnd double stack with a leaf "C" spring and a different platform in Case No 1. the Charger Loading Lee Metford Mk II and the Charger Loading Lee Enfield used the same mag which is different to the MLM & MLE, a 10 rnd double stack mag with a leaf zig-zag spring under a re-designed platform (Platform No1) in Case No 2 with movable lock on the right front of the mag. These are all different to the SMLE mags which utilized the Case No 3 or 4 with a small spring riveted to the back of the case. All the preceding goes to hell with the introduction of MkVII ammo wich saw CLLM & CLLE rifles retro-firtted with SMLE mags.