Ishapore .303" Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk.III* 1945: Getting the Iffy Ishy SMLE Range-Ready

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By a surprising amount of popular demand, here's what Bloke did to get his 1945-dated Indian Ishapore-built .303" SMLE no.1 Mk.III* ("Iffy Ishy") ready for the range.
And the answer is: basically as little as possible. But this was a bigger task than he first anticipated!
Also contains some detail on how the SMLE's bedding / stocking up works.
Also includes range footage at 300m.

[@MFGordon]

Rather than use a steel screwdriver blade as a scraper a better idea is to make a brass scraper from a old cartridge case. Flatten the front of a case with a hammer. Then trim off the front with a pair of tin snips. Your will then have a wonderful little scraper that can remove rust but not bluing. I learned this trick years ago from a German gunsmith who always had these small homemade scrapers on his bench. Since they are cheap and easily made you can also make specialized scrapers to clean things like bolt faces .

[@zippy0036]

The best UK scrapers by far are the pre 1984 penny and 2 penny piece. After that they put iron in them. The all copper ones are hard enough to get through the rust - but not hard enough to damage the blueing/blacking.

[@dragonstormdipro1013]

The thing about Ishapore is...their quality varies a LOT based on whom the guns were issued. If it was Indian Army, or Navy, the gun would be given extreme care and remain in great condition. However if this was issued to Police, prison guards, or any such "rear echelon/ civil servant " troops...may Lord Shiva has mercy on your soul.

[@langietor]

After amry it was handed over to police . Some police can't even fire

[@achillebelanger9546]

Hot Water and Simple Green work best at cleaning Cosmolene.

[@Chlorate299]

It's quite amusing how often brake cleaner is used to clean things other than brakes.

[@gubourn]

machined steel is machined steel

[@felixthecat265]

solvent is solvent is solvent.... frankly hot water and soap works as well!

[@themandan4000]

@@felixthecat265 yeah chemicals are chemicals, they all taste the same.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

But, what about the headspace,... you didn't check the headspace..... you should have checked the headspace..... bad things happen when you don't check the headspace...

[@Ben_not_10]

*facepalms while laughing*

[@australian3308]

But, hang on, it is Ishapore - you should check the headspace :) No, seriously, you should. It's an Ishapore. Ask Rowan about Ishapore :) :P

[@australian3308]

Oh yeah, you forgot the dribble about a competent gunsmith, shooting glasses, and ear protection...and, yeah, head space.

[@simonferrer]

What, britishmuzzleloaders said we shoud check the headspace? It's true then, it's true! Rob has said so, all Enfieldians should strip their rifles and do likewise! Forget the shoe, follow the gooourrrd! :-P Just kidding, of course. Some people are as bad as an algorithm at reading a joke :-)

[@slaughterround643]

Do I have to headspace my Enfield 1860?

[@stevenhoman2253]

Your spot on about Mr Novak at restoration of firearms. I never miss an episode. He puts so much love into his work it becomes obvious it is his passion.👌👍👏👏👏 nice shooting, nice jazz music.

[@jmfa57]

I pick up my Ishapore later today. I can't wait to lay my hands on it. I kick myself for not snapping up one of the many nearly unissued Lithgow SMLEs that were imported in the 1990s for a hundred bucks or so! GREAT video, AMAZING shooting for a rifle of this type. Thanks for sharing!

[@dragonstormdipro1013]

In 1962, Rifleman Yashwant Singh Rawat of 4th Gerwal rifles, Indian army would singlehandedly face 500 PLA soldiers armed with Type 56 AKs ,SKS, and DP 28s while armed with only his Ishapore. At the end, he and 2 of his buddies (3 total) would kill 300 Chinese soldiers before their outpost was overrun. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaswant_Singh_Rawat

[@stevenhoman2253]

I visited your link. I shall mourn him, honour him and any of his living family. It is always a tragedy when such a man dies deep in his duty.😳😳😳

[@chainoad]

It'd be a great achievement, if the Indian army didn't have a penchant for silly claims :)

[@dragonstormdipro1013]

@@chainoad I don’t think there's any army which is not guilty of that. During Gulf war, US said that their anti-air defence systems destroyed 45 out of 47 SCUD missiles fired at them, which turned out to be not true at all. Similar things can be said about Russia in Syria, or Israel in Lebanon. And about the recent fiasco surrounding the airstrikes in India - Pakistan, It's clear both sides are making silly claims. Now, about this incident , I am quite confident about this being true cause atleast in India, this war ( 1962 Sino-Indian war) is remembered as a crushing loss, despite good defence by the army. And, IA does have moments in history where it has given great performance (Battle of Longewala, Basantar, Asal Utter, Operation Vijay (1961,1999 to name a few). It did liberate Bangladesh, so I guess It's not always bs, right ;)

[@scruggs6633]

@@dragonstormdipro1013 I think he's talking about the recent Yeti incident lol

[@dragonstormdipro1013]

@@scruggs6633 Agreed that was fucking stupid.

