Enfield Sniper
- Thread starter Rocket_James
- Start date
I would say realistically a seller could try to get $1200 to $1500+ depending upon how well the pad installation was done. I believe I paid around $600 for the replica scope about 5 years ago. Conversion of the rifle doesn't add to it's value as value as a collectable is eliminated.
milsurpo
Beautiful rifle, in excellent condition. For a find like that, I'd buy my clothes at Value Village for the rest of my life!
Yes, I shoot all my guns but not excessively, if I want to send a lot of lead downrange, then we use the sks with cheap surplus ammo. We save money for nice guns, ammo is expensive, even if you reload.
Midnight Rider
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ......the Vanishing Point .
Yep , we only live once ; so if you want it , and can afford it , then buy it when you have the chance .
I put a few replicas together from mixed parts. Nothing matched other than the serial numbers on the bolts and receivers.
I did this on purpose, so there was no confusion. The scopes/pads/bases were all from the replica kits available at the time.
The kit, wasn't cheap. Close to $800 for pads, screws, bracket, scope, drill bits, tap, turret adjustment tool.
The pads were properly mounted, both D&T as well as soft soldered.
The stocks were purposely sanded and finished to a high gloss. A real sniper would have been left dull.
I sourced the cheek pads, sling swivels, screws and target sling swivel out of Numrich. Same for the stocks, which were made for No4 Mk2 rifles.
To make a long story short, I sold the rifles, six in all over two gunshows.
I put them on the table, one at a time, with a $3000 price. All of them sold, three at each show for $2700 and everyone had a smile on their face. They knew the rifles were replicas, but that didn't matter. They couldn't build them on their own, they were shooters with new old stock barrels and had accompanying 100 yard targets.
They all shot well with ammo they liked. None of them were tack drivers, but all were better shooters than most factory rifles.
A couple of the purchasers immediately took the rifles to the range from the show and came back the next day to tell me about their success.
Those fellows were buds and each of them just had to have one. When I first saw them approach, I was a bit worried because they were looking so serious.
They had forgotten where my table was.
When they saw me, they both broke out their grins and started telling me how much they liked their rifles. I was relieved to say the least.
When all was tallied up, the base cost on each of those rifles, if I had to purchase the components at current prices, such as the barrels, triggers, magazines, sears, receivers, bolts would have been around $1200.
Considering the time I put into those builds, I din't come out ahead of the game, other than I learned a lot from the work. Such as how hard the receivers are around the rear lug recesses.
The real thing is not an easy rifle to find. They weren't tack drivers and can't be expected to shoot through the lens of an enemy sniper's scope. However, they are extremely consistent if maintained properly and if fed ammo they like, will shoot very well.
Would I shoot the real thing??? That would completely depend on condition.
- Location
- Richmond, BC, CANADA
A very nice ALL MATCHING rifle BSA Shirley 1944 SN N34979 with matching bracket and scope. Scope is a No. 32 Mk. III by AK&S 1945 SN 27968. Bracket has rifle SN N/34979 and clamp numbers 346/347. Fore-end matches the rifle. S.L made furniture. Correct M1907 sling. Magazine is fine, just rusty and replacement originals are available if desired. Some magazines were numbered to the rifle and some were not, so unnumbered is fine. Scope caps are incomplete as mentioned. Replicas caps are available and one option would be to buy a replica set and have a leather maker repair your original using the one end cap for the replica as a parts source. Original scope caps are in short supply.
If you ever want a scope case, by the time this set was made, it could have been steel (No. 8 Mk. I) or canvas (No. 8 Mk. 2) and replicas are available of the steel version. Original preferred but they are getting expensive and hard to find. Originals are better for completing this nice set and increasing its value over time. You do not "need" a No. 15 Mk. I wooden transit chest as those were mainly for shipping and long term storage. A sniper probably never saw one other than possibly in the Quartermaster's area. People like them as these rifles were frequently sold in the chest. Replica wooden chests also turn up and are a little cheaper.
Personally if this was my only one, I would seek out original parts to complete the set. The British numbered the scope cases to the rifles and scopes so any original British case will usually be mismatched (unless unissued). We will watch for the unless we can find the matching one for you. Even then, one usually would need to have another original one to act as the core of the trade.
If you ever want a scope case, by the time this set was made, it could have been steel (No. 8 Mk. I) or canvas (No. 8 Mk. 2) and replicas are available of the steel version. Original preferred but they are getting expensive and hard to find. Originals are better for completing this nice set and increasing its value over time. You do not "need" a No. 15 Mk. I wooden transit chest as those were mainly for shipping and long term storage. A sniper probably never saw one other than possibly in the Quartermaster's area. People like them as these rifles were frequently sold in the chest. Replica wooden chests also turn up and are a little cheaper.
Personally if this was my only one, I would seek out original parts to complete the set. The British numbered the scope cases to the rifles and scopes so any original British case will usually be mismatched (unless unissued). We will watch for the unless we can find the matching one for you. Even then, one usually would need to have another original one to act as the core of the trade.
Last edited:
