Not a Lever - my new .358SMLE

[Jacko]

I have wanted a 35.303 for many years folks, I still have a photocopy of the article on Australian .303 British Wildcats that inspired me to get this built one day. The cartridge is simply the .303 British necked up to .358.

35.303 SMLE.jpg

I have paid for much of the Gunsmithing buy selling Leather Archery accesories that I made in my lunch breaks and in my spare time. I made a deal with a good mate to swap a tooled leather Butt stock cartridge holder with cartridge loops for a sporterised No1 Mk3 SMLE that had a clapped out barrel.

The barrel is a 22" 1:12 twist No5 profile TSE [ formaly MAB ] . I had the whole lot reblued. Iron sights are Recknagel and the Piccatinny Rail come from Special Interest Arms. It's grooved to allow easy use of the Irons. This photo's out of focus but you get the idea. I bought set of quick release rings and an compact 4 x 30 scope that is still in the post so I can use the Irons in the thick stuff.

grooved picatinny rail..jpg

I'm not in love with the Synthetic stock but the Rifle points extremely well, the weight distribution is perfect and it weighs a tick over 7#. Ever since I saw the "Ghost and the Darkness" I've had a hankering for a Lee Speed Sporter so in time and for less money than a collectable Lee Speed this Rifle will furbish a nice lookalike Walnut stock

regards Jacko

[Old Ironsights]

Now that's a cool mod for 'ol Smiley...

[damienph]

Very nice. Walnut would be nice but I don't think that the composite stock looks bad at all. What brand of stock is it?

Have you shot it yet?

[Lawyer Daggit]

Very nice. I know 444 marlin is a popular conversion here.

[J Miller]

Jacko,

That looks really good. I've been wanting to build a No4Mk1 sporter for quite some time myself. But most of the rifles you find here are either pristene or junk, very few in between.
I'll keep looking.

Is the 35-303 close to say the 35 Remington in power? And, what would you hunt with it?

Joe

[Nath]

Nice Jacko, I am impressed.

I too would like to know how that performs.

Nath.

[Bruce Scott]

Ever since I saw the "Ghost and the Darkness" I've had a hankering for a Lee Speed Sporter.....
regards Jacko

Jacko,
You and me both... like this...



and chambered in:

Still a dream at though.

Great job with yours!

[Sarge]

Mighty slick guys... a SMLE was the first 'high power' rifle I ever shot and I've had soft spot for them ever since. Wildcatting makes 'em even more interesting and now y'all have me wanting an Ishapore in .358 Win!

[model55]

You guys could make that three and counting as far as the lee speeds go! Nice job on the rifle looks like a winner.

[damienph]

Ever since I saw the "Ghost and the Darkness" I've had a hankering for a Lee Speed Sporter.....
regards Jacko

Jacko,
You and me both... like this...



and chambered in:

Still a dream at though.

Great job with yours!

Oh yes, isn't that a beautiful rifle. i would love to have a real Lee Speed.

[Old Ironsights]

Ever since I saw the "Ghost and the Darkness" I've had a hankering for a Lee Speed Sporter.....
regards Jacko

Oh yes, isn't that a beautiful rifle. i would love to have a real Lee Speed.

Yes, but honestly I like Jacko's better. Much more practical. I like Practical in MilSurps.

[damienph]

Yes, but honestly I like Jacko's better. Much more practical. I like Practical in MilSurps.

Hmm, no, More practical yes. But a Lee Speed, good looks trumps function.

[awp101]

Nice! I'd like to go the other way: .25/303.

If I ever get out of this mid-bore groove I'm in, I may consider a .35/303...

[damienph]

Actually, out in western Kansas, I would like to try a 22-303 on the prairie dog population

[Bruce Scott]

Yes, but honestly I like Jacko's better. Much more practical. I like Practical in MilSurps.

Hmm, no, More practical yes. But a Lee Speed, good looks trumps function.

And that's no MilSurp conversion. A number of companies (Holland & Holland, Rigby, etc) were building these commercial sporting rifles. IIRC, BSA and LSA made the actions and barrels which were supplied to makers like H&H in the white for finishing.

[Jacko]

Evening fella's, thanks for the comment and Bruce your breaking my heart with that Lee Speed photo - what I'd do for an original ???????

Unfortunately I have not shot my 35.303 yet, I may get a chance too on Saturday morning. I'm buying the powder tomorrow night on the way home from work and will load up some test loads on friday night.

In the SMLE action it should push a 225 gr projectile along at 2200 easy. I have load book data for the .303 British and 220 grain projectiles at 2250fps in a SMLE action so I should be able to exceed this if I wished in perfect safety. I have load data that suggests a Mk4 could push a 225gr along at 2400fps safely and be barking at the .358 Winchesters heals.

.303 Wildcats just won't die in Australia. I know of at least 4 other 35.303 Rifles and everywhere I turn someone has a 303.25 or a 303.22. I have a recent magazine article where a chap had himself 2 x 303.25 Epps "Improved " rifles screwed together. One on a No4 Mk1 action and acheives 3380 fps with a 90 grain projectiles and and on a M17 action 3408 fps with a 100 gr projectiles, both averaged over 5 shot strings - I reckon either would vaporise any Varmint that got in the way.

regards Jacko

[Hobie]

Ever since I saw the "Ghost and the Darkness" I've had a hankering for a Lee Speed Sporter.....
regards Jacko

Jacko,
You and me both... like this...



and chambered in:

Still a dream at though.

Great job with yours!

That's what I'm talkin' about! I've wanted one of those for a LOOONG time. Just get distracted (over and over again).

[pdawg.shooter]

Actually, out in western Kansas, I would like to try a 22-303 on the prairie dog population

Dodge city (ford co) here.

