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Heavy barrel

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Honkytonk View Drop Down
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    Posted: May 06 2018 at 8:31am
Has anyone ever tried or heard of anyone getting a heavy barrel built for the .303? On a Sporter, you could open the forestock to accommodate the extra width. Might look kinda cool!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2018 at 12:44pm
you could buy a Lithgow fitted with a heavy barrel.
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Shamu View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2018 at 4:32pm
The No4 had a heavier barrel than a No1 (even a Lithy HB IIRC).
Heavy, even bull barrels, were tried out back in the late '60's~ Early '70s specially at Bisley.

Oddly "Lamppost" barrels didn't do anywhere was well as expected, so they faded fairly quickly!

The old timers who twiddled & tweaked the L-E system were almost artists rather than engineers. & after 100 or so years of messing with it they pretty much had it sorted as much as was possible.

Has anyone here ever actually had a barrel "Regulated" by Fultons? Were you there when it was done?

I only ask because you will not believe me when I tell the tale of "truing" a No4 Mk2 (rather like the one I have now) by Fultons at Bisley.
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Hint:
We're talking "Victorian Precision Engineering" here!
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote britrifles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2018 at 7:40pm
Shamu, I’d like to hear the story.

One of my No. 4 rifles was “Regulated by Fultons”, stamped so on the upper fwd reciever. A friend of my Dad had ordered it, not sure if he supplied the rifle or if Fulton’s had their own supply.

The 4 lb 7.62 barrels had some success in the No. 4, I don’t see why a 4 lb .303 barrel wouldn’t show comparable improvements in accuracy. October 1969 American Rifleman article by E.G.B. Reynolds gives results at Bisley when the heavy barrels made at Enfield were trialed for NRA SR competition. With British Service ammunition, the average spread of 14 10 shot groups at 200 yards (from 5 rifles) was 5.6 inch Vertical and 4.8 inch lateral (approx 2.5 MOA). With Norwegian Raufoss ammunition it was 3.7 vertical and 3.1 lateral (under 2 MOA). I’d say that is very good indeed for a LE.

I can’t do that good with my .303 prone with match handloads. On average about 3 MOA, occasionally 2.5 MOA, rarely 2 MOA.






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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pukka Bundook Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2018 at 8:53pm
Shamu,
 
Does the regulating story have a big  mallet as a main player?  :-)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2018 at 6:26am
Yup! You too eh?
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I was expecting micrometer feed lathes & dial gauges. I got "Fred" with a leather bag, a "V" block of wood & the fore-mentioned "Big 'ammmer"!
I was expecting fairly gentle tapping but I got the ancient blacksmith from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III"!
I SO wanted beat the guy who told me to take it there with the big 'ammer, but I'll be dammed if it didn't work! The man was an artist with a lump hammer!

Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maxwell smart Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 10 2018 at 12:01pm
Originally posted by Shamu Shamu wrote:

The No4 had a heavier barrel than a No1 (even a Lithy HB IIRC).

The external profile of both the No 4 standard barrel and the Lithgow 'H" barrel are based on that of the MLE barrel, but shortened to 25.2" length. Both are reduced in external diameter in the vicinity of the foresight mounting area.

They are not identical but the No 4 does not measure as being any thicker than the "H" over the main length of the barrel tube.  No 4 is noticeably beefier just forward of the chamber.  

 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 10 2018 at 2:21pm
OK, that makes sense.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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