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What do you think?

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303 Hunter View Drop Down
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    Posted: September 06 2020 at 8:31pm
So I finally got the barrel bedding pressure corrected on my No.4. I built a stand like the one that britrifles has, put the rifle on it, hung 12 pounds off the muzzle and then tried to get the piece of paper out from between the stock and the barrel and.... no go, couldn’t pull it out. So I carefully sanded it a little bit and still couldn’t. So I found a few more weights and worked it up to 25 pounds and still could not get the paper out. So I bought a fish scale, hung that on the barrel and pulled down until I could pull the paper out, then I looked at the scale and it was reading 32 pounds. I then worked the pressure down to 13.5 pounds of pressure and went with that. I had also noticed that there was a small gap between the back of the stock and the but socket and I was also missing the king screw bushing so I made a piece of wood for the stock and I took some metal brake line and made a piece to replace the bushing.

I was able to get to shoot it last week and I think that it turned out not too bad. I had to 10 round loads of 174 grain Woodleigh bullets to try and I also decided to try some 220 Nosler Partitions.
So the first load of the Woodleigh’s bullet was 46 grains of BL-C(2) for 2,596 fps muzzle velocity Federal 210 primers and a C.O.A.L. of 3.051 inches.

It grouped 7 inches at 100 yards. This load was the smoothest to reload and even though it could be better it should be noted that I don’t take my time when I was shooting. I was taking just enough time to reload and put the sights back were I wanted them before firing again.
The next load of the 174 grain bullets has the same primers and powder charge as the first one, but has a C.O.A.L. of 3.066 inches.

This one grouped 7.5 inches but again I didn’t take my time shooting so I think it could be better. It was not quite as smooth to reload as the first load but not to bad.
I finished off with five .308 220 grain Nosler Partitions on top of 38 grains of Norma 203B (I finally found some!) and Federal 215 magnum primers.

They grouped 6 inches at 100 yards which I don’t think is to bad. But what do you think?
The Lee Enfield is to the Canadian north what the Winchester repeater was to the American west.   Cal Bablitz
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britrifles View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote britrifles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 07 2020 at 5:18am
How does this compare with your previous results?  We should be able to improve this if the barrel is still good.  

Is this a half stocked rifle with a barrel bearing at the middle band? 

You want to be sure there is no fore-aft movement of the forend with the main screw removed.  You can use epoxy bedding compound at the back of the forend where it contacts the forward surface of the butt socket, make sure the forend is pushed forward against the two recoil lugs (draws).  You can also apply some bedding on the recoil lug contact surfaces.  Make sure you apply release agent to the metal anywhere that the epoxy will touch or squeeze out into.  

Make sure the barrel has plenty of clearance with the forend between the barrel bearing and the bearing at the chamber reinforce.  Since you have reduced the bearing thickness, the barrel may be contacting the forend somewhere else.  






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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 303 Hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 07 2020 at 8:48am
The groups have opened up a couple of inches from before but as I have said I did not take as much time as I should have.
At this time I only have one No.4 and it has the new Criterion barrel and the L42A1 stock on it.
I have thought about glass bedding it but that will have to wait a bit before I get that done.
The Lee Enfield is to the Canadian north what the Winchester repeater was to the American west.   Cal Bablitz
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 07 2020 at 10:50am
Is this a .303 or .308?  The velocity looks high to me if it's .303, I'd knock that down to around 2400 for a 174 grain round.
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 07 2020 at 11:42am
I'm thinking that you should start at 50 yards and taking careful aim of the red square by putting the front sight in a dead center hold, fire and repeat never losing the sight hold. Check the shot placement and then move out to the 100 yard mark and repeat the above stated sight hold. That new barrel should have the grouping a tad smaller than a 6" or 7" spread.  I would also recommend using one dedicated test load as well. IMHO...
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