varifleman Posted 11 April Share Posted 11 April Here for your perusal is my Lee-Enfield .303 RIC 1898 carbine serial number 6648 with bayonet; RIC inventory number 4303 with acceptance date 6-04. Bore/rifling rates 8/10 so it should be quite accurate; can't wait to take it to the shooting range! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 11 April Share Posted 11 April Very nice looking little rifle.! Has it had a replacement buttstock fitted before it went over to Ireland.? I note the RSAF Sparkbrook roundel stamped in 1904. Maybe refurbished before sale, but I am not right up with the history on these Carbines. Cheers, SS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 11 April Share Posted 11 April IIRC the carbines were converted from existing weapons in several batches. I believe Skennerton discusses this and concludes that while the conversions are reported as having taken place at Enfield many/most of the carbines have Birmingham roundels on the stock which he surmises indicates part of the process took place there. The contracts for conversion ran from 1902-1907 with some conversions being finished in 1913-14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 11 April Share Posted 11 April 6 hours ago, varifleman said: Bore/rifling rates 8/10 so it should be quite accurate; can't wait to take it to the shooting range! If you are thinking of shooting it just be prepared for a sore shoulder ... it will kick like a b**ch.! After regularly shooting full-length Lee Enfield any reduction in barrel length is extremely noticeable. One day my son brought home a Jungle Carbine to shoot, and lets just say it did not stick around long. Lower pressure loads are recommended. Cheers, SS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reese williams Posted 11 April Share Posted 11 April While the No. 5 does have a sporty recoil, my LEC I is surprisingly pleasant to shoot. Using 165 or 180 grain commercial loads it is much milder than other carbines of a similar size and cartridge. I find a Mosin Nagant M38 or M44 has much more felt recoil. I have also shot a FN Mauser 98 actioned carbine with an 18" barrel that was made for the Dutch cavalry. In 8mm Mauser it's one you don't really want to shoot a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 11 April Share Posted 11 April 7 minutes ago, reese williams said: While the No. 5 does have a sporty recoil, my LEC I is surprisingly pleasant to shoot. Using 165 or 180 grain commercial loads it is much milder than other carbines of a similar size and cartridge. I find a Mosin Nagant M38 or M44 has much more felt recoil. I have also shot a FN Mauser 98 actioned carbine with an 18" barrel that was made for the Dutch cavalry. In 8mm Mauser it's one you don't really want to shoot a lot. French M1892 and M1916 carbines in 8mm Lebel are also a bit hefty, although I agree the M44s in 7.62x54 are beastly, likewise the Hungarian Straight-Pulls. My RIC is not too bad and I don't find No5s terrible. I have not shot my Kar88 because the thought of it is enough. I have shot Spanish 7mm Mausers and they are fine as are Carcanos and Arisaka carbines. The one in my stable I have not yet got around to trying is a Belgian Carbine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve1871 Posted 12 April Share Posted 12 April Hey 4G, you make me so jealous I want to cry🥲. I never have seemed to have to time to go to range in years. And the Socialist State of California makes it even worse, closing ranges and all the paranoia of these people. Been many years, but the last carbines I shot were M.71 ( naturally), and Persian ( camel l) carbine, that tiny one, Kicked like a mule. And one those Argentine carbines, sweet to shoot, but shoulder was still tender from that darn Persian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t.ryan Posted 12 April Share Posted 12 April (edited) Some very nice carbines shown above. The little Kar88 which I though was a Dew 88, brings back memories of one I picked up way back in 1971, a nice little rifle with that unusual outer barrel tube which screws off, and a magazine well with no bottom in it so the empty clips could fall clear, and a nice flat carbine bolt handle. I never got to fire it, 7.9 or 8mil I think; and I would expect a little kick and plenty of noise if I had of done so. I have shot the noisy little jungle carbine on many occasions. As you can see, the old black and white photo's were the in thing back then. Cheers, TR Edited 12 April by t.ryan Add extra info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varifleman Posted 12 April Author Share Posted 12 April I'll see how shooting my RIC carbine compares to shooting my Japanese Type 44 6.5mm Cavalry carbine; probably a bit more recoil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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