How much this worth
- Thread starter jebster1ca
- Start date
Without actually physically looking at it completely or at least some pics, it is very hard to give an accurate value.
With the information that you provide, between $25.00 and $450.00.
Some pics and a better description would assist.
With the information that you provide, between $25.00 and $450.00.
Some pics and a better description would assist.
Koldt gave you a broad and correct range. Does it have full military wood or is it a sporter stock? What shape is the metal in? any rust or pitting? is the blueing all gone or is it intact? Are there any markings other than what you have said? These are some basic questions that need to be answered. Photos are the best with close ups of any thing unusual.
Sporter stock the one without the wood going all the way down the top and bottom of the barrel? Then yea it is. And its in really good condition, no rust, wood is good, blueing is good. Apparently it shoots like a dream, very little recoil even(Always thought it would have quite a bit 
). Also, it was supposedly a service rifle(Which would seem incorrect I guess ). Can't post pics right now though sorry. Oh, and I don't think it has any other markings, its butt plate has a little thing that opens though, can put stuff in it, not for shells I don't think, to loose a fit, and wouldn't hold many lol
Was hoping it was going to worth alot Oh well, still a beautiful looking gun IMO!
). Also, it was supposedly a service rifle(Which would seem incorrect I guess ). Can't post pics right now though sorry. Oh, and I don't think it has any other markings, its butt plate has a little thing that opens though, can put stuff in it, not for shells I don't think, to loose a fit, and wouldn't hold many lolWas hoping it was going to worth alot
Oh well, still a beautiful looking gun IMO!A sported rifle in nice condition usually sells for $75 -$150. If the barrel hasn't been cut, and the metal finish is original, it could probably be restored to original configuration, but it might not make $ sense to do so. If its a good shooting rifle, and you are pleased with it, probably best to enjoy it as is.
Jebster:
FWIW, this is what your rifle would have looked like in its original full-military configuration:
Long Branch was the Canadian plant which manufactured No. 4 Lee-Enfield rifles during WWII. Your rifle would have been a service rifle like this when made, but has been "sporterized" - meaning it has been altered to the condition you describe, which unfortunately reduces its value significantly. A rifle in the condition shown above, with all numbers matching, would come in at the upper end of the price range mentioned. The "butt trap" in the buttplate was for a "pull through" and related items for cleaning the bore.
And to finish this posting off, here is a wartime photo of a Long Branch employee with a finished rifle:
FWIW, this is what your rifle would have looked like in its original full-military configuration:
Long Branch was the Canadian plant which manufactured No. 4 Lee-Enfield rifles during WWII. Your rifle would have been a service rifle like this when made, but has been "sporterized" - meaning it has been altered to the condition you describe, which unfortunately reduces its value significantly. A rifle in the condition shown above, with all numbers matching, would come in at the upper end of the price range mentioned. The "butt trap" in the buttplate was for a "pull through" and related items for cleaning the bore.
And to finish this posting off, here is a wartime photo of a Long Branch employee with a finished rifle:
Last edited:
Doc Sharptail
Regular
- Location
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
Great factory pic, Grant! Too bad they don't make 'em like that no more- the gun or the gal!
Regards,
Doc Sharptail
Regards,
Doc Sharptail
The military would have disposed of them as surplus in the original configuration - full wood, etc. Some people got them like that and did the "sporterising" themselves, some got a gunsmith to do it. "Sporterising" is the polite term, but it may also be called a "bubba" job, especially if the workmanship is poor, to suggest it would be the sort of thing an ignorant person with low standards would do. Some are done very well, some very not well. Some companies, e.g. Parker Hale bought batches of them and reworked them to sell as sporting rifles.
Typical modifications include original wooden stocks cut down, some had them replaced with new wood, (and at least two manufacturers still produce sporting style replacement stocks in plastic), sights may be replaced, some barrels were shortened, some actions have the charger bridge (lines up stripper clips for reloading the magazine quickly on the rifle) and/or rear sight mounts ground off and/or drilling and tapping for scope mounts, magazines may be shortened to reduce capacity or to fit flush with the bottom of the stock.
Typical modifications include original wooden stocks cut down, some had them replaced with new wood, (and at least two manufacturers still produce sporting style replacement stocks in plastic), sights may be replaced, some barrels were shortened, some actions have the charger bridge (lines up stripper clips for reloading the magazine quickly on the rifle) and/or rear sight mounts ground off and/or drilling and tapping for scope mounts, magazines may be shortened to reduce capacity or to fit flush with the bottom of the stock.
Some Lee Enfields were reworked into first class sporting rifles. Prior to WWI, when the Lee was pretty much a state of the art rifle, British custom gunmakers would buy unfinished barrelled actions, and make up sporters. Some of these are lovely, classic hunting rifles. More recently, custom gunsmiths like Ellwood Epps would seriously rework lees. His one piece stock conversions were light, graceful, smooth handling deer rifles. Some of the commercially sported ones aren't bad. But many are amateur chop jobs. Functional, but worth less than the unaltered rifle. The value of unaltered Lees is steadily increasing. The market for most sported ones is stagnant, and their price is often low, often less than the value of their parts. If you wanted to collect sported Lees, it wouldn't cost a lot, unless you were looking at the older Brit. classics.
