r/canadaguns • u/Flat-Dark-Earth Big Bore Specialist • Apr 18 '26

Milsurps / Prohib Let's Talk Lee-Enfield's

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The Lee Enfield, a rifle that everyone is familiar with and many seem to own, yet somehow I never ended up adding one to the collection.

I'm playing catchup now and would like to pick up a Lee Enfield, the question is which one?

From my understanding there are 5-6 models of the rifle that evolved over it's ~60 years of military service.

For someone looking to buy their first, which examples should I be looking out for? Any to avoid? No.1? No.4? SMLE? Jungle carbine? Long Branch (Made in Canada?).

Also, there were a couple misconceptions surrounding this rifle that I had been told for years, the first was that these were $300-$400 rifles, that only appears to be the case for sporterized examples. Clean unbastardized examples seem to be going for $1,200-$1,800 at retailers today.

The second being that .303 ammo was "expensive" and hard to come by. Neither of these seem to be true as it’s priced comparable to 308 and I am seeing a ton in stock (PPU, S&B etc).

Edit: I think I have decided on a No.4 Mk 2 Long Branch.

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u/blogginsgod Apr 18 '26

My experience with a jungle carbine is a great rifle but fire a few shots for zero with every use as the zero can wander off. Kinda hurts firing $10 just to make sure the zero is good. (I'm also a shit shot).

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u/Flat-Dark-Earth Big Bore Specialist Apr 18 '26

Are they as uncomfortable to fire as I have read? Something to do with old rubber buttpads?

2

u/jwh-109 Apr 18 '26

Yeah, the old rubber pads basically turn to concrete as they age. It's not unnoticeable but I find it doesn't make my no. 5 significantly less pleasant to shoot than my no. 3. Where I really notice the difference is muzzle climb. Unlike the poster above I haven't found any issue with "wandering zero", but with a sample size of one rifle I can't say it's definitively not a thing.

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u/Q-Ball7 In the end, it's taxes all the way down Apr 18 '26

It's more because it's a 7 pound gun with no [functional] recoil pad firing a full-power rifle cartridge from a short barrel (some people class increased muzzle blast to be a component of recoil, and not unfairly either).

Those properties are not unique to the No. 5, but the No. 5 is the most prolific surplus rifle to have those properties.

Of course, considering the more extensive sporterized examples of No. 1/4s come relatively close to what the No. 5 was from the factory, it obviously isn't that bad. Maybe not something you want to just pound rounds through, but for hunting and occasional use it's fine.

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u/blogginsgod Apr 18 '26

I got a sporterized stock and still have the military stock to swap out. Way better with the sporterized stock! I can only shoot about 40 rounds a day with some bruising but I'm not a large dude.

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u/IGnuGnat Apr 18 '26

My understanding is that the wandering zero was a bit of a myth. People unconsciously flinch because the buttpad is smaller on the carbine, and it's lighter so they take a bigger hit when they fire. When the rifle is mounted to a stand and not a human there is no wandering,

1

u/blogginsgod Apr 18 '26

I find at least one mine it always needs a few clicks. Might just be mine was stored poorly before it came to me

1

u/Poffertjes_lover Apr 18 '26

The wandering zero is a myth buddy

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u/blogginsgod Apr 18 '26

Well mine doesn't hold a zero after transport so it just might be mine