Enfild question

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Scoobydoo

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I am new to this stuf but seem to be really interested in thease old guns. I have picked up 4 old lee enfields local which I believe they have all been sporterized. And I am looking for a site or some one I can talk to so I can learn what the difference between mk4 no1 or no2 or what ever.I have seen some stuff on this site but mabey a little to in-depth this early in the hobby for me. I will try to post some pics later of the guns I have thanks troy
 
Welcome to the Lee Enfield world of old beasties or beauties. Over the years, I have bought some really homely old rifles, and have had a ton of pleasure cleaning, shooting, and just plain fondling them. Don't be looking over your shoulder, constantly worrying about what others think. There are some other crusty old farts on here who share the same love for Lee Enfields, Mausers, Mosin Nagants, Ross, and other such rifles. There are lots of other sites on the 'net. Keep an eye on this forum, especially watching for posts from people like Buff Dog, smellie, cantom and many others. Living libraries of knowledge, these fellows. Soon you will be so badly hooked, you'll wonder what happened.
 
If it's knowledge you seek, you've come to the right place. I'm sure member Smellie will be along shortly to help you out.
 
the most obvious difference between the 4 most common ones:
no1 mk3: rear sight mounted on barrel, bolt head rides on outside of receiver
no4 mk1: rear sight on receiver, bolt head rides on inside of receiver and its smaller
no4 mk2: same as no4 mk1, but the trigger is attached to the reciever instead of the trigger guard, if you remove the trigger guard and the trigger comes with it, its not a mk2
no5 mk1: same as no4 mk1, but shorter and ussually with material removed from parts to reuce weight, i think most carbines are actually cut down no4 mk1s
 
Good luck on your restoration projects, if you get a chance absolutely post some pics or your rifles. Its hard to give restoration advise with no visual representation. Oh and I hope Canada Post will have mercy on your soul ;)
 
You have come to the right place, friend.

YOU post the pictures and ask the questions, then we all pile in in the Answers department. That's what makes this site so much fun.

There are a lot of people on this site who really know their stuff. Friend Kjohn knows a lot more than he likes to let on, John Sukey likely has the best personal collection of .303s in existence, Purple and Green really know what's going on.... and so do others. There are people on here who have shot these rifles in competitions out to 1000 yards.... with iron sights, too!

Welcome aboard!
 
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Scoobydoo said:
... what the difference between mk4 no1 or no2 or what ever....
Click to expand...


Rifle Number 4 Mark 1 was designed in the 1930s and adopted just before WWII and built at several Royal Ordnance Factories (ROF) in Britain and by Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) factories in England and by the Long Branch arsenal in Canada and by Savage in the U.S.A.

Long Branch and Savage didn't make many before switching to the No.4 Mk.1*, a modified design which deletes the spring catch (right side of action between rear sight and charger bridge) for releasing the bolt from its rails so it can be removed and substitutes a gap in the rail (also right side, near the front of the action) so you just rotate the bolt head so that the bolt can be removed. The British factories continued to build the Mk.1 with the catch.

After WWII the No.4 Mk.2 modification was a change to the way the trigger is hung, attaching to the receiver rather than the trigger guard. With a Mk.1 there is potential for humidity swelling the wood stock to affect the trigger action. Mk.2s were made at ROF Fazackerly near Liverpool, England. When the Enfield was replaced in British service the factory tooling was sold to Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) and the design was made there for Pakistan's forces for some time. POF rifles have hit the surplus market in the past few years.

After the Mk.2 design was introduced Mk.1 and Mk.1* rifles going through arsenal refinishing had their triggers modified so they were hung from the receiver like the Mk.2 and were restamped as Mk.1/2 and Mk.1/3 respectively.
 
By the way. If that last rifle is indeed an EAL (Essential Agencies Limited), it was built on a sported design. They were issued to Rangers and airforce. If you can describe all the markings on these rifles someone here can give you a history of that rifle. Even what the guy who put it together had for breakfast.
Magazine has been cut down.
 
points said:
By the way. If that last rifle is indeed an EAL (Essential Agencies Limited), it was built on a sported design. They were issued to Rangers and airforce. If you can describe all the markings on these rifles someone here can give you a history of that rifle. Even what the guy who put it together had for breakfast.
Magazine has been cut down.
Click to expand...

It is not an EAL
 
That butt in your first photo is in extraordinarily good condition for it's age: pre-1914 and probably pre-1900. It actually looks like it has never been on a rifle.

If I was you, I would get busy on tracking down the rifle it was on, if it was on one, and don't take "no" for an answer too easily.

In the meantime, don't be talked out of it too easily!
 
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