SMLE Triggers
I have just aquired a "custom" Short Magazine Lee Enfield sporter in 30-40 Krag. It is a nice little piece and I should be able to load it up much hotter than the Krag I own as the action will handle a much greater amount of pressure, something the Krag certianly will not. The finish is great and the stock is beautiful BUT the trigger is the good old SMLE long long two stage dinosaur. Somewhat similar to pulling a truck from a ditch with a tractor. Is there anything OR anyone out there that could make this a somewhat more enjoyable trigger? Everyone in my general area has told me to just "clean it up with a stone" and get used to it. Any ideas would be appreciated.
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It may not be a 30-40 unless it was rebarrelled especially if you're going by a supply of ammunition you got with the gun.
Real .303 size barrels are hard to find in the US and cost more than a US-standard .308".
Some shooters reform 30-40 brass to use in 303s because the 30-40 case is a little larger than a 303 but otherwise almost identical. Military .303 chambers are a bit oversize because it enhanced reliability in combat, but accuracy and case life are supposedly greatly improved by using 30-40 brass.
The headstamp would still say "30-40", however.
The important part is you'd want to keep using .303 dies and .312 bullets for best accuracy unless you know someone put a .308 caliber barrel on there.
As for the trigger, just think of it as a safety mechanism. They very deliberately put two steps with two different amounts of leverage into the trigger mechanism, so you'd know the gun won't shoot until you take up the first stage.0 -
What model do you have? Huber makes a trigger for the No1 MkIII:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=416415
No idea if it will work on a No4 MkI or II.0 -
"I should be able to load it up much hotter than the Krag I own as the action will handle a much greater amount of pressure".........I would rethink this, the .303 and .30/40 BOTH are meant to operate at about the same pressure levels. 0 -
The rifle was re-barreled to 30-40 and it is a #1 Mk3. As far as the design, the SMLE is a far superior action as far as pressure goes. Ever see a Krag rebarreled to anything else? The locking lug system was too fragile to shoot anything with very much pressure so one has to stay under 40,000 PSI or risk the bolt becoming permanant nose art (which I understand is popular these days) but not popular in my family. Remington Lee actions were chambered for 6mm Lee, 30-30, 30-40, 303 British, 35 remington and 45-70 so I am not too worried about pushing the 30-40 round a little more than one should in the Krag....within reason of course. 0
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