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?

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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.