"NEW" Enfield Mk4 No 1

D

Drewz

CGN frequent flyer
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Location
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Well the local gun show had alot of the usual top dollar items for used stuff but I passed by a gun a few times befire I piked it up. Finally on my way out of the show I piked it up, admired the rear flip up dioptor sight, felt the stiff mag release and felt I needed to look further. I pulled the bolt out and the bluing inside the magwell, mag, and action is untouched. I am not sure but I think I have found an ultra low round count Enfield or maybe even unfired. I grab a guy from a table across the way that is more in the know then me and he looks it over and tells me that it looks unfired and if I don't buy it he is. The guy running the table comes over and then proeeds to tell me he does not want to haul it back home so he will sell it to me for a few bucks off. This brings it to $200 bucks. THe wood looks matching front to rear, mag release is stiff, when I pull the mag the inside looks unused, and bluing is intact in the action and on the bolt where the others at the show are worn off. Here are some pics so I can get opinions. The bore scope shows mirror finish and the exterior bluing is very nice shape and consistent overall. The right side of tehmetal grip has no markings, the left side is 1943 with a 3 point crown or maybe it is a bird with the letters BF before the serial number, the barrel says 18.5 tons per or something like that as well as a rown with BF again plus a few other faint stamping marks. I tlooks like a crown with a 78 under it I dunno. I am going to have to do some history searches to see what all these marks are. Opinions please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Cut-down British Lee-Enfield No.4 MKI sporter, with about $150.00 of replacement parts it could be restored to original military configuration.
 
Lots of these guns were refinished during the sporterizing process, and fitted with new bits - like barrels. It may be relatively unused after sporterizing.... However, for the quoted cost, you could get a better sporter like a Parker Hale - which is likely to be drilled and tapped, and has a 5 rd mag!
 
cosmic, you're right but that one is still wearing its original finish. JP is right, find some excellent UK wood or even LB wood with proper dates an you're good to go.

The UK, used both Canadian and Savage wood on their rifles when the need arose. So a not matching set could be correct as well.
 
I looked at that today as well. Thought about it, was tempted. 200.00 for a good condition shootable .303 is fine. It can make a nice low budget deer rifle. It is just unfortunate that so many of these went the sporter way. BTW how come the prices at gun shows are so high? there was a few gems in the rough but for the most part they were out to lunch.
 
ToddLundgren said:
I looked at that today as well. Thought about it, was tempted. 200.00 for a good condition shootable .303 is fine. It can make a nice low budget deer rifle. It is just unfortunate that so many of these went the sporter way. BTW how come the prices at gun shows are so high? there was a few gems in the rough but for the most part they were out to lunch.
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Well Todd they are usually a bit high but i was shocked that people would not deal at all. A remmy 597VTR for $485 with non collapsable stock is nuts. $545 for a 2007 M14 with only 1 mag and no cleaning kit is dumb too.

Were you the guy that came back a few times looking it over?? He mentioned one guy wavering on buying it.

Cosmic why would I want a 5 round mag when mine is 10 rounds now?? ALso try to get a parker hale in decent shape now for under $325.00, I have seen them in really nice shape for $475.00.
 
Drewz said:
Well Todd they are usually a bit high but i was shocked that people would not deal at all. A remmy 597VTR for $485 with non collapsable stock is nuts. $545 for a 2007 M14 with only 1 mag and no cleaning kit is dumb too.

Were you the guy that came back a few times looking it over?? He mentioned one guy wavering on buying it.

Cosmic why would I want a 5 round mag when mine is 10 rounds now?? ALso try to get a parker hale in decent shape now for under $325.00, I have seen them in really nice shape for $475.00.
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IIRC hunting regs have a 5 round mag limit cap. But I don't really do much in the way of hunting, so I could be wrong.

I too would like a source for wood. I got a set out of Springfield Sporters last year, but it was really really rough.
 
As far as I know there is no mag capacity limit on bolt action or pump action center fires. Its been this way for a long long time. I really would like ot track down some wood and hardware for sure. My brass butt plate is in excellent shape as is the trigger guard and all other existing metal so a wood set with band would ne awesome.
 
Nice rifle, barrel hasn't been chopped: restorable. It has the late-war Mark 4 rear sight, too: nothing wrong with it, lots better than what I started with.

Wood and bands can be found, bayonets are $6.95 and up.

It will make a FINE wallhanger/range rifle and you can still use the wood that's on it now for blasting Bambis or murdering Moosies or slaughtering Sealsies or whatever else Greenpeace hates. Good deal!

Have fun.
.
 
Hmmmm off to club some seals now and make boots out of them. lmao!!!!!! Itis still a shooter though right?? Or should I put it stock and leave it?? SHooting it isn't going to hurt value or anything or is it?? I know it is not a mint $10,000 gun but i do not want to wreck a collectable.
 
Drewz said:
Well Todd they are usually a bit high but i was shocked that people would not deal at all. A remmy 597VTR for $485 with non collapsable stock is nuts. $545 for a 2007 M14 with only 1 mag and no cleaning kit is dumb too.

Were you the guy that came back a few times looking it over?? He mentioned one guy wavering on buying it.

Cosmic why would I want a 5 round mag when mine is 10 rounds now?? ALso try to get a parker hale in decent shape now for under $325.00, I have seen them in really nice shape for $475.00.
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no i only picked it up once. I was the guy humming and hawing over a bubba wrecked anschutz and a beat up brno. I bought a cooey 84 for 20 bucks a few years back and there was one there for nearly 200.00 and it didn't look as good as mine.
 
Not really a collectible, but looks like it could be a good shooter. One very important bit of advice which applies to all Lee Enfields: have the headspace checked by a gunsmith BEFORE firing the rifle. That is a quick, while you wait, check and is a must from the safety point of view.
 
bluebell said:
Not really a collectible, but looks like it could be a good shooter.
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I beg to differ with you bluebell.
Restore the top wood on this rifle and you will have a collector piece that you can also have fun with at the range. This is an easy win.
 
Well - You have to establish whether you want the rifle as a resto candidate or a hunting rifle. I assumed you were looking for a hunting rifle. In which case, a 5 rd mag really improves the carry ergonomics of the rifle. Finally, if you look around, you can get a professionally done sporter, like a PH or a Churchill, for less than 250$ (Heck, I'll sell you one for that.)
If you want to resto the rifle, you better check some more details:
- Is the bolt matching?
- Have mods been done to the receiver bridge - it looks funny in your photo?
 
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