Thread: old .303

Sorry, but I overlooked actually assisting the OP with his questions...Here my tuppence worth then and I am sure that others can improve upon it.

i have acquired a few rifles from my dads collection including this old .303, its in mint condition, the bores still even still shiny,

If the bore resembles "shiny" in any way, then it probably is a M.L.E. Magazine Lee Enfield. I doubt the chances of a Lee Metford which fired black powder 303 to start with then subsequently changed to cordite 303 would have anything resembling "shiny" in the bore. On the matter of the bore, have a squizz up the spout and if you can see conventional rifling , then it is a MLE. If there appears to be series of grooves (Larger than rifling) then she is a L.M.


the only thing is its missing the end sight,

Apart from the bolt, which should also have it's dust cover attached? And it appears that she had some range sights fitted and they have been removed along with the rear lobbing sight. Still operational tho' once you get a fore sight fitted.


is there any chance or getting a replacement?

There will be many remnants of these around but IMHO your best method would be to approach a gunsmith to first source then attach, then site in the missing fore sight.


I'm guessing it might have a bit of history as well having 1901 marked on it has anyone got any info on these old rifles?

Google "Magazine Lee Enfield" and make sure that you don't end up with lotsa Short MLE results. Also try Googling "Long Tom rifle”. Must include "rifle" otherwise you will end up with lotsa american artillery results As to what I suspect she actually is, the correct title is as we all well know ‘Magazine Lee Enfield” and she was the first product of the Lee Enfield partnership. She can also pass herself off as a Lee Metford if necessary as long as nobody peers up her spout :>) Your girl was born in 1901 and would have seen service with the NZ Defence Forces during the time of the second Boer and First World War. When she became obsolete prior to World War 2, she would probably have been handed down to a New Zealand Home Guard Unit, Check for stamps on the receiver "HG"