Ceremonial Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.1

They are certainly the rarest of the rare. Other than under special circumstances, I've only seen a few. I may be wrong, but I can't really believe there are thousands of them out there.
In the US, it's common to see chromed Springfields and Garands. Not so in Canada. Because of their rarity and lack of history on them, most people just don't pay much attention to them. I wonder if most of them are even operational? I checked out a couple at a Legion in Washington state one time. The barrels had been modified so they could only fire blank ammunition. If you buy it, check it out very carefully. It was probably a decent rifle before it was chromed but it may have been modified as well.
Speaking of chrome bayonets, I picked up an ammunition tin full of MKII spikes and scabbards that had been chromed. It was a rusty dirty old tin on a table at a yard sale. I bought the whole can for $20. I got $20 each for the bayonets and scabbards. I didn't really pay much attention to them. I wasn't really interested in them. I guess you have to be into that sort of thing.
 
Certainly not a British item, rifles used in the Guards regiments did have the stocks baked bone dry, waxed then refitted loose and razor blades were commonly slid into magazines, but never, never, never would a perfectly good rifle be chromed.
 
Today they will only chrome a bayonet and maybe a short scabbard to protect the colors from being damaged by the color guard. Never seen nor heard of a chromed rifle of any type other than those mounted on plaques.

No4 spikes often had a ball welded to the end. Apparently the spikes would catch on the colours. Obviously you couldn't ever put them in a scabbard after that, but then they were only for parades.
 
I have a chromed Enfield, all matching parts, and some very blond wood. I'll gladly post pics, but I'll need some know-how first.

I got my gun for $400 from a collector I know, and the guy he bought it from said that it was a ceremonial gun, possibly Korean War vintage.

As far as I know, mine was never fired, and still has some cosoline on it.

I haven't followed up on the markings yet, but maybe some guys here can offer up some insight once I get pictures up.
 
Get a photobucket account, and set it to personal access only.

Upload your pic to photobucket, copy the IMG link, paste in your CGN post. Easy. :D
 
I know a fellow with a completely chromed out #5 L.E. Jungle Carbine.. cool piece,but didn't get cleaned after a shoot, rendering it a wall hanger. He told me that he had bought it and a matching bayo years ago at Lebarons in Toronto for $28.00
 
Okay, I think I've figured out how to post pictures here. Hopefully this works. Here's my ceremonial Enfield. I couldn't get any photos of the markings because of the too much flash off the chrome.
blueblast_photo

blueblast_photo

blueblast_photo

blueblast_photo

blueblast_photo
 
Back
Top Bottom