Neato Enfield trainer in 22 magnum - can anyone tell me about this rifle?

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IBM

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http://imgur.com/a/sO6Ie#10 images

I am trying to learn about this rifle, which appears to be a No.1 Mk IV but I can't find much online about it. Anyone have any clues? Although the buttstock doesn't perfectly match, it is marked RCAF - so it may be a cadet or air force trainer in .22 Magnum, and the over-all form is a lot like the No.1MkIII. Would a MkIII magazine fit in it?

It shoots great.
 
this was made up for hunting in .22mag .then someone put military wood back on. note that it is drilled and taped for a receiver sight.
 
Conversion to .22 MAG would have been done by Doug Hough, used to be the gunsmith at the HBC store in Vancouver, many moons ago (like ~1965).

Too bad something THIS scarce had to be wrecked but Alan Lever had some for $25 and that was cheaper than having one made from scratch.
 
I still have the BLACK cast-aluminum CH press and the UNDATED 8x57 RCBS dies I bought from Doug while he was running the HBC sporting goods department. Darn, but that was a long time ago!

Lever had a few .22 LEs in from time to time but they were never really a common item. He did get one big batch of them about 1966 during one of the firearms amnesties in England and I got one of those for my Brother. Mr. Lever let me have it for $25 WITH the PH sights included; they were worth more than the gun. My brother used that rifle (1918 Enfield, PH conversion, half-stock) until he was banned from EVERY turkey-shoot and ham-shoot in this end of the country. Thing was (is) so accurate that they wouldn't even let him shoot the good-luck targets! Robert passed away a year ago, so the rifle now is with my 4-foot-tall nephew..... and he is just as good a shot as his Dad was! Many years after that, I finally got a Long Branch .22 (prototype for the C Number 7)...... but I still don't have an SMLE .22" Mark IV*.

That is an awfully-nice rifle. Treat it well.

I don't know the W-in-a-C marking; one I have never encountered before. Anyone have an idea?

I note that this is an RCAF rifle. RCAF was founded in 1920; they could have had this one right from when they were flying Camels and wishing for Brisfits.

Number 110 "City of Toronto" Squadron was authorised in 1932, began flight training in 1934. They trained as army/air co-ordination flyers, flew Moths, Avros and Lizzies. Potted squadron history on the RCAF website.

Certainly a lot of our history in that old rifle.

YOU are a Very Lucky Guy.
 
"...and was later reamed to .22 mag..." Daft considering the different bullet diameter.
A No. 1 mag will likely fit, but it won't be of any use for feeding. No. 7 mags didn't feed anything either. Just a place for the empties to fall into.
 
Thanks for all the details Smellie. I am very interested in the history, especially as its hard to find info on mark IVs. Do you know what the asterisk * proof mark means?

update: I found this info:

Many early model rifles, of Magazine Lee Enfield (MLE), Magazine Lee Metford (MLM), and SMLE type, were upgraded to the Mk III standard. These are designated Mk IV Cond., with various asterisks denoting subtypes.

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_Rifle_No.2_and_.22RF_Mk.III.html
 
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WAC stamp is War Assets Corp, a crown corporation set up to dispose of surplus after WWII. Have saw this on firearms, web gear and other items.
 
Hey guys, I need to thin out the collection a bit - does anyone have some guidance as to what I reasonably ask for this .22 magnum enfield trainer? I am not sure what kind of accurate value assessment would be.
 
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It is a "Bitser." That is, put together with a lot of non-matching parts. If it were in original condition and calibre, it would probably bring around $600 - $800.

The proper rear sight is missing, and the sight on it is for the .303 rifle. The trigger guard is Australian (BA) marked and it has been rechambered to .22 Magnum Calibre. I would not put faith in the Butt Stock being original to this rifle as you mentioned that it did not fit quite properly and the "RCAF" on the butt stock is in doubt because there is a "N" marking on the receiver ring (Navy).

A realistic price would be in the $300 range for someone who wanted to shoot it, as any collector value has been done away with.
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As a No1 Mk III* it's not in great condition. As a 22 magnum trainer from Doug Hough it's in amazing condition... and a neat bit of Canadiana from the 60s. I'm into the rifle more than 700$ and felt it was well spent for something so unusual and fun to shoot and to my knowledge (admitted limited) it could be considered rare.

Thanks for all the feedback on the history and so on everybody!
 
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