I have a Enfield transit box that the paint has been peeling off from a bad paint job for years but recently noticed that the wood looks to be Black Oak. I`m toying with the idea of stripping the curling paint off and leave it in the natural wood form. Should look pretty good I think?
Anyone ever refinish a Enfield Transit box?
- Thread starter y2k
- Start date
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I have had my hands on several dozen boxes (C.No.7 .22LR Enfield shipping boxes, that is) this year. The wood is soft, likely poplar and not oak. The paint is one of two colours. Insides were dull wartime olive drab, and outsides were depot semi-gloss green, with misc. overpaint layers. The bottom boards took a lot of abuse in cadet service. All the edges are rounded and badly gouged. If you PM me, we can coordinate for some pictures of the stenciling.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
I think I have a box or two in their origional wartime paint and with the origional markings. I have to agree with MLE, the wood seems too soft for oak.
Our unit had chests for all our no.7s and they were in mint condition. Stacked up in a store room in our range. We had hard plastic cases we used when we needed to transport. I wonder if they used the transit cases when they closed the unit down a few years ago.
We used no. 7's when I was an air cadet, we just primarily used air rifles.
I was given a box that had a lot of spray paint applied over the years. There were no markings that seemed to mean anything. I went at the spray paint with some acetone and uncovered C#7 serial number and markings and brought it back to just about original condition. Cool!
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
I would NOT strip the box to the bare wood and leave it that way. Repaint and re-stencil. You are preserving a bit of history.
There used to be several CNo7 chests laying under the Squadron 223 building in Vernon. They were in poor condition when I saw them last. They were stll intact but the damp conditions and laying on the ground wasn't doing them any good. I suspect they were thrown out. You couldn't get anyone to part with them 5-6 years ago. They were listed on some documentation so no one wanted to take responsibility for their disappearance.
Air Cadets in North Delta had both Anshutz and C no 7's up to at least 2000 in addition to the air rifles. Enough units in the lower mainland had .22s to participate in a range competition. We used the old Richmond Rod & Gun range and then moved to the one at Queens Park. The Anschutz were bought with squadron funds back in the late 70's or 80's.
At least one of the GVRD Sea Cadet corps has no 7's that they take to range.
NavyShooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- XMU Local .303
Some bastage re-painted the transit chest for my No 4 (T).
Guess how I feel about it?
NS
Guess how I feel about it?
NS
I disagree with Sea and Air losing their firearms in the 80's. We fired our no7 and anshutz up until the late 90's. I think if you still had a range that could meet the CF standards for airborne lead you were able keep using your firearms. Our range was last used in 1997. However we retained our 6 no.7 and two anshutz right to closing.
I feel the air rifle program was a way to reduce maintenance costs. However our range was maintained by Volunteers and donations and cost very little to run. We eventually had enviromental problems we could not solve.
I feel the air rifle program was a way to reduce maintenance costs. However our range was maintained by Volunteers and donations and cost very little to run. We eventually had enviromental problems we could not solve.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
The boxes were part of the checklist for the rifle. If a unit had, say, 6 rifles, then they were also supposed to hold 6 chests, 6 cleaning rods, 6 of each of the 4 types of rod attachments, 6 slings etc. Although the chests may have been a "C" or "D" class item (old supply system, now they would be "C") many of the quartermasters would still have their demands vetted by the regional cadet HQs. As a result, they were not quick to give away checklist items.
When I joined the military it was common to find these chests thrown in the garbage cans when the weapons techs would condemn a Cno7 rifle.
Does anyone know how many differnet types of transit boxes there actually were? which one would be the most collectable and lastly anyone have blueprints to reproduce them and or a source of hardware? I was thinking of reproducing a few and would also be interested in anyone having any info on the stencilling that goes on them.
I totally disagree with cadets (air and sea) losing there .22's in the 80's I'm taking my Squadron out Sunday to shoot them! (the .22's that is) Not sure where you're getting your info?
We used to have the crates for them, until we changed facilities and they grew legs!
They as I recall they were either OD (gloss) or flat black on the exterior. And bare wood on the inside. Not sure how one would look refinished, but they sure were nice crates! We just used plastic cases now.
We used to have the crates for them, until we changed facilities and they grew legs!
They as I recall they were either OD (gloss) or flat black on the exterior. And bare wood on the inside. Not sure how one would look refinished, but they sure were nice crates! We just used plastic cases now.
