7.62 Nato Enfield Magazines

boostedtt91 · December 16, 2011, 04:33 PM

I was just curious since there are a good amount of different 7.62 nato/308 rifles out there and older military rifles, is there any magazines out there that will also fit the enfields? I think its the FN FAL that has a similar magazine as the enfields, not 100% sure though. Since there are not as many stock 308 enfield mags around much anymore and nobody is making them, if there is any alternative out there that might work?

Has anyone ever looked into this or tried different mags

James K · December 16, 2011, 10:31 PM

The metric magazines are a tad wider than the inch magazines, but they can be made to fit by taking off a small amount from the inner sides of the magazine well. Inch magazines will still work OK. You might also want to replace the bolt holdopen, which seems to be missing from the inch rifles.

Jim

wogpotter · December 17, 2011, 09:25 AM

I think the OP means Lee-Enfields, not Enfield-made L1A1's?
Anyway I grabbed a Lee-Enfield Magazine & a FAL metric one & did some comparing.
FAL magazine has a vertical front surface, with a locking lug Enfield magazine has a sloping face with no lug. You could flatten the metric lug, but I can't see how you'd change the angle.

FAL magazine is shorter front-to-rear than the Enfield by 0.203", but it has a rib on one side at the right rear & no locking tab, which the Enfield needs.

Enfield magazines taper rear-to-front (2.216" to 2.530"), FAL is parallel at (2.295").
Add the utterly different feed lip configuration & I think you hit the wall.

firewrench044 · December 17, 2011, 03:26 PM

SMLE- Ishapore no.2 and no.2A are 7.62 NATO
the magazine for them will fit other SMLEs

firewrench044 · December 17, 2011, 03:33 PM

Numerich Gun Parts
part # 376330
listed under SMLE Ishapore #2

**44 AMP** · December 17, 2011, 05:21 PM

That SMLE magazines are not intended to be use as reloads? Unlike virtually all other detachtable magazines, the British did not intend SMLE mags to be used that way.

They are supposed to be used as replacements of the rifle magazine, if it gets lost or damaged. Actual reloading the rifle is to be done with the magazine in the rifle, using stripper clips, or individual rounds.

Since the .308 Enfields are essentially the same rifle as the .303 SMLE (with minor differences in magazine due to the difference in cartridges), I would expect them to be intended to be used the same way as the .303 magazines.'

I have seen people successfuly use loaded .303 magazines to reload their rifles, but thats not the way they were intended to be used.

James K · December 18, 2011, 01:16 AM

Sorry for my misunderstanding of the original post.

Jim

gyvel · December 18, 2011, 01:27 AM

Unless the OP is referring to mags for the L8, Envoy and L42 rifles, which are a whole different ball game.

Webleymkv · December 18, 2011, 03:27 PM

Assuming that we're talking about an Ishapore SMLE, I've heard that 10-round M14 stripper clips work well for quick reloading.

Cheapshooter · December 19, 2011, 12:32 AM

Out of curiosity I just checked a mag from my L1A1 to see if it would work in my a2 SMLE. Simple answer to a confusing question. NO!!!
SMLE magazine well is tapered toward the front, FAL mag is straight. The angle of which the magazine is inserted in the Enfield is much more than the FAL. Don't fit, and can't be made to.

boostedtt91 · December 19, 2011, 04:18 PM

sorry for any confusion. I am referring to other gun magazines than the enfield mags. I was just wondering if there were any other magazines from another gun that would work on a enfield. Just wanted to see if i could get a higher capacity mag to use instead of the stock 10 rounders.

Yes the enfield mags probably weren't designed to be removed for reloading as why they just don't drop out like most mags, you have to use alittle effort to get them in and out.

wogpotter · December 19, 2011, 04:58 PM

There was an actual factory Lee Enfield extended capacity magazine, 20 rounds I think? But it was in .303 British, not .308. Maybe it might be easier to convert the caliber than the magazine as long as you don't mind paying a hefty premium for a collectable rarity & then modding it?