[@kaptkrunchfpv]

Got my #5 today, shoots wonderfully! Not as much recoil as i expected, but quite the thumper!

[@cheesenoodles8316]

Mmm. Very nice. Like the look of the rifle ... Again nice range work.

[@Bob_Keen]

Great video. Thank you.

[@davidinghram2494]

You really brought that old rifle back to life, and it looks very nice to me. When you were shooting, I could tell the impact position just by watching your technique, even before seeing it on the screen. Watch it yourself and see if you agree. That old rifle shoots very well indeed!

[@demos113]

''Do the maintenance''. >___

[@JimSkelding]

A friend has one of the Ishapore .308 conversions. Without any cleaning, the first time he shot it with around 10 rounds it held a 3 MOA group at 100 meters. I was impressed. Now I just have to convince him he really doesn't need it. By the way, run of the mill No.1 Mk.III's here in the States seem to have really gone up in value.

[@snook1249]

Jimbo Elrod meh! Should be able to shoot the gonads off a mosquito at 1000yds, with open sights, unsupported. In a gale. In the dark.

[@MinhVu-in9iz]

Those are not 308 conversions! They are called ishapore 2a or 2a1 in 7.62 nato, purposed design to shoot that round.

[@zaca952]

If one does ever need to remove the firing pin, take out the retaining screw fill the screw hole with oil and put the retaining screw back in, then store the rifle muzzle down for 24 hours before attempting to unscrew the firing pin, so many instances of broken tools due to the firing pin seizing in the cocking peice, the screw hydraulically forces oil down the firing pin threads making removal easy, just a tip that I found works.

[@piritskenyer]

The way you said "the subcontinent" there was ssssooooooo f..king imperial it made me laugh

[@myparceltape1169]

What is your replacement word?

[@Smarterthanyou-mthrfkr]

I love my smle nr1 mk3 1918. Its the same gun my great grandfather used in france. I have a brand new old stock barrel ready for it!

[@535tony]

I have a 1952 RFI SMLE I got back in 1991. Great rifle!

[@1917Enfield]

I have a piece of gutter with caps on the ends that I put on an old modified BBQ grill to boil rust and mung out of the milsurp barreled actions I bring home. It does a great job of removing dried cosmoline and rust. After I pull it out of the boiling water, I give it a good brushing with a stiff nylon bristle brush to get into corners and recesses. I'm always surprised at how much of the original finish is still there that was hidden under years of dirt and grime. Then the bore gets several passes with a bore brush dipped in ATF followed by a bore brush dipped in Kroil. This loosens up any lead or copper fouling in the rifling. After I let it sit for 24 hours it gets a clean bore brush followed by patches until they come out clean.

[@BFVgnr]

This is pretty much the same process I used for my No4 that came to the US from Greece, and the Chinese Type 53. A friend cleaned up the wood on the Type 53 for me, including steaming out dents and such, while maintaining the large variety of armory stamps.

[@ericmathis7740]

Careful steaming works wonders. That's what I did on my m1.

[@johnfisk811]

A plumbers adjustable spanner opens those linseed oil bottles for me.

[@leoruotsalainen6339]

Well done Really good old rifle 100% 👍👍👍Good video 👍👍

[@blancsteve4819]

Anecdata = anecdotal data : )

[@jimstanga6390]

I love my Ishapore Enfield .303 No. 1 mk. III. Made in 1950, and shoots straight as an arrow. Had to clean quite a bit of that miserable suncorite paint off of it, and there was more than a little mud and grease from the subcontinent in the stock, but cleaning her up was part of the experience.

[@newy2277]

I think you have done a lovely job of cleaning up your new smle, break cleaner is great for any metal parts as it washes the muck off and drys quickly. If i am cleaning metal i use nylon scourer as the dont damage the metal surface . By the way i am currently in contact with a shooting club and after sending an email with my millitary service record i am just waiting for a reply, so hopefuly i might just be at bisley next year in competition against you 😆😆😆👍👍. Thanks for the advice and help

[@Garandasaurus]

I love these rifles. Beastly strong and reliable they are, accurate too.

[@CheshireTomcat68]

Such a smooth bolt action :-)

[@kevinstafford4475]

Big fan of the Ishy after picking up a 2A from my LGS who got 3 in from an estate sale. I picked out the best of the bunch and did a complete strip down and cleaning. It was covered in black enamel paint to the point the safety wouldn't move. Once I cleaned that paint off the park job underneath was top notch. Great rifle to shoot and very accurate even though I'm not a fan of the sights myself.

[@stevenhoman2253]

Black paint? Hmmm, some people hey?

[@BlokeontheRange]

Suncorite paint is an institution - my BREN was parkerised and then slathered with the stuff, and much of it has worn off by now...

[@russwoodward8251]

I sure do enjoy my old No. 1 rifle. Yanks are supposed to be M1 fans, but I feel more at home with a bolt action. Also, what a piece of history these rifles are. Thanks for this.

