Enfield Gods! I need your help!

ArtyMan

ArtyMan

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Hey Guys,

I recently came into posession of a BEAUTIFUL Lee Enfield No1 Mk3 dated 1916. Absolutly beautiful rifling and bore, and the nicest wood grain I have ever seen on a rifle. THe only problem, was, yup, you guessed it, she was sporterized! I dont believe the barell was cut, just the forestock (even has a nice greenish brown sling), I was wondering if it were possible to throw on any Mk3 wood? Would it be at all possible to restore it to its former glory? I know a picture is worth a thousand words, and im working on it!

It is marked with a crown, then GR, then DSAUL(I believe), 1916, ShtLE, III

It also has several crowns stamped on the barell and reviever with BNP under it. and several other crowns with D3 and a box under it?
Any help would be appreciated!

It also came with several .303 rounds, some in a CIL dominion box, and others with a headstamp DI Z 1942, some are 1940,1941 and 1944.
Thanks
 
If the barrel has not been chopped, then a restoration is defiantly possible. Pretty much all MkIII wood will fit. It may need some adjustment, but it will fit. I can tell by some of the markings it is a commercial sporter. Some of the commercial markings are:

"BNP" (British Nitro proof) will be below a crown.
"303"
"18.5 tons per []" "
"2.222"
"England"
among other things.

If your rifle is what I am thinking, then the barrel might be chopped. You best post pics so that people can have a look.
 
Whoa, back up there! The marking you speak of are proof marks, every milsurp sold out of service in England received them. That doesn't make it a commercial sporter. A commercial sporter is one that was either commercially produced for the public (NOT the case here) or a milsurp converted by a company like Parker Hale. Thus far the markings you mention do not indicate that. Letters are likely cypher (crown) over GR (king George) over BSA co over year, and mark. Yes it was military issue.
 
Gary D said:
Whoa, back up there! The marking you speak of are proof marks, every milsurp sold out of service in England received them. That doesn't make it a commercial sporter. A commercial sporter is one that was either commercially produced for the public (NOT the case here) or a milsurp converted by a company like Parker Hale. Thus far the markings you mention do not indicate that. Letters are likely cypher (crown) over GR (king George) over BSA co over year, and mark. Yes it was military issue.
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Oh well, I guess I still have a lot to learn:D Kind of embarrassing though.
 
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Lee ya gotta sit back and let the all knowing ones jump in first.They've been around alot longer and are the ones to learn from. These things take time.
 
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millwright said:
Lee ya gotta sit back and let the all knowing ones jump in first.The've been around alot longer and are the ones to learn from. These things take time.
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Ya, I know. I just like to help people if I think I can. But anyways, enough about me being a smart a**, lets not Hijack the thread. If you want I can start a thread dedicated to me being a smart a**?:D:p
 
Hey don't sweat it, technically they are "commercial proof marks" which means the rifle was checked out by the govt. and is safe for sale to the public. I suspect is the origin of the misconception. There's a mountain of stuff I still don't know about them and the marking on the Enfields can be pretty lengthy.

Arty, does it still have the mag cut off or was that removed? it is a mkIII not a mkIII*?

PS. Lee I interview on Tuesday for reg forces!
 
Lee, don't worry - everyone has a few funny stories of their own missteps. Nothing wrong slipping while trying to help. A chronic lack of humility would earn you the title of "clever buttocks", but I don't think you qualify :p

I sure have a few missteps - oh wait, I have lots! :D (and I certainly can't qualify as an Enfield God but I thought I'd reply in this thread despite the thread subject title)

Great thing about Enfields is that you're never runing out of new things to learn.

Artyman, can't wait for the pics, let's see her, we'll have more to say.

Lou
 
Oh, of all the stories about whoopsies that we could tell, with Enfields...

Like: DAMN! Is it ever HARD to get this weird green stuff off this Lithgow's steel...(!)
 
Lou - After seeing your work on these forums I DO believe you are a more then qualified "Enfield God"!
And yes, the bolt and reviever and matching, Pics inbound tonight or tomorow
 
Gary D said:
Hey don't sweat it, technically they are "commercial proof marks" which means the rifle was checked out by the govt. and is safe for sale to the public. I suspect is the origin of the misconception. There's a mountain of stuff I still don't know about them and the marking on the Enfields can be pretty lengthy.

Arty, does it still have the mag cut off or was that removed? it is a mkIII not a mkIII*?

PS. Lee I interview on Tuesday for reg forces!
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Forgive my lack of knowledge, as I have NEVER worked with a no1mk3 before, but what is the mag cutoff? and what is the difference with a mkIII and mkIII*?
 
IIRC, the Mk3 received some modifications to make its production (and likely operation too) less complicated. I (think I) remember the mag cutoff and the long range volley sight being two of them.

The Mag cutoff is a plate that slides in and out of the receiver to prevent bullets from the mag from going up and getting chambered when cycling the bolt (for old-time fear from officiers that soldiers would spend their rounds too quickly or something like that? History-litterate please correct me). So sometimes you have a receiver on a No1Mk3 that still has that "slot" on the right side, where the mag cutoff used to be.

Long range volley sight was, well, no longer strategically usefull in WW1 combat (again I only assume that's the reason) so that was taken off the plans too.

Lou
 
cosmic said:
You should check to see if the numbers match - bolt and receiver. If they dont, that may temper your interest in restoring it.
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It reqally doesn't matter if the numbewrs on the bolt and reciever match. What matters is the CORRECT HEADSPACE.

And Commercial SAMMI headspace gages can fail a rifle that will pass with Government headspace gages
 
louthepou said:
IIRC, the Mk3 received some modifications to make its production (and likely operation too) less complicated. I (think I) remember the mag cutoff and the long range volley sight being two of them.

The Mag cutoff is a plate that slides in and out of the receiver to prevent bullets from the mag from going up and getting chambered when cycling the bolt (for old-time fear from officiers that soldiers would spend their rounds too quickly or something like that? History-litterate please correct me). So sometimes you have a receiver on a No1Mk3 that still has that "slot" on the right side, where the mag cutoff used to be.

Long range volley sight was, well, no longer strategically usefull in WW1 combat (again I only assume that's the reason) so that was taken off the plans too.

Lou
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Mods from MkIII to MkIII* included:

-Elimination of milling from sight protector
-Elimination of parade swivel mount on trigger guard
-Elimination of windage adjustment on rear sight
-Elimination of volley sights
-Elimination of magazine cutoff
-Elimination of unit marking disc (though this was independent of the Mk version change, it happened within a year or so. Around the same time, the slab-sided cocking piece was approved for use).

Post-WW1 MkIII (no star) rifles are different in that only the mag cutoff was re-instated.
 
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