Enfield stripper clips: .308 on .303?

Morgan · November 3, 1999, 12:12 PM

I'm looking into purchasing my first bolt action centerfire rifle, and have narrowed it down to an Enfield "Jungle Carbine" conversion (shot one in .303 and loved it - beatiful rifle).

My question is will the .303 stripper clips hold and function properly with .308? I want to use strippers, but I haven't found a source for Enfield .308 clips - but I'd prefer the .308, as ammo is much more common and the .308 Enfield is newer, built with better steel. This gun's going to be a shooter.

Answers? Advice? Source for .308 clips?

. · November 3, 1999, 01:03 PM

Morgan,

I've not seen any 308 clips for the Enfield. The base of the .303 is larger than the .308win, so I doubt it will work. I would suggest that you consider making, or have made, an adapter that allows the standard M-14 5-rnd stripper clip to be used in the .303 stripper guide. This *may* be something as simple as metal or polymer shim material epoxyed into the opening and shaped with a needle file.

Since this effort appears to require some custom elbow grease to get the desired results, I'm going to repost your thread to The Smithy forum, so we can get appropriate focus on the issue.

[This message has been edited by Mykl (edited November 03, 1999).]

Morgan · November 3, 1999, 01:44 PM

Thanks, Mykl. I called an importer of these Enfields, and he suggested that a .308 stripper from another rifle might fit the .308 Ishapore Arsenal Enfields correctly. Any ideas? Maybe Garand clips? Anyone have an Enfield in .308 willing to do a bit of digging for me?

James K · November 3, 1999, 08:10 PM

Garand clips?

The Ishapore .308 rifles take FAL clips. M14 clips will work but are not as good. LE .303 clips will not work, and Garand clips certainly are completely different.

Jim

Morgan · November 4, 1999, 12:01 PM

Thanks, Jim. I thought Garand clips were different, though I've never fired or examined a Garand (I'm pretty new at this, especially the rifles). Aren't Garand clips shoved whole into the reciever, not stripping the cartridges?

To the Shotgun News to find FAL clips!

James K · November 4, 1999, 11:01 PM

Yes, Garand (M1 rifle) clips hold eight rounds and go right into the magazine; it is a derivative of the Mannlicher system, like was used on the Carcano, the Mannlicher straight pulls, etc.

The Lee-Enfield .303 clip is much too wide for the clip guide of the Ishapore.

I wonder if you have fired that carbine yet? If not, you might not like it as much when you do. The recoil is bad and the noise is worse. Plus the flash hider does not reduce the muzzle blast as much as you might wish it did.

Jim

[This message has been edited by Jim Keenan (edited November 04, 1999).]

Morgan · November 5, 1999, 01:29 PM

Yeah, it's got some nasty recoil and blast (feels like a 12 ga. shotgun). It's light though, and, well, pretty. With the wife's permission I'm going to be picking up many more older rifles in the next few years, so this is just a start.

Thanks again!

Riss · November 17, 1999, 11:01 AM

If I remember correctly the only place that may have had .308 Enfield strippers is TAPCO. They do have a web site.ww.tapco.com Have not checked with them for a while, but is a good place to start.

November 3, 1999, 12:12 PM	#1
Morgan Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Posts: 945	I'm looking into purchasing my first bolt action centerfire rifle, and have narrowed it down to an Enfield "Jungle Carbine" conversion (shot one in .303 and loved it - beatiful rifle). My question is will the .303 stripper clips hold and function properly with .308? I want to use strippers, but I haven't found a source for Enfield .308 clips - but I'd prefer the .308, as ammo is much more common and the .308 Enfield is newer, built with better steel. This gun's going to be a shooter. Answers? Advice? Source for .308 clips?

November 3, 1999, 01:03 PM	#2
. Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 1998 Location: My wife's house... Posts: 2,659	Morgan, I've not seen any 308 clips for the Enfield. The base of the .303 is larger than the .308win, so I doubt it will work. I would suggest that you consider making, or have made, an adapter that allows the standard M-14 5-rnd stripper clip to be used in the .303 stripper guide. This may be something as simple as metal or polymer shim material epoxyed into the opening and shaped with a needle file. Since this effort appears to require some custom elbow grease to get the desired results, I'm going to repost your thread to The Smithy forum, so we can get appropriate focus on the issue. [This message has been edited by Mykl (edited November 03, 1999).]

November 3, 1999, 01:44 PM	#3
Morgan Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Posts: 945	Thanks, Mykl. I called an importer of these Enfields, and he suggested that a .308 stripper from another rifle might fit the .308 Ishapore Arsenal Enfields correctly. Any ideas? Maybe Garand clips? Anyone have an Enfield in .308 willing to do a bit of digging for me?

November 3, 1999, 08:10 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Garand clips? The Ishapore .308 rifles take FAL clips. M14 clips will work but are not as good. LE .303 clips will not work, and Garand clips certainly are completely different. Jim

November 4, 1999, 12:01 PM	#5
Morgan Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Posts: 945	Thanks, Jim. I thought Garand clips were different, though I've never fired or examined a Garand (I'm pretty new at this, especially the rifles). Aren't Garand clips shoved whole into the reciever, not stripping the cartridges? To the Shotgun News to find FAL clips!

November 4, 1999, 11:01 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Yes, Garand (M1 rifle) clips hold eight rounds and go right into the magazine; it is a derivative of the Mannlicher system, like was used on the Carcano, the Mannlicher straight pulls, etc. The Lee-Enfield .303 clip is much too wide for the clip guide of the Ishapore. I wonder if you have fired that carbine yet? If not, you might not like it as much when you do. The recoil is bad and the noise is worse. Plus the flash hider does not reduce the muzzle blast as much as you might wish it did. Jim [This message has been edited by Jim Keenan (edited November 04, 1999).]

November 5, 1999, 01:29 PM	#7
Morgan Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Posts: 945	Yeah, it's got some nasty recoil and blast (feels like a 12 ga. shotgun). It's light though, and, well, pretty. With the wife's permission I'm going to be picking up many more older rifles in the next few years, so this is just a start. Thanks again!

November 17, 1999, 11:01 AM	#8
Riss Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Eastern, PA, USA Posts: 147	If I remember correctly the only place that may have had .308 Enfield strippers is TAPCO. They do have a web site.ww.tapco.com Have not checked with them for a while, but is a good place to start.