[@rumblin_cynth_rampo374]

Re the stuck cap bottle of lin seed oil. If you warm the cap up with hot water you normally can remove the cap when the set oil softens . Works for tubes of artist oil paint too.

[@marcogram1216]

I also use the large yogurt cups with mineral spirits. I boil the stocks per Vulcan Refinishing and it works great with absolutely zero warpage.

[@stevenhoman2253]

She's a beautiful SMLE. Still my favourite bolt action weapon of war. In OZ many years ago, any and every farmer would have one for stock protection and hunting. I had to make do as a small child with a toy reproduction, with a plastic shell which ejected. 😱😂👌👍👏👏👏

[@dermotrooney9584]

I had one of those though I think it was a no4 because my evil brother broke the end of the barrel off. Now I've got a real one and he's not allowed to play with it.

[@stevenhoman2253]

@@dermotrooney9584 😂😂😂😂😂👌👍 enjoy it with all your heart and as for your evil brother., I've only got evil, but beautiful sisters.😂😂😂😂

[@tangero3462]

I just put a 2A1 back into working order, my groups could use some work but mercifully the windage on the front post wasn't messed with by bubba. It does, however, shoot significantly higher than it ought at 100 yards, about 15 inches using Am Eagle 150 grain (no shops in my area had M80 ball and I didn't think to order some). I'm going to hold off breaking the stake on the front post until I try some other loads, I think I definitely understand your affinity for the Enfield now, though. It has such great balance and has a reassuring density while still being svelte

[@keithplymale2374]

Mine is a Lithgow 1941/42 that was supposedly manufactured, tested, cleaned, packed away and found in the original boxes in the late 1980's. I got mine in the early 1990's. Had it gone over by a gunsmith my dad knew at the time and cleaned.

[@randyadams03]

Fantastic, 👊👊👍👍😎😎

[@paulwright1196]

Have you done an episode on how the electronic target works? I'd like to see how they work. Cheers.

[@Treblaine]

Hmm, this pressure plate reminds me a lot of what I've heard about "pre-stressed reinforced concrete" where rebars have a tension load put on them specifically to max out deflection relative to stress so it moves far less when a stress is applied to it. By pushing up on the barrel this would apply tension on the underside to max out deflection so far less "wobble" in the relatively thin barrel when shooting.

[@scottgray3945]

This MkIII looks like a candidate for some Anvil conservation love

[@felixthecat265]

I am a convert to "boiling out" for these renovations.. all the bits go in a big pot with a handful of old fashioned washing soda (sodium carbonate) and get a good boil for about half an hour.. then lay out on paper towel to dry off. This will dissolve out or at least soften any gunk which can then get brushed off with a fine carding brush.. I use the ones from Brownells or 0000 wire wool which will not touch the finish. Boiling also sets any incipient rust back to blue. For barrels I use a steam pipe made by mounting a length of drain pipe over a pot of boiling water. The barrel and action get hung in the pipe for 30 - 40 mins and then carded or rubbed down. Cheaper and quicker than a tank and does not need gallons of distilled water. Once the bits come out of the boil/stem, coat them in plain oil (not gun cleaner, kerosene or plain spindle oil is fine !) and let them set overnight.. I have since found out that this is what all the old gunsmiths used to do.. Send your $$$$ Holland & Holland or Purdey in for a service and what do they do with them... boil them! (I am not sure if they made tea at the same time....!)

[@madd-mattmitchell917]

Felix, Absoforkinlutely! I too am a convert to "boiling out" of the metalwork. It is almost like 'black magic' as to the difference it makes in the metalwork! AND --> No Chemicals!! (as Mark would say). I always do the soaking in kerosene afterwards for 48 to 72 hours. I'm really pleased to see that there are other gentlemen out there that have taken Mark's procedures to heart! DO The Maintenance!! Yeah! Later, Felix,.... Matt

[@ahmet42selim65]

Hazal yogurt wow thats a very nice bucket 😅😅😅 with the blue mosque on it lol

[@minuteman4199]

I like that cute little bottle of Brake Free. We used to get that stuff in gallon jugs in the army. I'm glad I wasn't the one paying for it.

[@BlokeontheRange]

I happened upon a job lot of them a while back for €1 each. I took the lot at that price, lol :D

[@dermotrooney9584]

Lovely. I daren't do this in case the semi-floating wood nymphs will get me. 🇬🇧

[@Toolness1]

The draws on mine were totally rotted out and caused stock damage elsewhere from the action banging against the wrong areas, ended up having to buy a replacement drill rifle stock. I would have had to cut the draws out completely and replace with new wood, and the area was so rotten I didn't think it would hold and be worth the work. Very sad since it's a serial number matching stock. Maybe someday I'll have the skill and knowledge to fix it. I'm great with mechanical stuff, but woodwork I'm nearly useless. Drill stock still needs fitting work because it's shooting terrible yet has a great bore...I've had so many other projects this thing has just sat... there's a major lack of info and videos on dealing with those draws and the stock fit on these rifles is really complicated and has a major effect on accuracy. I have a lot of learning to do to get this thing fitting properly so it shoots well. I am guessing I need to replace those pressure pad springs as well.

