.303 Vermin

[Clean Break]

First, I notice the normally useless, pudgy neighbor's dog is staring intently at some dirt near an ornamental tree in our yard.

I walk up and see some dirt moving....MOLE ALERT!!! As these buggers have been making moosh out of too many patches in my yard, it is important to act quickly... I charge for the upper deck, running for the house gun (1917 SMLE No. 1 MK111*) and slap in a magazine loaded with Turkish military surplus rounds

(others are 180 gr.Remington SPCLs)

I return to the fleldgling oak tree this depredator has decided to root around and sure enough, after five or so minutes of quiet waiting and keeping the dogs away.... dirt moves again. I quickly took my shot, the subterrainian concussive wave neutralizing the the threat. Range was approximately 6-8".

I knew it worked on coyotes, but to realize it also works so well on moles... fabulous. My wife is pleased. I'll have to pay closer attention to that pork chop stealing, bug eyed labrapug of a mole dog. Who knew? C.B.

 

[jkc]

So, thousands of years of selective breeding of domesticated wolves has produced the "mole dog" --- who knew?

 

[Davwingman]

Would you consider the .303 to be an adequate caliber for moles or would you recommend something larger?

 

[Engineer1911]

.303 Brit is like Lucas electrics -- you just never can be sure. This time it worked.

A larger caliber would have minimized the need to dig the dead critter up, 7 mm Mag or 45-70 might have blown the itsy-bitsy right out of its tunnel.

 

[LVSteve]

.303 Brit is like Lucas electrics -- you just never can be sure. This time it worked.

There are an awful lot of folk who would attest to the effectiveness of .303 but are unable to discuss it right now. Wanna guess why?

 

[calmex]

I just bought a nice No. 1 Mk. III* down here yesterday. It has been "sporterized" by some dullard in the past, but that's okay, I'll get new wood. The bore is nice. I will reload with hard lead bullets in necksized cases as they do not sell the cartridge here.

Can anyone tell me; I would like to install some sort of receiver aperture sight and was considering the Williams FP. However, I am concerned that installing it properly may cover up the clip loading slot, which would not be cool. I have a good supply of Lee Enfield stripper clips back in Canada which I can have sent down and would use them with my new find.

If anyone has any information on this, I'd appreciate knowing. I have searched the Internet for photos of a Williams FP sight mounted but so far, to no avail.

 

[2152hq]

Nice trophy! Nice rifle..

I think the ammo is Yugo,,from Prvi Partizan
(Good Stuff)

Turk 303 is usually headstamp MKE

 

[FinnMike]

What rule? The Rule of 303!!

 

[LVSteve]

Nice trophy! Nice rifle..

I think the ammo is Yugo,,from Prvi Partizan
(Good Stuff)

Turk 303 is usually headstamp MKE

PPU certainly looks Yugo to me, too. What is really odd is that it is headstamped with the British name, MK7Z. What I do not know is whether British produced ammo said MKVIIZ instead. I wonder if it uses the proper bullet, 174gr with a hollow space in the nose to make it unstable on impact.

 

[chud333]

Nice lookin' "Mole Gun".
That'll teach those little buggers to mess in your yard.
Grandpa had his trusty Model 97 winchester for this exact
chore and many a dirt-digger was sent to sleep permanently.

Chuck

 

[Texas Star]

Clean Break-


I saw your post when you shot the coyote. Looked as if the magazine wasn't in the rifle then. (Good photos, though.) Glad to see that you have one.

You showed two rounds of ammo. One is blunt nosed, the Remington 180 grain softpoint. What did you shoot the coyote with?

Can you get the Winchester 180 grain, which has a bullet profile more like the military MK VII round? Or the 180 Grain Norma load? Probably doesn't matter on moles, but will on larger game, where you'll probably have to shoot softnosed ammo, by law. I suspect that these loads will shoot closer to the sights.

Good catch by LV Steve, a former Brit., about the hollow under the bullet nose, to incite tumbling in flesh.

Prvi Partisan ammo is now Serbian, but this batch was loaded while Yugoslavia was still a nation. I buy the Winchester 180 grain when I find it.

 

[LazyKB]

Looks like you "USEd ENOUGH GUN".

 

[norm]

cant remember who but around ww2 time someone said 303 was good for making round holes in square heads.

 

[cowart]

I just bought a nice No. 1 Mk. III*... I would like to install some sort of receiver aperture sight

It looks like the Williams takes some gunsmithing to fit. See
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/516050/

Rather than the Williams, it might be simpler to use a BSA or Parker Hale sight, as they were specifically made just for these guns. Or look at all the brands here:

http://www.enfieldresource.com/aperture-sights

They turn up on ebay pretty often, although they are expensive.

 

[walnutred]

I hope this does not turn into a "What caliber is enough in mole country?" thread.

 

[Texas Star]

It looks like the Williams takes some gunsmithing to fit. See
FP-SMLE Receiver Peep Sight British Lee Enfield Nos. 1 4 5 Aluminum Black

Rather than the Williams, it might be simpler to use a BSA or Parker Hale sight, as they were specifically made just for these guns. Or look at all the brands here:

Aperture sights

They turn up on ebay pretty often, although they are expensive.

Is that your Charger Loading Lee-Enfield (CLLE)? Not many of those still around.

 

[Deacon KC]

Mojo makes a replacement peep sight that won't require any modifications.

 

[427mach1]

Are you going to have it stuffed and mounted? Anyone know a good taxidermist in SW Washington???

 

[calmex]

It looks like the Williams takes some gunsmithing to fit. See
FP-SMLE Receiver Peep Sight British Lee Enfield Nos. 1 4 5 Aluminum Black

Rather than the Williams, it might be simpler to use a BSA or Parker Hale sight, as they were specifically made just for these guns. Or look at all the brands here:

Aperture sights

They turn up on ebay pretty often, although they are expensive.

I had some friends who are really well educated on the SMLE email me from Canada telling me the same thing. So, I guess I'll have to get a Parker Hale or BSA sight. They look to be running around 185.00 to 200.00 bucks...but...the bore is good. So I'll probably fork over the cash. Thanks for getting back to me! I was not trying to hijack the whole thread.

 

[gtoppcop]

SMELLIE!!!

Good Gun/Ammo! The MK VII Ball is one of the un-sung heroes of the World Wars and the various 'Police Actions' of the Empire.

The bullet (174gr) was made to tumble when it hit. As I recall, it made pretty fearsome wounds in many a German/Japanese.

The mole was unlucky to say the least. Those buggers are death on nice manicured lawns. Glad you took it out.

I have two of the 'Smellies'. My pride and joy is a 1941 Lithgow that I rebuilt to spec with a new virgin barrel. It shoots the S&B 180gr FMJ perfectly from 25 to 600 yards.

The other is a Long Branch No. 1 MK 4. I'm making it into a Scout Rifle. I never liked the No.1 MK4s as much as the No. III MK1s.

Congrats on the harvest!