.308 Enfield bullet weights

[win70chris]

I have an L39A1 and hope to get some info on the best bullet weights for handloading. I know the 1-12 inch twist is best for 175gr and less and have had some good results with 155 smk's. I read somewhere that due to the design of the bolt that using heavier bullets is not safe. I have a favorite handload of 168gr smk with 42.5gr 4895, I have had a few .12-.25" groups with this in my Winchester HBV. I plan on neck sizing the brass and hope to use this recipe on my L39. Any info or insight will be great. Thanks guys.

[wunhunglo]

If you have a genuine L39A1 it will have been proof tested and the action & bolt will bear at least one proof mark. If it is proof marked, in good condition and IF nobody has otherwise F*cked with it it is safe to fire as long as you do not exceed normal service pressures.
I'm sure your favourite load will work well in your rifle, I quite often shoot a very similar loading in my 1945 Enfield-actioned target rifle.
As with all reloads, continually check your fired cases for any signs of over-pressure.

[win70chris]

It is a genuine L39 with plenty of 19T proof marks and does not appear to be mistreated in any way. The load I use is a mild one and only hits around 2700 fps.
I know .303 brass does not last long if not neck sized due to the stretching caused by the bolt design.

[MJ11]

168g Sierra Match Kings or 150g Sierra SP's for practice. Don't skimp on a round you will shoot for pleausre and score. You won't save a thing and end up blaming the rifle.

Cold bore shots from the same barrel as the L39

[twtalbot]

I'm not familiar with the L39A1. From the posts in this thread so far, I seem to gather that it's a .303 chambered rifle that shoots .308 dia. bullets. Is that right?

[Alan De Enfield]

In the 1950's the British undertook an extensive ammunition and rifle development program, which resulted in the British military being issued with a modified FN FAL light automatic rifle and designated it the LIAI.
The replacement of the bolt action single shot rifle with which the British forces had been issued for 63 years since 1888, left a shortfall in the category of a sniping rifle. During that period the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock had taken advantage of the huge numbers of surplus Mark 4 Lee Enfield .303 rifles and had developed a conversion kit to enable them to use the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge. This conversion using a heavy free floating barrel and a special handguard and fore end cut back in sporting style had been developed to provide a rifle for competitive shooting. Early versions were known as the No.4 Conv. later Civilian Target Rifles were designated the name Enfield Envoy match rifle. The Military target Rifle version was given a military designation L39Al.

Later on, in the early 1970's, minor modifications were made to the L39A1 by the RSAF, Enfield to produce a sniper version of the No.4 rifle for police use, which they finally called the Enfield 'Enforcer'. The most visible differences between the L39A1 and Enforcer are the one piece (Monte-Carlo) Buttstock - a modified commercially produced buttstock - with an integral cheek piece and the Parker Hale 'Target' sights in addition to the Commercially produced 'Scope'. The modifications to the buttstock and the production of the fore-end wood were done by Colin Moon of Brighton. Colin Moon remembers being impressed with the quality control imposed when making Enforcers, with more parts being sent to the 'scrap bin' than being passed on to the next stage of producton at the factory. Although on 23rd January 1973 a name for the Police Sniper Rifle had yet to be decided - by April 1973 an internal Home Office Memo mentioned that the rifle had become known as the 'Enforcer'! (This followed the usual pattern of RSAF nomenclature by including the letters "EN" at the beginning or end of a name.

I dont have an L39 but heres a pic of one of my Enforcers :

[MJ11]

Still the answer is 168g SMK



Oh happy day.

...MJ...