[@theol3199]

When I bought my 1914 smle it was covered in nastyness and rust like this, cleaned up well but the wood by the action was destroyed- soaked in crap for too long. I had no choice but to repair by glass bedding.

[@cavscout888]

Yes, do watch Anvil. It completely changes what you do for these old guns. Example... steaming and boiling rusting parts to convert it back to originally bluing, rather than removing it forever, leaving a thinned out finish on the metal parts. I've changed over to almost exclusively boiling and carding parts, and slowly getting more advanced with it. Bloke, you should boil an Ishapore for a video!

[@johnwaddell4107]

Does boiling make them more tender at the dinner table?

[@jusportel]

The barrel band shouldn’t be shimmed, the band is actually designed to not contact the barrel at the top. Its inner surface has a slight swell on each side, and it is these two surfaces that contact the barrel, not the entire band. I have had good results adding a thin paper shim in the forearm, just in front of the band.

[@slingshotwarrrior8105]

Cool gun bro!😉😉😉🔫🔫🔫

[@australianmade2659]

0000 steel wool is useful for rust removal and taking the grit off the stock without affecting patina

[@brianszatkowski6994]

Man I wish mine shot that well. I get groups like that at 100 yards.

[@jimf3932]

Headspace, shmeadspace... Great vid, Bloke. Maybe play around with the torque weights and sequencing of the screws. That is, muzzle to rear, rear to muzzle, mid and out fore and aft... Are those addressed in any manuals you've come across?

[@BlokeontheRange]

Yes. Screws hand tight. But the bedding screw is the one that counts.

[@jimf3932]

@@BlokeontheRange Ah. Ok. Gotcha. Thanks, Bloke!

[@saoirse5308]

If you tinker with the stocking some more. please video it. I (in my 20s) Took a very good stock off a very good Lee-Enfield, and replaced it with a Plastic "sporter" stock. Everything I took off has been sealed up in a cardboard box for . . . 30 years now and I am a bit intimidated by the counter pressure aspect of Lee Enfield stocks when I think about putting it all back as it should be.

[@slaughterround643]

While C&Rsenal Anvil is no tutorial service, it's certainly worth watching for a quick bird's eye view, so to speak

[@stevenhoman2253]

That glue the C&R uses, mixed with black pigment is the glue you need I suspect. A small inaccuracy in the stock equals considerable inaccuracy in the bore sight. I'm just guessing here, but every little bit should help?

[@BlokeontheRange]

A forend vertically-split at the rear isn't really an issue if it's pinned - the No.4 Mk.2 forend is deliberatly split at the rear to clear the hung trigger boss, and stocks-up fine on a No.4 Mk.1.

[@stevenhoman2253]

@@BlokeontheRange got it. Thanks.

[@m2hmghb]

Have you heard Anvil talk about cosmoline? I'm always amused at his love for it.

[@BlokeontheRange]

If only this had been cosmolene - that stuff comes off far more easily than whatever this dried-on kak was...

[@m2hmghb]

@@BlokeontheRange It sounds like the armorers were pissed at having to do the job in the first place, and wanted to make sure future generations knew about it.

[@draxxsklounst6595]

@@m2hmghb it's a conspiracy!

[@australian3308]

Linseed oil? No, Ishapores were oiled with Ghee :) :D

[@cocinerotravieso]

I just purchased a sporterized 1918 BSA no1 mk3 here in America and plan to put it back in it's original configuration. I'm using a new walnut stock. Any suggestions from the crowd on what to use for the brass cross pin at the back of the lower foregrip?

[@danshaffer2890]

I didn't know there were Ishapore .303's, I thought they only made the .308's. If you can get your hands on a .308 Ishapore I'd love to see how well that would do at 300m. I own the one with a 12rd mag but I don't have a 300m range to try it out at

[@randyadams03]

No sir! Name her Bella , I love old firearms. I'm now working on my Mosin-nagant M91-30, 1934 Tula. Trying to do a trigger fix. Lots of slop. Kit from MCARBO . 😎😎😎😎👍👊

[@virgilcaine3291]

Dipped in cosmolene for long term storage?

[@richardohalloran8494]

I dont know anything about the dangers of headspace but the break cleaner will sneak up on you if you dont use gloves

[@robertstewart1464]

Search for Enfield accurizing. Think he's an Aussie guy and explains the stocking up and what's happening when things go wrong in your groupings

[@linkbond08]

Now i want a rifle like that too

[@zoggy2]

Could you do a video on how to prep the chargers so it is not difficult to load the rounds?

[@BlokeontheRange]

I.... didn't prep those chargers. Just took them out of the bag. The most I've ever done is use a bit of 1200 grit emery cloth or sandpaper to make a few REALLY slick. But none you've ever seen on BotR have been prepped in this manner IIRC. The ones painted part green were selected from a big bag by passing a round through them, but prepped? Nope.

