How many Enfield restorers are on gunnutz??
- Thread starter 303carbine
- Start date
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
I've worked on a few.
finding all the right parts takes time,
which reminds me I need to stock up on parts again.
sigh.... but good wood is getting harder and harder to get
finding all the right parts takes time,
which reminds me I need to stock up on parts again.
sigh.... but good wood is getting harder and harder to get
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
KyleSchenk
CGN Regular
My last one, a 2 grove '43 LB cost me around $225 all in for gun and the various bits I needed. Stock set and whatnot. Had some luck finnaly I guess
and it shoots good.
FishDoc
CGN frequent flyer
getting there....
So far with a little help from Lou - I have my No1 MKIII* about half way - still looking for good furniture and some metal bits - (see my EE request)
It is a labour of love (and great stress reliever after a bad night in the ER!) - the fun is getting them out to shoot after (cant wait for that!)
cheers
Dr.Oz
So far with a little help from Lou - I have my No1 MKIII* about half way - still looking for good furniture and some metal bits - (see my EE request)
It is a labour of love (and great stress reliever after a bad night in the ER!) - the fun is getting them out to shoot after (cant wait for that!)
cheers
Dr.Oz
- Location
- West coast of Vancouver Island
I would like to ask what the value a restored bubba has. What percentage below the going rate for a matched rifle is it? I restore only rifles that the receiver, barrel and bolt match. What are they worth and do they have any significant value?
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A restored rifle lacks value as a collectible, but has value in other areas. If I restore a rifle it's as a shooter and should be matching (not that this has anything to do with how it shots, just a preference) and more importantly have a good barrel. Not everyone wants them as collectibles, and would rather have a rifle that is clean with nice looking wood that doesn't have the wear and abuse that the originals have suffered, and aren't willing to pay the monumental sums for the new out of the wrap rifles. They're rifles that can be enjoyed and used hard that you don't have to worry about ruining their value as a collectible if you drop it or damage it in some way, but retain the air and historic aspect of being a military rifle.
If the firearm is an example of something that is quite rare, a restored specimen is a bit more than than just a shooter with an original configuration.
For example, I have a restocked Mk. III Ross as a shooter. Looks and shoots very good indeed. But it is a parts gun.
If bubba got his hands on a 4T, and the remains were rebarrelled and restocked, it obviously is worth less than an unaltered original, and any prospective buyer should be informed about what has been done, but it would still have significant value as a restored specimen of a rather desirable rifle. As a matter of fact, I have a new in the grease BSA No. 4 barrel salted away against the day such a T emerges. (Problem with sniper rifles in general though, is that there are more humped ones all the time, intended to deceive.)
For example, I have a restocked Mk. III Ross as a shooter. Looks and shoots very good indeed. But it is a parts gun.
If bubba got his hands on a 4T, and the remains were rebarrelled and restocked, it obviously is worth less than an unaltered original, and any prospective buyer should be informed about what has been done, but it would still have significant value as a restored specimen of a rather desirable rifle. As a matter of fact, I have a new in the grease BSA No. 4 barrel salted away against the day such a T emerges. (Problem with sniper rifles in general though, is that there are more humped ones all the time, intended to deceive.)
Once upon a time I restored a few. One was an old sporter my dad had given me. I stupidly sold it sometime later. Too bad really, but it was a nothing special 1917 BSA MKIII* and Dad is still around, so it's not like it's a teary heirloom kind of thing.
Closest I have come to restoration recently is replacing MANY parts on some of the recent MkIII* imports from India. The barelled receivers are usually beautiful, but A LOT of the smaller parts are just plain worn out. I suspect the Indians carried and drilled with these rifles A LOT, but shot them very little.
Items commonly needing replacement include:
1) sling swivels. All are either mangled or the holes are so oblong from wear that I no longer trust them to support the rifle!
2) rear sight slides. The ladders are usually OK with worn numbers, but the slides on my two gunds from P&S were FUBAR. I had spares.
3) Safety mechanisms. One one gun parts were missing (Jean sent me new ones), on the other, the safety was totally inoperable (I had a spare).
4) Bolt heads. Both needed new bolt heads to headspace. Odly enough, when I swapped them, they both got back into spec!
5) nosecap cross-screws. Threads were totally gone. Replacements came from Springfield Sporters.
6) Buttplate screws. All needed replacement, but I had spares.
7) Band screws - most were worn out, I had spares.
