1946 Jungle Carbine

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Super GunNutz
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I have looked at a quit a few of these over the years, bought a few (unfortunately), most have been fakes, mismatched or they have been through a armory once or twice. This one looks legit, in my opinion never issued (that was the story). Does anyone see any problems? I don't want to get excited (to soon) as I have seen some pretty good "recreations". PS. the bolt face picture is magnified.



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Looks legit to me. Hollowed out bolt handle, proper gap between the sight and receiver, and proper butt pad assembly. That tiger striping is gorgeous!!
 
Snider shooter said:
Looks legit. Unfired???? You can see a discolouration the size of the primer and a ring around the edge matching rim diameter. Too much finish worn off the bolt face to be unfired.
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I would say unlikely to get a unfired rifle from the military.... you have a factory, an armory, and then a owner ... all three may have fired it. I doubt it was issued, I am basing that from the over all condition and markings. I bought it from a pawn shop, I will go back and get the story.
 
Snider shooter said:
Number 1 bolt head. Seen enough rounds to set the bolt back. If factory new should have a 0 bolt head.
It a nice looking rifle. Clear markings so probably hasn’t been used much. Buy the gun not the story. Hope it shoots as well as it looks.
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I believe you are correct. I just spoke to the pawn shop, the story is plausible. Grandpa bought it in the late 40's, kept it under his mattress for decades. His grandson acquired it, fired a box of ammo through it and then took it to the pawn shop, consigned it so he could buy a useable hunting rifle. I noticed some bluing loss on the bolt handle, that lines up with the mattress storage. I sent the photos to one of the local gurus, he gave it a thumbs up. I am happy, thanks everyone for the help!!
 
Snider shooter said:
Number 1 bolt head. Seen enough rounds to set the bolt back. If factory new should have a 0 bolt head.
It a nice looking rifle. Clear markings so probably hasn’t been used much. Buy the gun not the story. Hope it shoots as well as it looks.
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0 and number 1 bolt heads were seen as well on brand new Lee Enfields. This is not a rule of art. For example where I personnaly never seen a number 0 is from unfired post war Irish Fazakerley wrapped into cosmonline which hold number 1 bolts.
 
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rubberdonuts said:
On the topic of Jungle Carbines…….
How does one remove this?
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If you are referring to the wooden forearm, it is removed straight down - parrallel with the barrel - moving it forward slightly. If you are referring to the green paint - I have never removed it from a No. 5, but I found similar on various internal parts of mix master P14's - as if it was "painted on" areas that were under the wood - perhaps an anti-corrosion coating?? I believe it lifted off with paint thinner - possibly that was with Circa 1850 Paint and Varnish Remover - I do not recall exactly. Examples that I had - all P14's - that green paint appeared to have been sloshed on everything under the wood - magazine box, receiver, trigger and sear units, etc. I had to completely remove all of the wood to see it all.
 
Snider shooter said:
Number 1 bolt head. Seen enough rounds to set the bolt back. If factory new should have a 0 bolt head.
It a nice looking rifle. Clear markings so probably hasn’t been used much. Buy the gun not the story. Hope it shoots as well as it looks.
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Not quite, I've seen pallets of new, unissued Lee Enfields and they didn't "all" have "0" bolt heads. It was much faster and cheaper to put in the appropriate bolt head for proper headspace, if the barrel torqued up at TDC, than it was to set it aside to be set back on a lathe.

As for the finish of the stock, it looks fine to me, the stampings are crisp and sharp and the texture is perfect.

Stampings do survive FTRs but they are quite obvious.

OP, that rifle is legitimate as being graded for VG or VG+ condition, verging on EXC condition.

It's a very nice example of post war No5 ROF. Early 1946 as well, by the serial number.

It's quite possible it was never issued but it's been carried/fondled enough to show a bit of rounding on the edges which would be sharp around the trigger guard. Also, the Suncorite has been worn off the back of the bolt from handling.

