Listen, old .303s in capable hands will do the job but you have to know how to shoot and most of all TO SHOOT! That Enfield has a quick action bolt that surprised many Japanese and Germans with their rate of fire. And there’s many Enfields, Springfields, Mosin-Nagants, etc., (not to mention U.S. Carbines, Garands) standing in U.S. home’s corners or closets.
In 1914, British infantry -- almost all professionals at that point and at a high standard of training -- was capable of firing up to 30 aimed rounds per minute with .303 Enfields. The Germans thought they were facing machine guns.
You are so correct.
I have an Enfield .303 and a Mosin-Nagants 7.62 and they both shoot real nice.
RE .303 Enfield: The Afghanis taught the Soviet mudcrunchers a painful lesson about what an Enfield SMILEY III (or No.4MKI) in the hands of a RIFLEMAN can do for eight years.
But I would think a small select-fire SMG, or AK Krinkov-type, or carbine would be better in an airport; CQB stuff comes into play when there’s armed looneys running around in those tight environs, and the shorter carbines/SMGs might be better suited than a full-size battle rifle.
Just my humble opinion...
Some were build chambered for 7.62..