[@1959jimbob]

Thank you again for all your wonderful videos. I have one question for you and anyone else in here. I am currently working to restore a LE. The stock that I have has a hole like the one underneath your left thumb at about the 2:21 mark. What is that for? What goes in it? Where do I get a replacement part that came out of there? I love my SMLE old girl and have had her for many years now. I had planned on totally restoring her fit and finish some years back and had her completely stripped down and disassembled but due to a catastrophic injury, I had to put her away. During a recent home move, many of the smaller parts and pieces were lost. Now I can not identify what that hole is for nor what came out so any help will be tremendously appreciated.

[@BlokeontheRange]

Not sure what you're referring to, but if you find an exploded diagram online you should be able to answer your question :)

[@snook1249]

Top banana 😎

[@scruggs6633]

I have a 1916 No 1 Mk III* that looks very good externally. Would you recommend this level of takedown for all enfields or did you have particular suspicions about this one?

[@BlokeontheRange]

I took the top wood off to take a look, and it was caked. I don't recommend taking any rifle out of its stock unnecessarily, and every "I took my rifle out of its stock and now it doesn't shoot straight" story saddens me.

[@FranksAFreeman-pe6oq]

There is a 1949 GRI copper wire wrapped Enfield at a LGS near me. The store actually has three of them (six hundred & seventy five each). I’ve NoGo gauged (.067) all three and two of them passed, the third swallowed it like it wasn’t even there. All three did great at the muzzle with a loaded round with a 1/4 inch or slightly more bullet showing before the brass case mouth. I’ve seen the same rhetoric everyone else has read about wrapped rifles being shot out pieces of junk and retired to grenade service. But, other than the one rifle not passing a NoGo gauge, all three have absolutely pristine, mirror finish bores and give no immediate indication of being shot out. Any thoughts on the wire wrapped rifles?

[@BlokeontheRange]

The correct gauges are 0.064 and 0.074. 0.067 is a modern intermediate gauge for gunsmiths setting up new barrels, Britmil only used 64 and 74 thou (and therein lies the origins of the "OMG EnFiElD HeAdSpAcE PrObLeMs" in the US........ Together with the SAAMI 0.071" gauge which is also incorrect...). A lot of the wire wrapped rifles are wrapped from the factory so occasionally turn up unfired, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with them unless they were repurposed shot-out rifles which you should be able to tell at a glance.

[@FranksAFreeman-pe6oq]

@@BlokeontheRange I’m on the same page with you as far as headspace gauges go 064, and .074. But, when I recently went to buy my first Enfield the .067 was the only one I could find for sale. I have since attempted to make a headspace gauge from a brass plumbing fitting that started it’s life out as an end plug, it was used to dead end a piece of pex pipe. It’s not exactly perfect though, as it was handmade without a milling machine. So it measures.073 on One side of the rim and .074 on the other. It should suffice for now, until I can find a factory built gauge. This particular shop bought out an entire collection of enfields from an old guy, 29 in all. Every last one of them has a pristine bore. Jungle carbines, number fours, number ones. All of them drool worthy. I need to be a big jackpot winner. LOL

[@maverickpaladin4155]

Do you use naval jelly to combat rust? If not, what do you recommend as a rust preventative, especially in a humid climate and where rust is already present?

[@boarzwid1002]

Never use navel jelly too clean rust off, unless you desire to Reblue the metal,

[@danapatelzick594]

Is the lack of wear in the barrel and action the result of the Indian army being financially tight? I remember reading that internal soldiers were limited to a small number of cartridges.

[@roberthill3207]

For a new owner of a beautiful no4 mk2 what book or service manual would you recommend. Thumbs up stay Awsome.

[@BlokeontheRange]

Most of the training manuals are here: vickersmg.blog/manual/small-arms-training-manuals/

[@saoirse5308]

I know that they made many many .303s at Ishapore before converting to .308 but, I was a bit shocked when you said Ishapores and it was a .303 that name "Ishapore" here in the States has become synonymous with .308 Lee Enfield,

[@BlokeontheRange]

The 7.62mm 2A's and 2A1's seem to have been parallel production - .303 No.1 Mk.III*'s have been seen with production dates as late as the 1980's...

[@saoirse5308]

@@BlokeontheRange Something else I had no Idea of, I had understood the plant "retooled" Now I need two .303s to go with my two .308s Right? I mean it's just uncivilized not to have a brace of both.

[@SootHead]

Really enjoyed that! The rifle equivalent of pulling an old truck out of the weeds, cleaning it up, firing it up and putting it back to work. Did I hear you say that was a 30 franc rifle? That's only about 30 bucks US. Where do I sign up?

[@BlokeontheRange]

three hundred and thirty franc ;)

[@SootHead]

@@BlokeontheRange Still not terrible, though I have seen some similar here for less.

[@BlokeontheRange]

It's an awesomely good price, to be honest. And it shoots OK too (free-handed :) )

[@mrhangfire1]

@@BlokeontheRange That it is, a sub-$400 Enfield of any variety is rare here in Houston, Texas. I've been out of the market awhile for surplus rifles, but the last deal I found was a 1943 Savage No.4 Mk1* that is cherry for $450. That was eight or nine years ago.....maybe all these good deals are in the small towns?

