True battle rifle (Ishapore .308)

[tommy tornado]

The SMLE was my first real rifle other than my 10/22, I got for my 12th birthday.  My dad broke down and bought me one at a military show for $85 when I was 13.  I still have that old rifle but don't shoot it as much as I should.  It is a 1917 Indian MIII in .303 British.  It and my Krag are my favorite surplus rifles.

[Overload]

I took my Ishapore out shooting this week.  This is the first time I've shot a non semi-auto rifle in over 10 years.  It shoots much milder than I expected.  It was too windy to get any accuracy results.  I bought a peep rear replacement sight, and it seems to work well, but I'm not sure if it changes point of aim.  The bolt was a little sticky, especially when I tried to work it without getting out of my shooting stance.  Part of this is me being a lefty and having to reach over the gun to work the bolt.  I lubed it more when i got home, which seemed to help, but getting the bolt all the way forward is still a bit hard as I seem to be working against the cocked hammer spring to get it to close.

[Ironhawk]

Overload, The first few times I cycled the bolt on my SMLE, I had to get used to that tension of cocking the firing pin while still trying to lock and load the next round.  I stripped the bolt off and de-greased, cleaned and lubed the bolt and rails it slides on.  Worked it a whole bunch and it eventually smoothed out.  If you want to cycle the bolt to work in lube or whatever, without having to cock the firing pin, hold the down the trigger, and the cocking mechanism will not engage, so you are free to operate the bolt without cocking the rifle.