A Few Questions about my New Enfield.

Tyler

Tyler

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I bought a nice post-war Enfield (my first), No4 Mk1, at a gun show on Friday for $300 from the Peninsula arms dealer there.

As soon as I had a look down the bore, I knew I had to have this rifle. Clean, shiny, and sharp rifling throughout. The wood has seen better days, but it is original, as the serial number is stamped on the wood under the front sight. I'm sure it could be forced matched, but it looks old. Same goes for the mag and the barrel, all matching.

My question lies with the bolt. It has '47' stamped on three spots on it. There are no other numbers on the bolt or bolt carrier. '47' appears nowhere in the serial number, but I do see '47' stapmed on various parts of the rifle, like the follower for the magazine.

Does the bolt match or not?

I think I paid a fair price for it, considering it was at a gun show. I bought it as a shooter, and it hasn't let me down, it groups well, but to the right a bit.

Is there a sight adjustment tool for the Enfield? It has the adjustable rear micrometer.

Thanks for any help.
 
The bolt's serial number should be on the rear of the handle. If its not there, the bolt is a replacement. "47" is likely a maker's mark.
You mention its a post-war No. 4 Mk. I. Who made it? Post-war UK production is mostly Mk. 2, and Canadian would be Mk. I*. Is it a post-war FTR?
 
47 is BSA, either shirley or small heath factory (M/47C and M/47B respectively).

the bolt serial number should be on the part of the handle you would see if you were looking from the buttplate towards the bolt.

No.4Mk1's don't have a bolt carrier???
 
There is an (F) after the model designation, so I'm assuming that it was made at Fazarkerley.

By bolt carrier, I meant the main body of the bolt that the hammer, firing pin, and bolt head all attach to.

[Edit] I just checked again, and the serial number is right where you guys said it is, it's just very, very faint. It's written in little dots. There is a PF before the serial number. What does this mean?
 
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I bought one of his Lee Enfields as well. All matching with bayonet.
They are Irish contract Lee Enfields. Not sure if they are issued or just knocked around for a bunch of years. Metal work and bores look like new, wood has some dings.
Try a search on Irish contract. As I understand, a manufacturing run was made for Ireland but never delivered.
 
PF serial number

Perhaps you have a No4 Mk2

trigger pinned to the trigger guard or to a bracket on the reciever as below.

No4 Mk1 and Mk1*

en41trg.jpg


No4 Mk2 Mk1/2 and Mk1/3

en42trg.jpg
 
Slash5 said:
I bought one of his Lee Enfields as well. All matching with bayonet.
They are Irish contract Lee Enfields. Not sure if they are issued or just knocked around for a bunch of years. Metal work and bores look like new, wood has some dings.
Try a search on Irish contract. As I understand, a manufacturing run was made for Ireland but never delivered.
Click to expand...

How much did the Irish contract Enfield set you back?
 
If it marked with a PF serial prefix on the receiver side wall and is a Mk1, then it's likely a 1949 made Faz No.4Mk1

If it has a PF prefix and is marked on the buttsocket (instead of the sidewall), then it could be any year of manufacture and might not be a faz at all.

A 47 is generally associated associated with BSA, so it's likely they made your bolt. If the rifle is rebuilt or mismatched, it's not unusual to have a BSA made bolt in a rifle made at Fazakerley.
 
And, to all, PLEASE remember that NOT all of the No4Mk2's WERE for the cancelled Irish Contract of fabled lore... only those in s/n range PF309348-PF359347. (Stratton p. 172).

Burma got nearly as many as were supposed to go to Ireland, and the vast bulk of the No4Mk2's went staright into British war stocks, as the conversion to the L1 was underway already.

Cheers,

Neal
 
nelly said:
Burma got nearly as many as were supposed to go to Ireland, and the vast bulk of the No4Mk2's went staright into British war stocks, as the conversion to the L1 was underway already.
Click to expand...

Including the "Irish contract" rifles. they were NEVER delivered. NEVER issued to Irishmen. The contract was defaultedand they went straight to war reserve stocks.

the "Irish connection" is tenuous at best, and not at all deserving of their inflated prices due to the interest generated by collectors of Irish descent ;)
 
woodchopper said:
sounds like the bolt serial number is not matching the rifle serial number
Click to expand...

The serial numbers match, but weather or not it is a factory match or a re-arsenaled 'forced match' is unknown. Either way, the rifle is a great shooter. I was shooting clover leaf groups from the standing at 50m. All I need to do now is find a way to adjust the front sight without damaging it and I am good to go. It's grouping to the right a bit.

Also, the inside of the wood appears to be touching the barrel near the front sight and near the chamber as well after I did a 'paper test'. Should I sand these down at all? The barrel should be free-floating, right?
 
No real matter..... I regard a rifle with armourer-numbered parts as every much a military specimen as a brand-new one with all factory parts....
As an historian, I find the one that has been used and rebuilt to be more interesting because you can always speculate as to where it was, what it witnessed...... and they can turn into really decent shooters, too. That's the proof of the pudding: how it stacks up at a couple of hundred yards. And it can be a LOT of fun getting them to do just that.

Good luck with your new toy!
 
Tyler said:
Also, the inside of the wood appears to be touching the barrel near the front sight and near the chamber as well after I did a 'paper test'. Should I sand these down at all? The barrel should be free-floating, right?
Click to expand...

The barrel should not be free floating. It should rest on the bottom front of the lower forestock. If you were to use a fishscale and pull it up, it should be between 3 to 6 pounds to lift it off. If you lift it to the left or right, it should return to the center bottom. The bedding was done at the two points nearest the receiver.

There are other ways to bed the Enfield #4s, but that is the only official way. The free floaters are the HEAVY barrel L42s and their kin.
 
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