Which 303

[Ade]

As the title says. Trying to decided between a Jungle Carbine or normal 303. What's other people's ideas. Any model preference advantages etc? What's a long tom model 303? Fill me in please

[1290]

there are generally 3 types of jungle carbines;
1] English made, based on no.4 actions known as no.5...
2] Aussie made based on no.1 action but I believe were always considered 'experimental'
3] cut down no4 and no1 rifles.....

every Aussie must have at least 1 lee Enfield... preferably a lithy.... just find one with a good barrel,
No.1 or Magazine-Lee-Enfields are the older ones, longer barrel versions, so many iterations, variations, long barrel, short barrel (SMLE) shorter barrel (JC)... you need to spend a night researching... volley sights, 5 round, 10 round, carbine, cavalry, mag cutoff, no cutoff... military issue, commercial, 2 groove, 5 groove, Aussie, English Canadian....Indian too!!.... aaaaahhhhhhhhhh.... so much info...

[Chronos]

To me the no 5's or jungle carbines as they're also known (more about that later) hold no appeal, My ideal .303 would have to be a no 1 simply because that's what was handed to our diggers, almost always british made and now australian made.

the no 4 rifles are thought to be the most accurate of the lot in my experience

I hope to own a decent lithgow one day (when i win lotto) but for now i have to make do with my Maltby no4

Chronos

[1290]

All reasonable offers considered stevo

number1markIIIstar.jpg (26.81 KiB) Viewed 4979 times

[aaronjo]

Damn those look good!

Old skool antique rifles or modern full stock equivalent, it's like my 69 Corolla. Not as reliable, noisey, breaks down once in a while but always puts a smile on my face when I drive her!

[Chronos]

All reasonable offers considered stevo

number1markIIIstar.jpg

If it's got matching numbers and a bayonet I'll give you $400, free shipping I course



Chronos

[Chronos]

Damn those look good!

Old skool antique rifles or modern full stock equivalent, it's like my 69 Corolla. Not as reliable, noisey, breaks down once in a while but always puts a smile on my face when I drive her!

Don't kid yourself mate, they're as reliable as they come. It was in the design brief.

I ran some of the previous owners hand loads through it a few weeks ago, within 5 rounds of playing with the rear sight (has a singer style rear) I hit a 300 x 400 mm plate at 300m from a standing position, and ran 10 rounds through it as quick as I could at a 50m target without a second thought. It's beautifully efficient for a 70 year old rifle and feels great to shoot.

Chronos

[David Brown]

Interesting timing.

I am sorting through my wife's fathers collection. Some we will keep and some we will not, and there is a .303 receiver and barrel, a new unfitted synthetic stock, some of the original timber. I think he was renovating a damaged original and going to use the synthetic bits.

There is a bolt and I assume it is otherwise fully there, so if any enthusiasts of 303's would like to know more, I will then offer it for sale to them. I have S/n and all the details at home.

By the way it has a bayonet. So apart from the stock, this would have been an original I assume. Anyway….drop me a line if anyone is after one.

[Chronos]

PM sent

Chronos

Interesting timing.

I am sorting through my wife's fathers collection. Some we will keep and some we will not, and there is a .303 receiver and barrel, a new unfitted synthetic stock, some of the original timber. I think he was renovating a damaged original and going to use the synthetic bits.

There is a bolt and I assume it is otherwise fully there, so if any enthusiasts of 303's would like to know more, I will then offer it for sale to them. I have S/n and all the details at home.

By the way it has a bayonet. So apart from the stock, this would have been an original I assume. Anyway….drop me a line if anyone is after one.

[SendIt]

I say just get one of each! Problem solved

I like your style.

[Hatter]

I like the handling of the Carbines more.

Just personally.

[AusTac]

I'm in the same position mate, trying to find a nice no 4 mk 1 or mk 2 but some of the prices these days, just saw a mk 2 fazakerly go for $2600! Second hand

[Pilch]

The originals are 30" barrel I think off the top of my head?

It is quite a bit to swing around.

[as1soldier]

there are generally 3 types of jungle carbines;
1] English made, based on no.4 actions known as no.5...
2] Aussie made based on no.1 action but I believe were always considered 'experimental'
3] cut down no4 and no1 rifles.....

every Aussie must have at least 1 lee Enfield... preferably a lithy.... just find one with a good barrel,
No.1 or Magazine-Lee-Enfields are the older ones, longer barrel versions, so many iterations, variations, long barrel, short barrel (SMLE) shorter barrel (JC)... you need to spend a night researching... volley sights, 5 round, 10 round, carbine, cavalry, mag cutoff, no cutoff... military issue, commercial, 2 groove, 5 groove, Aussie, English Canadian....Indian too!!.... aaaaahhhhhhhhhh.... so much info...

Don't forget Savage Arms, Fazakerley, BSA and Longbranch!
Just wish ammo wasn't so damn expensive!

[KWhorenet]

So I've been told by both Chronos and 1290 once I get the bug to get a .303 it is a 'slippery slope' and or 'affliction'.

Last night I found a model I have Buckley's and no chance of attaining, Experimental Rifle No.6 MkI and Mk I/1, then another in a similar vein and similar chance of attaining...Experimental Rifle No.1 Shortened and Lightened.

Tonight I find another model that I would like to buy, No.1 MkIII* HT
"for the true sniper version which was introduced towards the end of World War II. The designation “HT” indicates heavy barrelled with telescope"

So from just wanting one I now have a shopping list of 3 and probably fat chance of getting any of them for less than a kidney
Something will pop up to tide me over in the mean time. Should get onto an old bloke I know in Tas who once loaned a couple of 303's of some designation and a free case of ammo to me and a mate to cull feral goats in the Derwent Valley. He used to have these sorts of rifles misplaced in sheds, cupboards and trunks all over his property (pre PAM).

[chacka]

The originals are 30" barrel I think off the top of my head?

30", 25" and 19" for the carbine IIRC

[as1soldier]

I owned a jungle carbine about 20 years ago.............should have kept it. I nearly bought a Savage Arms 303 about 2 weeks ago, but the price of the ammo scared me off. Bit of a shame really. I love the old 303's....

[Rakk]

30", 25" and 19" for the carbine IIRC

30.2", 25.2" and 18.8" if you wan't to be real fussy.

(And yes I cheated and looked that up )

[Rakk]

I nearly bought a Savage Arms 303 about 2 weeks ago, but the price of the ammo scared me off.

Is it that bad? I thought it had come around recently and was comparable to .308 for factory?

And reloading is not expensive of course.

[Norton]

So from just wanting one I now have a shopping list of 3 and probably fat chance of getting any of them for less than a kidney

There's a reason evolution gave us 2 kidneys

[KWhorenet]

So from just wanting one I now have a shopping list of 3 and probably fat chance of getting any of them for less than a kidney

There's a reason evolution gave us 2 kidneys

My kidneys are safe, my liver regenerates quickly so harvesting pieces for the Body Parts trade will be on the cards. Sell a 3rd per year and retire.

[Arth]

Yeah I always sell a bit of spare liver when I need to pay the bills