Even the web cases for these run a lot of moolah, so brace for sticker shock if you hunt down an Enfield "trench magazine"

boostedtt91 · December 19, 2011, 05:20 PM

whats the trench magazine? is that the extension you were talking about.

Im not trying to change or modify the gun at all, just was curious if there was any large magazines that would fit or with alittle modification would fit. I only have a 7.62 enfield right now. Might pickup a 303 someday but not sure. Just found another 7.62 enfield yesterday which i was thinking about since i like them alot more than the 303 enfields

wogpotter · December 20, 2011, 08:46 AM

It was a longer 20 round (I think) replacement magazine for Lee Enfields chambered in .303 British. Highly collectable & so horribly rare & expensive.

BlueTrain · December 20, 2011, 04:19 PM

Gyvel, are you saying that the later British made or modified 7.62 Lee-Enfields have magazines that will not fit in the .303 Lee-Enfields (or vice versa)? I realize the cartridges are different but I was under the impression that most of the British (as opposed to the Indian) 7.62mm models were modified No 4 rifles (mostly). I say most because if memory services, there were some "commercial" 7.62 Lee-Enfields manufactured presumably for the police market.

Not that I have any Lee-Enfields at all any more.

gyvel · December 20, 2011, 06:55 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's a good question. In Skennerton's book, there is a photo of an L39 with a standard No. 4 mag installed, the idea being that the L39 is a single shot target arm. I guess the .303 mag just performs the function of a loading platform.

I have an L42, but it is in "deep cover" right now (LOL) so I'll have to dig it out and see what fits what.

MJ1 · December 22, 2011, 09:58 PM

Mags for my 7.62X51 Enfield are hovering around $200 each glad I bought two and the rifle came with two.

gyvel · December 24, 2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Mags for my 7.62X51 Enfield are hovering around $200 each glad I bought two and the rifle came with two.

Which one do you have? Envoy, L8, L39, L42?

December 16, 2011, 04:33 PM	#1
boostedtt91 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2011 Location: Danville, Pa Posts: 520	7.62 Nato Enfield Magazines I was just curious since there are a good amount of different 7.62 nato/308 rifles out there and older military rifles, is there any magazines out there that will also fit the enfields? I think its the FN FAL that has a similar magazine as the enfields, not 100% sure though. Since there are not as many stock 308 enfield mags around much anymore and nobody is making them, if there is any alternative out there that might work? Has anyone ever looked into this or tried different mags

December 17, 2011, 09:25 AM	#3
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	I think the OP means Lee-Enfields, not Enfield-made L1A1's? Anyway I grabbed a Lee-Enfield Magazine & a FAL metric one & did some comparing. FAL magazine has a vertical front surface, with a locking lug Enfield magazine has a sloping face with no lug. You could flatten the metric lug, but I can't see how you'd change the angle. FAL magazine is shorter front-to-rear than the Enfield by 0.203", but it has a rib on one side at the right rear & no locking tab, which the Enfield needs. Enfield magazines taper rear-to-front (2.216" to 2.530"), FAL is parallel at (2.295"). Add the utterly different feed lip configuration & I think you hit the wall. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.” Last edited by wogpotter; December 17, 2011 at 09:34 AM.

December 17, 2011, 05:21 PM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,839	Are you aware... That SMLE magazines are not intended to be use as reloads? Unlike virtually all other detachtable magazines, the British did not intend SMLE mags to be used that way. They are supposed to be used as replacements of the rifle magazine, if it gets lost or damaged. Actual reloading the rifle is to be done with the magazine in the rifle, using stripper clips, or individual rounds. Since the .308 Enfields are essentially the same rifle as the .303 SMLE (with minor differences in magazine due to the difference in cartridges), I would expect them to be intended to be used the same way as the .303 magazines.' I have seen people successfuly use loaded .303 magazines to reload their rifles, but thats not the way they were intended to be used. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

December 19, 2011, 12:32 AM	#10
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	Out of curiosity I just checked a mag from my L1A1 to see if it would work in my a2 SMLE. Simple answer to a confusing question. NO!!! SMLE magazine well is tapered toward the front, FAL mag is straight. The angle of which the magazine is inserted in the Enfield is much more than the FAL. Don't fit, and can't be made to. __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