[@minuteman4199]

A good scrubber is Scotch-Brite - which is plastic steel wool.

[@WJS774]

Isn't that impregnated with abrasive particles? _Not_ what you would want to use if you don't want to remove finish.

[@BlokeontheRange]

OMG Scotch-Brite is far more abrasive than steel wool - it's alumina particles embedded in a plastic matrix, and will scratch practically anything. Which is why it's used to scour stainless steel kitchen sinks, stovetops etc, and it leaves scouring marks behind.

[@minuteman4199]

@@BlokeontheRange I did not know that. I will keep it in mind in future.

[@tommurray8312]

thoughts on heavy barrel mark 3 stocking up ?

[@BlokeontheRange]

Having never seen one in the flesh, no, sorry :)

[@luzianwasescha6056]

I also use hazal joghurt for my reloading work😬

[@BlokeontheRange]

Me too :D

[@putramakbalin5734]

i want to order or buy grendle smle no 1, can i get it?

[@user-ry6hd4kx1j]

Patterns like a Shotgun

[@MichaelEdelman1954]

I’m curious- do you do a lot of trading, selling guns after you’ve evaluated them for a while? If so, does Swiss law have anything to say about that? In the US, if you do a lot of buying and selling, the ATF thinks you’re a dealer, and you should get a CCR (collector of curios and relics) FFL (Federal firearms license) to avoid problems.

[@thebotrchap]

Michael Edelman The police would indeed start getting suspicious. We’ve known it to happen. Here you are either a full dealer or not. So if you fall under suspicion they can really make like difficult for you since they accuse you of illegal firearms trading. We avoid that by hoarding 😊

[@jacksonthompson7099]

@@thebotrchap Same here, I have sold a number of rifles but with a new job the hoarding had begun.

[@kylarstern9564]

What the website you said where you got the parts?

[@BlokeontheRange]

waffenteile dot de (shouldn't link so you can work it out :) )

[@TheAngler2210]

Funny how you critizised the mauser for having a rear sight that is not quickly detachable, but you have to get an armorer for taking off the firing pin and sear off your favored enfield.

[@BlokeontheRange]

I love these "Funny how you made a criticism you actually didn't or I've misinterpreted as a criticism although it wasn't, but something completely unrelated ENFIELD" comments... Now keeping it relevant, you can't easily take the rear sight bed off of either a Mauser 98 or an SMLE. On the topic of bolt stripping, it's just not necessary on a Lee-Enfield. There's no side holes which would allow crap to get in. Very early ones could be soldier stripped, but they abolished that, since it's unnecessary... I really don't get this obsession with stripping turnbolts.

[@mikerock777]

FuNNy HOw YUO CrTiZisED TEH MauSERfor HAEVinG a rEAr SIgHT thEt iSN oT QUicKY deTaCHIble but U HAvE tOO Get A AmoUrER 4 TAnking oFF Teh firINg pIng anD SOER of UR flaVOred Ebfold.

[@bilsib53]

Linseed oil ... boiled or raw? I can never remember which one is used on cricket bats, but I was told that gun stocks should have the opposite. Unfortunately, it seems to attract mould, so I just spray and wipe with Ballistol, so far so good.

[@adamdean5881]

Boiled linseed is what is used as a wood finish. You can find it at most hardware stores. Boiled linseed oil also used to clean paintbrushes by artists.

[@dilepakistan3879]

I have this same and now also I cleaning . Actually I asking about the prices can u explain what is price of this in ur area ?

[@BlokeontheRange]

CHF 300.-

[@Andrew-oh2nr]

I would like to replace the barrel tension springs on my gun for the same reason as you did. These are the springs that go into the stock and push the barrel up, in case I am using the wrong word. Can you please let me know the vendor who sells them?

[@BlokeontheRange]

www.enfieldteile.de he speaks English

[@milsurprifleguy7091]

I have a question , hopefully you will have some insight on it . I just purchased a 1916 BSA Shtle III* , it is stocked with Slazenger wood dated 1944, has the cocking piece marked OA , mag & front sight MA also the trigger with small star ( lithgow) , the barrel ,receiver& bolt have matching numbers . Also it has JJCONY , importer . So was this rifle sent to Australia at one time or did the importer put this together with Australian parts ? Would like your opinion . Thanks

[@BlokeontheRange]

Sorry, couldn't possibly know.

[@dsar9489]

Most likely it's a "bits-a".... could have been done in Australia whilst in service or by the US importer. There is no way of knowing as "refurbishment records" were not really kept. Australia did purchase a shipment of British built SMLEs in the very early stages of WWI. However mostly Lithgows were sent back when Britain started calling for arms across the Commonwealth. These guns were just absorbed into service like any other rifle. Some were sold off, some stayed in Australain service right up to the 60s and were rebuilt several times with Lithgow parts. Anything 303 calliber was recalled from private ownership for WWII refurbished and put back into service. So Lord only knows what the history of your particular rifle actually is.... This was the way of the Commonwealth.