As mentioned, the bolt face shows signs of being fired.

All being said, whoever owned that rifle previously took very good care of it, especially the exterior. Make sure you look down the bore to see if there is any pitting, or if the edges of the rifling are still sharp and bright.

If it's going for a reasonable price, IMHO, it's a very nice piece and at the very least would be a lovely shooter I wouldn't be worried about devaluing if I wanted to shoot it.

It isn't "pristine" by any means.
 
Potashminer said:
If you are referring to the wooden forearm, it is removed straight down - parrallel with the barrel - moving it forward slightly. If you are referring to the green paint - I have never removed it from a No. 5, but I found similar on various internal parts of mix master P14's - as if it was "painted on" areas that were under the wood - perhaps an anti-corrosion coating?? I believe it lifted off with paint thinner - possibly that was with Circa 1850 Paint and Varnish Remover - I do not recall exactly. Examples that I had - all P14's - that green paint appeared to have been sloshed on everything under the wood - magazine box, receiver, trigger and sear units, etc. I had to completely remove all of the wood to see it all.
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Paint makes a lot of sense now that you explain it. It’s more of a FDE than green but yes it’s all over the rifle underneath the wood. Wasn’t sure if paint thinner was going to remove finish or not so I just left it. Would one remove it or just leave it? This rifle will be passed down as it was to me and don’t want to ruin it in anyway.
 
rubberdonuts said:
Paint makes a lot of sense now that you explain it. It’s more of a FDE than green but yes it’s all over the rifle underneath the wood. Wasn’t sure if paint thinner was going to remove finish or not so I just left it. Would one remove it or just leave it? This rifle will be passed down as it was to me and don’t want to ruin it in anyway.
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I think the point of that paint was to be where you could not see to clean there - apparently, if it was anti-corrosion stuff, it would have been used for wood stocked and blued metal rifles that spent months in rain soaked jungle - soldier could dry off what he could see, but not likely to dismantle the thing to dry it off inside the wood - which was likely soaking wet most of the time. I would think that is prime conditions for the blued metal to rust under there. I had read that some old timers would slosh on bees wax to otherwise hidden places under the wood - for the same purpose.

FYI - true "bluing" is not a finish on top of the metal - it is a layer or three of the steel atoms that are mixed with oxygen to made black or dark blue rust - was alleged to provide some protection from red rust - likely not enough protection in tropical conditions that those guns often used in - or for the maintenance that they did or did not receive by the soldier that was wielding it. Paint, and "cold bluing" is sloshed on top of the metal - not really part of the metal - more like a coating over top - should be able to be removed, if wanted - but I really do not understand why to do so to an entire rifle. I did so, to parts of a P14, because I was salvaging parts that would go onto un-painted P14 rifles - I wanted the parts to look like they belonged there.
 
Potashminer said:
I think the point of that paint was to be where you could not see to clean there - apparently, if it was anti-corrosion stuff, it would have been used for wood stocked and blued metal rifles that spent months in rain soaked jungle - soldier could dry off what he could see, but not likely to dismantle the thing to dry it off inside the wood - which was likely soaking wet most of the time. I would think that is prime conditions for the blued metal to rust under there. I had read that some old timers would slosh on bees wax to otherwise hidden places under the wood - for the same purpose.

FYI - true "bluing" is not a finish on top of the metal - it is a layer or three of the steel atoms that are mixed with oxygen to made black or dark blue rust - was alleged to provide some protection from red rust - likely not enough protection in tropical conditions that those guns often used in - or for the maintenance that they did or did not receive by the soldier that was wielding it. Paint, and "cold bluing" is sloshed on top of the metal - not really part of the metal - more like a coating over top - should be able to be removed, if wanted - but I really do not understand why to do so to an entire rifle. I did so, to parts of a P14, because I was salvaging parts that would go onto un-painted P14 rifles - I wanted the parts to look like they belonged there.
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Appreciate you taking the time to explain its reason for application. Will just leave it on there.
 
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