Number 4 Enfield Calgary Gun Show buy

apu

apu

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I have admit I'm a relative Enfield newb and would appreciate any info the resident experts could provide on the Easter gun show buy. I was told it was Irish contract but google says it was one 99 rifles contracted to Parker Hale, receive, mag and bolt match and that is all I have. If any more photos required please let me know, sorry about size as I have limited edit capability on my travel tablet.
thank you.


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Parker Hale made up a lot of rifles on special order for Bisley and other competition. They do great work.

I have seen several and own a few. In every case where Parker Hale had done the work, they made sure to stamp their logos on the receivers. The sights on your rifle were available commercially. What is UNIQUE is the custom trigger guard mount. I haven't seen that before.

As for special batches of rifles going to Parker Hale, there were likely several. It's more than possible your rifle was customized by them but the question is, was this a commercial endeavor or was it a military contract????

I have looked for the information you mention specifically but can't find it. Posting a link would help.

Whatever, that's a beautiful and desirable rifle. Find the load it likes and shoot it.

One other thing, that stock has been sanded lightly. This is obvious by the rounded edges and it's been finished with BLO, rather than RLO. That's evident by the shiny appearance of the stock.
 
very unusual rifle. blond C arrow Canadian marked lower wood. ive seen a lot of em but ive never seen this mod in the front of the trig guard. be very interesting to see what it looks like inside. is the buttstock also C arrow marked under side? if it doesn't say parker hale on the front of the receiver usually the left side they didn't do it.

I see the trig guard is also C arrow marked Canadian. these Canadian parts shouldn't be on the rifle from what I know. hesitate to say its a put together rifle. but by who
 
Apu, the same area around my trigger guard looks similar, only mine's not squared off:



And here's the forend at the wrist:





Mine is a '56 No.4 Mk.2, and also has a Longbranch fore-end and butt. The handguard is original though.

I wonder if yours is likewise centre-bedded?
 
bearhunter said:
Parker Hale made up a lot of rifles on special order for Bisley and other competition. They do great work.

I have seen several and own a few. In every case where Parker Hale had done the work, they made sure to stamp their logos on the receivers. The sights on your rifle were available commercially. What is UNIQUE is the custom trigger guard mount. I haven't seen that before.

As for special batches of rifles going to Parker Hale, there were likely several. It's more than possible your rifle was customized by them but the question is, was this a commercial endeavor or was it a military contract????

I have looked for the information you mention specifically but can't find it. Posting a link would help.

Whatever, that's a beautiful and desirable rifle. Find the load it likes and shoot it.

One other thing, that stock has been sanded lightly. This is obvious by the rounded edges and it's been finished with BLO, rather than RLO. That's evident by the shiny appearance of the stock.
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Ahh, thanks- mine has Parker-Hale stamped on the receiver:



... and I always wondered why. It was obvious someone had worked on the rifle, I'd wondered if my Dad had done it.
 
Right on and congratulations on the score! I thought about Enfields off and on during the years but the K98's may get pizzy in the safe.... The more I think about it tho, it might be my civic duty to follow your lead!!

Dirk
 
Yes, congrats on your purchases, apu. Martinis are quite fun, I've had the opportunity to shoot some.

Re: your second last picture: slack off the screw on the upper band and move it down a bit, so that it sits between the pins. Yours is riding over the forward pins, which is splaying out the band somewhat.
 
Interesting there is so much Longbranch made parts on there. Stock, bottom metal, and even looks like the bolt has a LB stamp just above the cocking piece.

Either way looks like a stunning rifle. Time to work up a load and see how she performs.
 
I suspect that the rifle was reworked in Canada for target shooting. Bedding work at front of trigger guard. Take it apart, and I bet you will find evidence of more bedding work. The LB stock was altered to work with the mk. II receiver.
 
tiriaq said:
I suspect that the rifle was reworked in Canada for target shooting. Bedding work at front of trigger guard. Take it apart, and I bet you will find evidence of more bedding work. The LB stock was altered to work with the mk. II receiver.
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If you attempt to take it apart do so very carefully.

A lot of those rifles were "glued in" with bedding compound.

One i took apart was impossible to reassemble without re bedding it because the kind screw bushing was bedded in.
 
tiriaq said:
I suspect that the rifle was reworked in Canada for target shooting. Bedding work at front of trigger guard. Take it apart, and I bet you will find evidence of more bedding work. The LB stock was altered to work with the mk. II receiver.
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I'm with him. Im pritysure that was not built by parker. they would never have built one with anything but Brit parts from what ive seen. reworked here by someone who knew what they were doing . if you do take the stock off please post some pics of how they converted it at the back end to the mk 2 receiver. also the PH site is not in the same shape to have been on the rifle all its life it looks like to me. none the less its a great rifle, lots of history
 
whitey07 said:
Op how is the muzzle downward preload on it ?
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Sorry. I am honestly unsure I how one would quantify this. Nonetheless, I am driving back to Winnipeg at the moment I will try take her down in the next day or so and get back with any new findings. Thank you gentleman with all the kind replies.

addendum: Ok I'm finally home, showered and started taking her apart. Stopped at the rear hand guard, and as it was suggested it looks like its been bedded. Before I muck it up any further I'm going to leave things alone until I get a chance to shoot her later in the week. If the previous owners efforts at accurizing hold true I will call it a day and be happy with what I have.
 
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I got a chance to shoot the Enfield today. After realizing the previous owner had the peep sights zeroed at over 200 meters I was able to get several 3 shot groups within one to two inches of each other at 100 meters. I am going to say 1-2 MOA with 1942 surplus military ball in an Enfield is a win. I think with some effort on my part a consistent 1 MOA would not be impossible. Overall I am pleased with my Easter gun show buy, even if not totally all original she is pretty and shoots very well. Thank you gentleman for the shared knowledge and kind insight.
 
apu said:
I got a chance to shoot the Enfield today. After realizing the previous owner had the peep sights zeroed at over 200 meters I was able to get several 3 shot groups within one to two inches of each other at 100 meters. I am going to say 1-2 MOA with 1942 surplus military ball in an Enfield is a win. I think with some effort on my part a consistent 1 MOA would not be impossible. Overall I am pleased with my Easter gun show buy, even if not totally all original she is pretty and shoots very well. Thank you gentleman for the shared knowledge and kind insight.
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You must be an excellent "Expert Sniper Master Target Shooter", most people around here can't hit a 4" gong with a scoped rifle at that distance, especially with old Milsurp ammo which was crafted to shoot 4 MOA at 100m.

I shoot open sighted milsurp rifles since 40 years plus, and IMHO, if you can do 4 MOA with your set up, you are more than fine.
 
No sniper here but a reasonable shot and I shoot alot. I was was ringing a 6 inch gong at 300 meters consistently for the last couple of hours with a scoped 30/06 Sauer bolt. Not really that hard with a good rifle/optics. My only other Enfield on a good day provides 6-8 inch groups with iron sights at 100 meters but at least it gives me perspective when I am shooting something a little better.

addendum-now that my shooting skills have been challenged :) I went out to shoot the blonde Enfield again and could do not better that 4 inch groups at exactly 100 meters with surplus ammo. Mind out you its been outside in -7 Celcius for the last few hours(action was stiff and cold, not sure how much of a factor this was). This 4 shot group your can see the consistency with the vertical string which I suspect is more me than the gun but who the hell knows. I still contend its good shooter and probably could reliably hit 4 inch gongs at 100 meters without a scope :)

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