No.4 Barrels

[x westie]

I was curious if why there there never is any new No.4 barrels available.

With all the No.4 rifles made by Long Branch and Savage...plus in the U.K..you would think there would be plenty of spare barrels for sale...there isn't a problem getting a new barrel for a Garand .or even for a 03/A3 Springfield..i see them for sale all the time at Numrich Arms.

Wonder if any CGN Lee Enfield gurus have seen spare barrels for sale.

 

[cantom]

I was curious if why there there never is any new No.4 barrels available.

With all the No.4 rifles made by Long Branch and Savage...plus in the U.K..you would think there would be plenty of spare barrels for sale...there isn't a problem getting a new barrel for a Garand .or even for a 03/A3 Springfield..i see them for sale all the time at Numrich Arms.

Wonder if any CGN Lee Enfield gurus have seen spare barrels for sale.

Springfield Sporters told me they're few and far between. You rarely see them for sale and those on ebay tend to go for a pretty good buck.

 

[tiriaq]

Last batch I remember were 1950s BSA replacement barrels, new in the grease wrap, 3/$100 from Springfield Sporters. Still have one squirrelled away if a bubb'd 4T comes along.
You do see barrels from time to time, although they are invariably used take-offs. I suspect some are from unregistered rifles that got broken for parts. It would be possible for aftermarket barrels to be made, but the muzzle lugs of a No. 4 would make these more expensive than most others. Given what one would cost, I just don't know if there would be the demand. Its one thing for Wilson, Kreiger, to tool up to make M-1 and M-14 barrels. There's a market.

 

[Mr. Buttons]

New No.1 barrels are out there - I bought a brand new South African SMLE barrel a few years back - still in the cosmo and wax paper. I sent the photos to Skip Stratton as he questioned their existence in one of his books or online writings (can't remember which) - either way he said it was a nice example (South African crest on the top, etc).

I know this doesn't help as you're looking for No.4 barrels - but just thought I'd mention it.

 

[sunray]

"...never is any new No.4 barrels..." The rifle hasn't been made, anywhere, since the early 50's. When the Savage contract ended around 1943(63 years ago), all the finished rifles, parts and machines were packed up and sent to Long Branch. Those parts have long since been destroyed. You do see a few that were released in more enlightened times, but not many.
There are no 'new' barrels made, Stateside, because there isn't enough demand to warrant tooling up to make them.

 

[TimC]

I had an Unused South African stamped SMLE No1 Mk 3 barrel in my mitts 2 weeks ago. Parker Hale in Birmingham has them. The lad was unpacking them to sell them on. They were coated in a plsticky waxy resin and grease paper wrapped. The one he unwrapped for me there had the sight base fitte. apparently most had. Good barrels unmarked threads.

 

[Lee Enfield]

I was curious if why there there never is any new No.4 barrels available.

With all the No.4 rifles made by Long Branch and Savage...plus in the U.K..you would think there would be plenty of spare barrels for sale...there isn't a problem getting a new barrel for a Garand .or even for a 03/A3 Springfield..i see them for sale all the time at Numrich Arms.

snip...QUOTE]

It's a matter of economics. 300 million potential customers in the US vs. 60 million potential customers in the rest of the world.

Having said that, new No4 barrels are made from time to time in the UK, but in most of europe ALL pressure holding parts are controlled (barrels, bolts, receivers ect.) This would mean import permits, export permits, and customs brokers (on each side) all added to the price of the barrel.

So good luck finding a used 1, as new ones functionally don't exist.

If I needed a new barrel, I would talk really nice to Ron Smith about it. Of course you have to realize that you're looking at >$350 to get it chambered, contoured & installed.