From: NitroExpressCom Sent: 12/20/2002 11:47 AM
Safari-Hunt and Honey Badger

Thanks for your comments.

I am going to look over the next couple years for two or three '03s. I would like one in SMLE No1 MkIII in as original condition as possible as a wall hanger. Ideally with bayonet and accuments. Possibly with some "Light Horse" leather such as scabbard and saddle bags and webbing etc.

Another would be a cut down .303, a Mk4 would be good and either used with peep sights or a low powered scope. Just for fun and the ten round magazine.

Lastly if I could find a similarly setup rifle in the .25/303 calibre. Again really just for fun and posterity.

As a real wall hanger I would love to find a Lee-Metford in reasonable condition but that might be harder.

Good cheap commercial bullets used to be available in the Taipan range here and would be murder on pigs. I like the idea of the calibre and its history. I think its "demise" is due to a number of factors:
being a rimmed cartridge in a bolt action;
not being marketed by one of the major commercial American ammunition manufacturers. Most of the British rounds were too "proprietory".
In the speed stakes being a little under powered but realistically not a noticable difference
Lack of range of commercial bullets
But its other strength, at least in the 1950's here in Australia was affordability, with some many ex-mil rifles around, semi-wildcats like the .25, .270 /03s were also developed. However you think it, a great bit of history in the Commonwealth.

(PS The "Then" in the title is a typo. I was using my laptop and the spacebar sticks and sometimes inserts a N instead of a space.)

BigFive, I believe has also recently purchased a .303. Any comments, BF?