[damienph]

Actually, out in western Kansas, I would like to try a 22-303 on the prairie dog population

Dodge city (ford co) here.

Rural Morris County, between Herington and Council Grove. My nephew is in Garden City, we hunt and shoot together as often as possible.

[damienph]

Jacko, what brand is your stock? In the picture it looks better than the ATI and Ramlines that I have seen.

[awp101]

I have a recent magazine article where a chap had himself 2 x 303.25 Epps "Improved " rifles screwed together. One on a No4 Mk1 action and acheives 3380 fps with a 90 grain projectiles and and on a M17 action

Interesting. A US Model 1917 I take it? Did they modify the bolt face or swap in a P14 bolt?

[awp101]

Another thought (yeah, the squeaky wheels are grinding... ), is that built on a No1 or No4 action?

[dbateman]

.303 Wildcats just won't die in Australia. I know of at least 4 other 35.303 Rifles and everywhere I turn someone has a 303.25 or a 303.22.

one more with the 303/25 love mine and like you say I just cant let mine die

cant wait for a range report I will be checking back over the weekend

[pdawg.shooter]

Actually, out in western Kansas, I would like to try a 22-303 on the prairie dog population

Dodge city (ford co) here.

Rural Morris County, between Herington and Council Grove. My nephew is in Garden City, we hunt and shoot together as often as possible.

I live east of town and have a couple dog towns within 5 miles of home. Guess what I do all summer long!

[Gary Norsk]

Years ago I took a Lee Speed rifle to the range firing one time reloaded RP brass. The chamber was loose like a military as was the head space. Military chamber. Not made for reloading, made for war. Gary

[brno602]

Being a Canuck and having shot a few .303 in my life time
Great to see the old girl's again. I like this post and mention of the Epp's cartridges.
I know a guy with a p14 chambered to a 45 something? he uses Norma 45 Basic brass he said it is more gun than a .458Mag.
I know the Canadian Rangers in the N.W.T still use the SMLE.
The last #5 I seen here had a asking price of $600.00

[Nath]

http://www.guntrader.co.uk/GunsForSale/061216164503001

N.

[southfork]

Very nice. I know 444 marlin is a popular conversion here.

Geez, that sounds interesting. I would really like to know who does that conversion on a SMLE.

[dogngun]

I recently bought a .303 Ishapore that someone had "improved"...It did hjave a great bore and a really well done single stage, lightened trigger. I paid $75 for it. Still getting it together-cut the barrel down to 20" and re-crowned it, Still cursing the rear sight mount-probably have to saw it off, too.
Adding a scope mount and a fixed 6x, and painting the re-modeled cut down stock flat dark green- Have an old WWII sling for it when it's ready and several boxes of Privi ammo 150 grain SP.

Plan taking it to the range in spring and getting a Lee loader for it.
They are great GP rifles-this is Enfield #7 for me.

I love the Lee-Speed rifles, too, but I'd be very nervous taking one into the woods...


mark

[awp101]

dogngun, what scope mount are you going to use?

[Jacko]

I scoped the .358SMLE over the weekend. Just for now I have fitted a Tasco 2-7 x 32 Scope. It's a good scope, clear optically but I will be swapping it over for a fixed power compact scope with a 30mm tube soon as I can save the cash

Scoped.JPG

I also loaded up some starting loads using 225 gr Sierra Gamekings, CCI 200 primers and charges of ADI 2208 ranging from 41 grains up to 44 grains which according to some data I've researched and actual data supplied is still approx 3 grains under max charge. Little steps, get that new barrel run in and I'll do more load development if I'm not happy with the results. There is very little airgap under the projectile with any of these loads. 2208 fills the case quite well.

I won't get a chance to shoot it until Sunday

regards Jacko

[gunner69]

Jacko, When I served in Viet-Nam, in 1966, I spent some time with the blokes in the 1st Royal Austrailian Regiment (R.A.R.). Great soldiers, beer drinkers, and good story tellers too. Just don't be the first to turn your glass upside down, unless you are ready for a good "butt whippin'."

One of my mates said that back home in Austrialia he had a sporter Lee Enfield, in 6.5x.303 he hunted Kangeroo and such with. He really bragged on that wildcat. Know anything about it? Didn't mean to hijack your post. You have a nice Lee there, enjoy it while your shitty gun laws still allow it.

[Jacko]

Saddly Gunner most young fella's nowdays have never heard of customs like turning a glass upside down if your looking for a Blue at the Pub. Political correctness and O/S influences has subdued the larakin side of our culture with some members of the younger generations. It was a national sport pulling the pee out of Yanks - I'll bet the Diggers in Vietnam pulled your chains all the time

There was a myriad of .303 Wildcats made. I have heard of a 303/6.5 but from what little I know they where not as common as the likes of the 303.25 , 303.22 etc. I know a lot of exageratted claims of velocity from calibres like the 303.22 and 303.243 where put to rest when Chrony's came onto the market. Perhaps the 6.5mm suffered a similar fate

regar Jacko

[gunner69]

Yeah, the Diggers gave me pure hell. But I gave them in return. Ha Ha. I was trusted with the "laundry run" to Bien Hoa City. On one trip I hid about 6 diggers under the laundry. We made a trip to the local "house" for their entertainment. I sat with an Owen 9mm subgun, and a stack of L1A1s while they partied. Beer, Broads, and plenty of food. After that one, I had friends I didn't know I had.

This was all in 1966, so by now the 6.5x.303 is probably in some history display. I shoot the 6.5x55, the 6.5 Grendel, and the 6.5x284....... so you can see I like anything 6.5. Thanks for your post mate, keep up the good work. This Fosters Lager, bag o' pee, is for you.

New and improved powders may breath life into a lot of forgotten calibers.