8) Front handguard. One was totally BEAT, CRACKED, etc. replacement to the rescue from my parts bin.
9) Trigger guard. One was totally bend and badly rusted. I had a correctl replacement in the bin.
10) Front sights. Both were the wrong size to get the rifles on paper. I have LOTS of replacements.
You get the idea. In fairness, I didn't buy the best condition guns, I opted for a rare date (1934) and a nice set of wood (the 1943). There were more serviceable guns to choose from.
Sometimes parts swapping almost borders on restoration! LOL. Though I didn't have to replace anything that was serialized.
Closest I have come to restoration recently is replacing MANY parts on some of the recent MkIII* imports from India. The barelled receivers are usually beautiful, but A LOT of the smaller parts are just plain worn out. I suspect the Indians carried and drilled with these rifles A LOT, but shot them very little.
Items commonly needing replacement include:
1) sling swivels. All are either mangled or the holes are so oblong from wear that I no longer trust them to support the rifle!
2) rear sight slides. The ladders are usually OK with worn numbers, but the slides on my two gunds from P&S were FUBAR. I had spares.
3) Safety mechanisms. One one gun parts were missing (Jean sent me new ones), on the other, the safety was totally inoperable (I had a spare).
4) Bolt heads. Both needed new bolt heads to headspace. Odly enough, when I swapped them, they both got back into spec!
5) nosecap cross-screws. Threads were totally gone. Replacements came from Springfield Sporters.
6) Buttplate screws. All needed replacement, but I had spares.
7) Band screws - most were worn out, I had spares.
8) Front handguard. One was totally BEAT, CRACKED, etc. replacement to the rescue from my parts bin.
9) Trigger guard. One was totally bend and badly rusted. I had a correctl replacement in the bin.
10) Front sights. Both were the wrong size to get the rifles on paper. I have LOTS of replacements.
You get the idea. In fairness, I didn't buy the best condition guns, I opted for a rare date (1934) and a nice set of wood (the 1943). There were more serviceable guns to choose from.
Sometimes parts swapping almost borders on restoration! LOL. Though I didn't have to replace anything that was serialized.
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Ok, a few pics.
Why not, here are some of the ones from the past 12 months (all from Bubba'ed rifles, except the Jungle Carbine, it needed welding and refinishing but stocks were complete).
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1480small2.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1207c.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1128.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1108.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM0957.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM0802-1.jpg
And who could forget this classic "Brit lady meets a Hun" picture:
Why not, here are some of the ones from the past 12 months (all from Bubba'ed rifles, except the Jungle Carbine, it needed welding and refinishing but stocks were complete).
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1480small2.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1207c.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1128.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1108.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM0957.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM0802-1.jpg
And who could forget this classic "Brit lady meets a Hun" picture:
- Location
- West coast of Vancouver Island
Nice work Lou!
Depending on your definition of "restore"...?
I have completely disassembled, cleaned, lubed, swapped small parts to get all matching manufacturers, tweaked mag lips, and re-BLO'd wood of 7 Lee Enfields, but I dunno if that is really "restoring" versus "freshening up"?
I have completely disassembled, cleaned, lubed, swapped small parts to get all matching manufacturers, tweaked mag lips, and re-BLO'd wood of 7 Lee Enfields, but I dunno if that is really "restoring" versus "freshening up"?
1874 Martini Henry Mk.I
1891 LSA MLM Mk.I*
1892 Enfield MLM Mk.II
1896 Sparkbrook MLM Mk.II*
1896 BSA MLE Mk.I
1903 Enfield MLE Mk.I*
1893 Enfield LMC Trails
1896 Enfield LEC Mk.I
1898 Enfield LEC Mk.I*
1900 Enfield LEC Mk.I* RIC
1903 Enfield LEC Mk.I* NZ
1917 Enfield Sht.LE Mk.III*
1924 Enfield Sht LE Mk.III*
The problem that I have, is that I will buy an old beater for parts and then find some redeaming feature that stops me from breaking it up. It then becomes yet another project, for which I buy an old beater as a donor for parts and then find some redeaming feature......
Hardest parts to find in my experience are uncut barrels with decent bore, front wood and nosecaps. All my rifles will be good shooters with mind to the 'correct' parts to bring it back to original configuration.
The definition of restoration is to bring something back to like new condition. My hobby is to get the thing working and to remove the signs of abuse and neglect but still leave the finish appropriate for its age. Nothing wrong with honest wear in my eyes.
