Thread: Resurgence of interest in the old "Three Oh"?

Originally Posted by Tahr

What would happen if you took a SMLE and put a decent new modern barrel on it and used appropriate handloads and a half decent well mounted 'scope? What sort of accuracy would it be capable of? Easy MOA?

I would like to go back to the old 3-oh but wouldn't be able to tolerate that awful old 3moa group business.

My old fully wooded free floated barrel #4 mk2 with peep sights regularly shot 25-30mm 5 shot groups with ex mil ammo. It sure was a honey. Should have NEVER got rid of it

Sounds good, will take her.

So what's the best 174 / 180 grain jacketed bullets available in stock for deer out to 200 yards ?

Originally Posted by akaroa1

So what's the best 174 / 180 grain jacketed bullets available in stock for deer out to 200 yards ?

Greetings,
I have found that the 174 grain Hornady round nose has given excellent accuracy in 3 different barrels, one of them badly pitted. Can't comment personally on performance on deer though. Availability could be another matter altogether.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Nzcoup1

Sounds good, will take her.

I sent you a PM with contact details

@grandpamac I used to use them in my SMLE. No goat, pig or deer ever walked away. I've been trying to source a box or 2 but every store is out Cheers

Greetings @bumblefoot and all.
This thread has struck again. Barrel looked very good until I ran a couple of patches through it and it looked even better. From a friend as surplus to requirements. Just need to sort out some sights, cook up some light loads and we are off to the bush. I had forgotten how light these No1 rifles can be.
Regards Grandpamac.Attachment 198374

[/quote] Contemporary reports on accuracy or The Riger No 1 in .303 varied between tack driver and poor accuracy which put me of rather. .[/QUOTE]

Contemporary reports on people's ability to shoot vary between tack driver and poor

So I would hardly blame the rifle

@grandpamac Awesome. I haven't even had time yet to put a shot through my new/old rifle. How dare work get it in the way of fun

Well I took my new/old girl out to the farm to stick a few shots through her. I just bore sighted it and fired 6 shots. The last 3 I fired at a 30m target to get a rough idea what she was shooting like.

I was shooting off a Caldwell Tackdriver that was sitting on a wooden fence at about 3/4 below my usual standing shooting position. So not the most sturdy or stable. But my bore-sighting was pretty close. It shot 2 shots into 2-inches even from that unstable position. I can't wait to see what it'll do from a stable prone position. I'm stoked the way it shoots for a 106 year old rifle! I was using PPU 180-grain ammo

Actually; looking again, it's closer to 1" Here's a short vid of the first shots out of the old girl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl46ATbxkq0

@grandpamac Finally put a few rounds through the old girl!

watching the video ...you arent wrong about handicapping yourself!!!!!

The 2 shots at the target were worse.... Balancing the bag on the fence and bending the knees like I was doing a 3/4 squat I just wanted to see how she'd go. The shots in the vid were just me killing a clay bank A proper sight in will be in the next week or so; weather and work depending!

But it definitley looks promising. I'd say the rifle has hardly been used since the FTR was done. The action is super tight

Out of intrest what sort of groups are people getting out of the old girls?
There note really bench rest rifle's and my aging eyes are probably the limiting factor but intrested to know what people are able to achieve.