December 19, 2011, 04:58 PM	#12
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	There was an actual factory Lee Enfield extended capacity magazine, 20 rounds I think? But it was in .303 British, not .308. Maybe it might be easier to convert the caliber than the magazine as long as you don't mind paying a hefty premium for a collectable rarity & then modding it? Even the web cases for these run a lot of moolah, so brace for sticker shock if you hunt down an Enfield "trench magazine" __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

December 16, 2011, 10:31 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The metric magazines are a tad wider than the inch magazines, but they can be made to fit by taking off a small amount from the inner sides of the magazine well. Inch magazines will still work OK. You might also want to replace the bolt holdopen, which seems to be missing from the inch rifles. Jim

December 17, 2011, 03:26 PM	#4
firewrench044 Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2007 Location: Fort Pierce, Florida Posts: 381	SMLE- Ishapore no.2 and no.2A are 7.62 NATO the magazine for them will fit other SMLEs

December 17, 2011, 03:33 PM	#5
firewrench044 Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2007 Location: Fort Pierce, Florida Posts: 381	Numerich Gun Parts part # 376330 listed under SMLE Ishapore #2

December 18, 2011, 01:16 AM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Sorry for my misunderstanding of the original post. Jim

December 18, 2011, 01:27 AM	#8
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	Unless the OP is referring to mags for the L8, Envoy and L42 rifles, which are a whole different ball game.

December 18, 2011, 03:27 PM	#9
Webleymkv Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 10,446	Assuming that we're talking about an Ishapore SMLE, I've heard that 10-round M14 stripper clips work well for quick reloading.

December 19, 2011, 04:18 PM	#11
boostedtt91 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2011 Location: Danville, Pa Posts: 520	sorry for any confusion. I am referring to other gun magazines than the enfield mags. I was just wondering if there were any other magazines from another gun that would work on a enfield. Just wanted to see if i could get a higher capacity mag to use instead of the stock 10 rounders. Yes the enfield mags probably weren't designed to be removed for reloading as why they just don't drop out like most mags, you have to use alittle effort to get them in and out.

December 19, 2011, 05:20 PM	#13
boostedtt91 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2011 Location: Danville, Pa Posts: 520	whats the trench magazine? is that the extension you were talking about. Im not trying to change or modify the gun at all, just was curious if there was any large magazines that would fit or with alittle modification would fit. I only have a 7.62 enfield right now. Might pickup a 303 someday but not sure. Just found another 7.62 enfield yesterday which i was thinking about since i like them alot more than the 303 enfields

December 20, 2011, 08:46 AM	#14
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	It was a longer 20 round (I think) replacement magazine for Lee Enfields chambered in .303 British. Highly collectable & so horribly rare & expensive. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

December 20, 2011, 04:19 PM	#15
BlueTrain Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 6,141	Gyvel, are you saying that the later British made or modified 7.62 Lee-Enfields have magazines that will not fit in the .303 Lee-Enfields (or vice versa)? I realize the cartridges are different but I was under the impression that most of the British (as opposed to the Indian) 7.62mm models were modified No 4 rifles (mostly). I say most because if memory services, there were some "commercial" 7.62 Lee-Enfields manufactured presumably for the police market. Not that I have any Lee-Enfields at all any more. __________________ Shoot low, sheriff. They're riding Shetlands! Underneath the starry flag, civilize 'em with a Krag, and return us to our own beloved homes! Buy War Bonds.

December 20, 2011, 06:55 PM	#16
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's a good question. In Skennerton's book, there is a photo of an L39 with a standard No. 4 mag installed, the idea being that the L39 is a single shot target arm. I guess the .303 mag just performs the function of a loading platform. I have an L42, but it is in "deep cover" right now (LOL) so I'll have to dig it out and see what fits what.

December 22, 2011, 09:58 PM	#17
MJ1 Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2008 Posts: 329	;) Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm Mags for my 7.62X51 Enfield are hovering around $200 each glad I bought two and the rifle came with two. __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" --Unknown Soldier-- Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid. - David Hackworth -