I will rework woodwork, cut, splice and refinish it, but seldom touch the finish on any metal work. Only if part has to be repaired, the blue is rusted or pitted will I refinish. I have figured out how to do slow rust blue and have had good success with oil blackening.
To complicate things for myself, I insist on using parts with matching markings and stamps. The amount of wear on a part and its patina has to be about right also. It can take years to complete a project.
1891 LSA MLM Mk.I*
1892 Enfield MLM Mk.II
1896 Sparkbrook MLM Mk.II*
1896 BSA MLE Mk.I
1903 Enfield MLE Mk.I*
1893 Enfield LMC Trails
1896 Enfield LEC Mk.I
1898 Enfield LEC Mk.I*
1900 Enfield LEC Mk.I* RIC
1903 Enfield LEC Mk.I* NZ
1917 Enfield Sht.LE Mk.III*
1924 Enfield Sht LE Mk.III*
The problem that I have, is that I will buy an old beater for parts and then find some redeaming feature that stops me from breaking it up. It then becomes yet another project, for which I buy an old beater as a donor for parts and then find some redeaming feature......
Hardest parts to find in my experience are uncut barrels with decent bore, front wood and nosecaps. All my rifles will be good shooters with mind to the 'correct' parts to bring it back to original configuration.
The definition of restoration is to bring something back to like new condition. My hobby is to get the thing working and to remove the signs of abuse and neglect but still leave the finish appropriate for its age. Nothing wrong with honest wear in my eyes.
I will rework woodwork, cut, splice and refinish it, but seldom touch the finish on any metal work. Only if part has to be repaired, the blue is rusted or pitted will I refinish. I have figured out how to do slow rust blue and have had good success with oil blackening.
To complicate things for myself, I insist on using parts with matching markings and stamps. The amount of wear on a part and its patina has to be about right also. It can take years to complete a project.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
It can take substantial time to get them right,but the end project when finished is worth the effort. Hopefully for every bubba there is two restorations.
I wouldn't consider myself a restorer, but I have restored an Savage US Property Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.I*.
Years ago, I had bought it sporterized so I could moose hunt (I think it's manditory for a Newfie to own a .303 has their first moose hunting rifle. hehe!)
It was also the rifle that got me interested in milsurp collecting.
As a result, I decided to bring the old battle horse back to her original condition.
Unfortunately, the receiver had been drilled and tapped for a scope mount, so, bringing back to original was out of the question.
That's when I got the idea to build it similiar to a "T" clone.
I replaced the wood and any missing furniture that had been removed when it was bubba'd and added a sniper cheek piece made from a block of walnut. Fortunately, the barrel had not been tampered with so that saved me alot of work.
the scope was just a cheap Bushnell Sportview 1-4x20, but it worked really well on the rifle.
I have to regress here to say as a sporter, it shot ok. MOM (minute of moose. Hehe!), but it was definitely no tack driver. It had a severe "walk" in the POI after the barrel heated up.
After I completed the restoration, I took it out for a test and to my surprise, it was shooting fanastically. The groups got tighter ( about 1.5 MOA) and no "walking."
But alas, I lost her in a house fire last Xmas '07 (I guess it's another opportunity to do another restoration.)
Years ago, I had bought it sporterized so I could moose hunt (I think it's manditory for a Newfie to own a .303 has their first moose hunting rifle. hehe!)
It was also the rifle that got me interested in milsurp collecting.
As a result, I decided to bring the old battle horse back to her original condition.
Unfortunately, the receiver had been drilled and tapped for a scope mount, so, bringing back to original was out of the question.
That's when I got the idea to build it similiar to a "T" clone.
I replaced the wood and any missing furniture that had been removed when it was bubba'd and added a sniper cheek piece made from a block of walnut. Fortunately, the barrel had not been tampered with so that saved me alot of work.
the scope was just a cheap Bushnell Sportview 1-4x20, but it worked really well on the rifle.
I have to regress here to say as a sporter, it shot ok. MOM (minute of moose. Hehe!), but it was definitely no tack driver. It had a severe "walk" in the POI after the barrel heated up.
After I completed the restoration, I took it out for a test and to my surprise, it was shooting fanastically. The groups got tighter ( about 1.5 MOA) and no "walking."
But alas, I lost her in a house fire last Xmas '07 (I guess it's another opportunity to do another restoration.)