[@milsurprifleguy7091]

Bloke on the Range thanks for the reply , it doesn’t matter , I still have a complete rifle with appropriate parts. I was curious to know if it had been to Australia , thanks for all the informative videos you do , I also watch In Range , Forgotten Weapons , C&Rsenal ( Primer & Anvil )

[@milsurprifleguy7091]

DSAR thank you , I know from looking things up Australia did receive rifles , my understanding is that by 1916 , at what point , the Lithgow was able to produce the rifles they needed . Also looking up info it has been said the importer John Jovino Company in New York put together “ parts rifles”. I was looking for possibly a better understanding . So if it is at least it is only BSA & Australian . Thanks for your reply

[@bultacostuff5515]

Is that the shooting range in höngerberg?

[@BlokeontheRange]

nope

[@rickyl7231]

Anyone happen to know how interchangeable parts are between Mk. III* rifles from different manufacturers? I found a 1918 BSA rifle that had sporterized wood and is missing a magazine but is otherwise in really good shooter condition. Would one of those .303 Ishapore drill purpose rifles from the 1950s work as a doner for the magazine, nose cap, and wood for instance?

[@BlokeontheRange]

Possibly, and maybe with a bit of hand-fitting. Interchangeability isn't anywhere near American levels on any of the critical components and a lot of hand-fitting was done. It's only once you get into the main flow of No.4 production that you're getting somewhere close to interchangeability, but even then it's still light years behind the US.

[@rickyl7231]

@@BlokeontheRange Thanks for the reply! I’m happy to futz around with some hand fitting if I get a good shooting rifle in the end. The saddest part is I think originally it was a numbers matching example (with good wood if the rear upper hand guard is any measure) as the bolt, receiver, barrel and rear sight all match, I’m only missing the nose cap. It’s not even import marked! (I’m in the US) I also wanted to say thank you for all your great content and for being part of what got me into Enfields as your channel, along with a few others, got a Yank into .303 Enfields!

[@WastelandArmorer]

I have an Ishy that is in bad shape but shoots pretty good. is there any way of telling when it was made. the only mark i could find was FR on the left side of the receiver.

[@chadington6029]

If there is no date probably not. Yours is actually likely a British enfield sent to India and then the Indians refurbished it for service, scrubbed the old markings of the British, and stamped "FR" which stands for factory repair/refurb.

[@WastelandArmorer]

Ok. Thank you! It was a grenade rifle at one point, but it definitely is an older rifle.

[@samuel88andrews]

Someone (not ishapore) needs to make modern No.4 's or SMLE's. The retro theme is selling well in the US so I assume it would do well commercially. Either that or Mauser actions with clip guides (mauser doesn't count because 8 grand is too much for a standard rifle)

[@BlokeontheRange]

Australian International Arms were doing just that. But their barrel QC was crap, and the US screwed them over (either over Vietnamese timber or the importer never paid them). kzbin.info/www/bejne/hICkeX6wrr6Kj9E

[@rrich52806]

Mine I have is brand new.

[@scipio10000]

Clearly trespassing on Mark's patch 😆

[@geezerp1982]

boiled or raw linseed oil ?

[@JimboHoon]

Paraffin would do a less toxic job instead of the white spirit. Use it as a de-greaser cleaner on nasty motorbike chains and parts all the time.

[@dbmail545]

Have you ever used vinegar/hydrogen peroxide on copper fouling?

[@BlokeontheRange]

Nope... Ammonia yes, but that? nope.

[@simonsaorsa]

Bloke, can I share this to London Small Arms Co Ltd on Facebook?

[@BlokeontheRange]

I'd rather you wait for it to be launched publicly, which will probably be next vid.

[@simonsaorsa]

@@BlokeontheRange No problemo, understood!

[@colinredfern7823]

tried finding the Enfield Tyler site but could not: Is there a link?

[@patriks_surplus_kitchen5251]

Here you go: enfieldteile.de/

[@galgenvogel1871]

enfieldteile "dot" de I need to warn you, the site is in german

[@dermotrooney9584]

@@galgenvogel1871 🖖

[@colinredfern7823]

Thanks folks: My mom is German so no worries

[@arisukak]

I'm 95% sure that "brown kack" is just the preservative paint. That was a commonwealth thing to do at least during WWII to prevent rust. My Australian SMLE still has it's green preservative paint under the woodline. As for the oiling of the stock. I'm personally against it. The crap that you pulled off on the rag would be the same crap pulled off with just a damp (water) rag. I cringe when I hear people that regularly reoil their stocks. I personally don't want ugly blackened wood!

[@simonferrer]

I guess it depends on how often you consider to be regularly. My impression with an older rifle that oiling the stock was a once a year, climate dependent sort of job, and essentially just the simple light oiling shown in this video.

