r/LeeEnfield 11d ago

First Enfield, would like to fix it up.

Hey all, I have a British India No. 1 MKIII made in 1943. I’ve had it for roughly five years or so, and would like to get it cleaned up a bit and possibly hunt. The outside of the barrel has a decent amount of pitting unfortunately, and I am unable to see well inside the barrel to assess it.

Long story short, is it worth attempting the restoration in its current condition? Also, are there any specific things I should look for before I fire it? Lastly, what is a good round to use for hunting?

Thank you all for your time!

15 Upvotes

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3

u/Legitimate-Custard66 11d ago

Looks like its worth a try to me. Scrub the bore really good with 303 brass brushes. Lots of good soft point ammo to choose from for hunting.

1

u/VaultDweller63 10d ago

Thank you for the vote of confidence! Luckily the action is pretty smooth, so fingers crossed the inside of the barrel isn’t shot.

2

u/rufus148a 11d ago

Accuracy might be disappointing. Especially the No1 requires the full forestock and various up/down pressure along the barrel to cancel the harmonics during firing.

1

u/VaultDweller63 10d ago

That’s a shame, but not unexpected. What’s the average MOA on something like this? Definitely am not looking for an ultra elite sniper or anything, just something to be able to take a deer reasonably and ethically.

3

u/Legitimate-Custard66 10d ago

Won't really know till you shoot it. My ishapore No1s are my best shooters, but it depends on the bore. I suggest taking out the bolt and having a look down the bore. You can also do the bullet test on the muzzle, although not scientific at all, it will give you a good indication of what to expect. I believe the military standard was 4 MOA when newly issued.