Advice on lee enfield purchase for new collector ?

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Keithjohn

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I'm new to milsurps and see Corwin arms is going to have some long branch and SMLE rifles for sale .
Any advice or opinions which would be a good first enfield and prices that would be expected ?
 
Actually it looks like corwin is already sold out of their Enfields. But you can't go wrong with a good No1 mk3 or No4 mk1. Long branch is always desirable because they're Canadian and supposedly are of a higher quality. Enfields can be anywhere from $150 for a sporterized model with the stock/barrel cut down and the receiver drilled for a scope, to $1500+ for a 50's era Irish contract No4 still in its original wrapping. Most original rifles tend to hover somewhere around $700-800. Or you could do what I did and spend thousands on a No4 T sniper rifle or L42.

If you're looking for a collectors piece, matching numbers is always a good thing. That's the receiver(on the wrist), bolt, magazine, etc.

If you want a good shooter, there's lots more factors. Bore and Crown condition being obvious. Also headspace...Enfields have interchangeable bolt heads numbered 0 through 4 which are installed as needed to maintain proper headspace. 0 being new and 4 being probably nearing the end of its barrel life. There should be upward pressure at the muzzle on the No4, and ideally no cracking at the back of the forestock behind the trigger area. The rifles should have a distinct 2 stage trigger pull (if they don't, someone has committed shenanigans). There's a lot more information, since Enfields were produced in so many variations all over the world, but I hope this helps a little
 
New doesn't necessarily imply a 0 bolt head. A number of years back I unwrapped a 1955 Faz and that brand new 50 year old rifle had a No. 3 bolt head.
 
PinkyPlinker said:
Look for matching bolt. Otherwise all the guns Corwin has posted are excellent and you know you aren't getting somebodies pieced together sporter. Pick one you like.
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Matching bolt can still be a sporter, its the other parts that can determine if it is original or not. For example I got fooled recently into buying a No. 1 Mk. 3 with a matching bolt but non-matching nose cap, lesson learned.

Here is a good little link which has stuff to note.

https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/30za6h/last_ditch_mqc_beginners_guide_to_buying_a_lee/
 
He's asking specifically about the Corwin guns. None will be ex sporters, they are all ex Cdn military guns.

Eaglelord17 said:
Matching bolt can still be a sporter, its the other parts that can determine if it is original or not. For example I got fooled recently into buying a No. 1 Mk. 3 with a matching bolt but non-matching nose cap, lesson learned.

Here is a good little link which has stuff to note.

https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/30za6h/last_ditch_mqc_beginners_guide_to_buying_a_lee/
Click to expand...
 
I'm also interested in getting into Lee Enfields. I've noticed the Savage made No 4 MK I's seem to be both more plentiful and cheaper. Is this just because of greater supply or are they considered to be of lower quality?
 
supply as a lot to do with it ,the long branch was made in canada and that means a little more to most of us and is supposed to be of better build quality that could be a little biased who knows. Corwin sold out quick on the no4 rifles and the no1mk111 lee enfields seem to be selling a little slower.
They must be in very good condition and if you want one now would be the time as the price will only go up from here and quality rifles like this will be come harder to find.
 
gordonlbyrne said:
supply as a lot to do with it ,the long branch was made in canada and that means a little more to most of us and is supposed to be of better build quality that could be a little biased who knows. Corwin sold out quick on the no4 rifles and the no1mk111 lee enfields seem to be selling a little slower.
They must be in very good condition and if you want one now would be the time as the price will only go up from here and quality rifles like this will be come harder to find.
Click to expand...

The Corwin No 4 rifles are over $1K once you add tax (I am in a 15% HST province) and I'm not sure if shipping is extra on top of that or not. I see the Savage No 4's on the EE from time to time in the 5-650 range (sometimes less). Obviously the market thinks the Corwin rifles are worth the price as they are selling quickly.

Just trying to get an idea of why.
 
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The Corwin guns are ex-Canadian military and in the case of the Long Branches, also Canadian made. They are guaranteed to be in military configuration, never mucked with. They were never sporters. They come with provenance, something most Enfields on the market do not have. Buying $600 Enfields is a pig in a poke, as Gump says "You never know what you're going to get".
If you are interested in Enfields grab one now and figure out how to pay for it later. Unlikely to see this quality again.
 
The info given for each rifle on the Corwin sight was pretty limited and stopped me from going after any of them. "Military configuration" doesn't tell me that barrels are original or (in the case of the SMLE's) that sight leaf, nosecap, and forends are numbered to match. If they are mixmasters the prices were no bargain.

milsurpo
 
Milsurpo is correct, particularly on the SMLE'S corwin had for sale. They may be "military configuration" but that really says nothing. The only rifles I would have had interest in were the 1950 dated No.4's. Those No.1's are priced about $100-150 over their max market value IMO, and the Longbranch No.4's he had were priced right at the top of their market value. Maybe the 1910 No.1 Mk.3 was worth the money, but not the ww2 dated rifles.
 
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