[@arisukak]

@@simonferrer Once a year for 50 years will turn the stock black. It's not needed at all. The stock oil doesn't magically disappear. It also only penetrates the first few MM of the wood. The entire reasoning people use to oil the stock is to prevent the wood from drying out... which completely ignores how a stock is made to begin with and ignores the function of the finish. The first thing that a plank of walnut has done to it to turn into a stock is drying. This takes months to years to get that piece of wood dry enough to be able to be cut. Why would they slather something on the stock to "moisturize" it when they spent years drying it out? The one and only function of a finish to keep out excess moisture, which is the exact opposite, and to look pretty while doing so.

[@theHSPCproject]

At least on the british lee series of rifles, I've heard that the stocks were immersed and permeated with hot lineed oil when made. Not oil soaked, but just stabilized. Definitely no issues of drying out that need worry. some civilian rifles made in the hunting tradition with a surface finish may need oiling, but these military stocks don't.

[@BlokeontheRange]

Ishapore stocks are usually almost-black anyway :)

[@arisukak]

@@BlokeontheRange Yeah, it's pretty common for the stocks on Indian rifles to be oil soaked.

[@Treasuremonk]

Do you find the Indian made Enfields are same, less or better quaintly than UK, CA or US made?? Thanks

[@BlokeontheRange]

Usually lower quality.

[@Treasuremonk]

@@BlokeontheRange I’ve had various SMLE through the years, just now really trying to learn everything I can. What is the loop or rings in front of the magazine for? I’ve heard “sling attachments” but I notice on my No 1 MK 3 it’s more of a heavy metal wire loop as compared to my No4’s double eared holed

[@BlokeontheRange]

It's for attaching the lanyard of a canvas action cover

[@Treasuremonk]

@@BlokeontheRange thank you

[@rogerj412]

Just make sure you soak the tissue with the linseed oil on it in water, lest your workshop burn down.

[@quentintin1]

unless there is a heat source next to his bench/table, he should be fine, linseed oil just don't combust spontaneously

[@rogerj412]

@@quentintin1 Actually it will. It's called an exothermic reaction and is caused by certain additives in the oil. There are numerous cases of this and even videos of it happening on YT.

[@quentintin1]

@@rogerj412 shite that sound bad, hope it doesn't happen with plain linseed, might have some around. usually never had issues with products considered flamable, never had issues with linseed in liquid form, always burned impregned tissues so maybe there's that

[@No1sonuk]

@@quentintin1 IIRC, it's when it's soaked into cloth that it's dangerous.

[@felixthecat265]

The problem is when you have oil soaked rags screwed up in a ball which allows the heat to build up. Standard procedure in polishing shops is to lay out the rags flat on the bench at the end of the day to dry out and let any heat dissipate. Once the rags have dried out they do not pose a risk.

[@russhoward1]

Come on 100m

[@gabbarrf1745]

Are ishapore gun from the deep end of the barrel

[@quentintin1]

they are on and off in terms of quality, some are good, some are garbage rods, most fall in the alright category

[@maverickpaladin4155]

I'm curious...as the Ishapore No 1 Mk IIIs were not supplanted by the No 4, are there advantages of this model over the No 4? If not, why continue to produce an "inferior" rifle when a better model was available? It's not like the Indian forces were substandard, at least not according to what I've read. Because of the sights and the business going on around the rear sight, I've always found the No 4 to be easier to shoot well.

[@JoramTriesGaming]

Manufacturing capacity: they had lines set up for the SMLE, not for the No. 4, and swapping over production after war's declared is not something to be taken lightly. The rifles still worked, so swapping over wasn't an essential action.

[@simonferrer]

That, and the No 1 Mk III is not necessarily inferior to the No. 4 functionally. The No. 4 has better sights and a cleaner sight line, but both rifles load the same, have the same magazine capacity, and if this video is any indication, are equally combat effective in the hands of a trained rifleman. I'm guessing that factor, along with what Hello There mentioned about production set-up, is why they didn't switch.

[@BlokeontheRange]

Not one single factory set up to produce SMLE's was changed over to No.4's (in the inter-war period there were only BSA Small Heath, Lithgow and Ishapore anyway) - they were all produced in new facilities. There's no reason to change over if you're already producing SMLE's - the downtime, machinery and retraining costs will kill any cost-benefit analysis, and for the average rifleman the increased perfomance of the No.4 is not big enough to justify it.

[@maverickpaladin4155]

Thank you all for the input. I'd never understood why the Indians continued production of the SMLE...didn't know that No 4 production had been confined to newly built facilities. So, to summarize, none of the No 4 production facilities ever produced No 1 Mk IIIs?

[@BlokeontheRange]

@@maverickpaladin4155 Correct. No No.1's were produced by Long Branch, Maltby, Fazakerly, Savage, or any of the new BSA facilities.

[@jorqlip]

I love this dude still can’t figure out where he is from Not UK not Canada Where the fuck else

[@BlokeontheRange]

Mate, we have an FAQ. It's on the channel front page :)

[@jorqlip]

Bloke on the Range well umm 😐 ok now I feel like a idiot um..... Did I mention I really like Swedish fish ..umm yes 🙏.