I just picked up a No4 Mk1 lee Enfield a couple days ago and I have a few questions regarding it. I have looked at a few sites to try to find out a little more about it but there does not seem to be much out there that I have found on the No4 Mk1 as this is NOT a long branch one. This rifle has the usual cut down front stock, but at least the barrel was not cut. The markings on it are as follows: No4Mk1 on the left side of the receiver, The letter B and under that 1941 and under that the serial # of 0028 near the but stock. The barrel has some crowns and 41 with an arrow behind it. The stock has the letters F R stamped in it. The bolt has the rounded head on it and I do not know if that would be the original one for it as the bolt numbers of A 0059 do not match the receiver. Would this have been made in England, would it have been used in the war ?? I would like to put the full wood back on this and I would need both hand guards, for-end and the bands with hardware, What should I have to expect to pay for all of it as I do not know what the average cost would be for it ?? would it use the spike or the blade bayonet ?
No4 MK1 Questions
- Thread starter iltis57
- Start date
Hi Iltis,
Your No4 was made in England, and can be returned to its former glory. It would have the "pig sticker" spike bayonet. The bolt is mismatched, one more reason to have the headspace checked as a precaution before shooting with it. Parts for this refurb project are available; Springfield Sporters (in the US) is probably your best bet for a refurb on the cheap side.
Hope this helps,
Lou
Your No4 was made in England, and can be returned to its former glory. It would have the "pig sticker" spike bayonet. The bolt is mismatched, one more reason to have the headspace checked as a precaution before shooting with it. Parts for this refurb project are available; Springfield Sporters (in the US) is probably your best bet for a refurb on the cheap side.
Hope this helps,
Lou
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
early british production, I suspect Maltby, barrel and reciever have the same date so its never been changed.
a few pictures of the markings on the reciever would help
a few pictures of the markings on the reciever would help
I just sent an order off to Springfield Sporters to do an identical restoration to the one you are attempting. Cost for all wood and hardware was $120 usd.
I will try to post pictures (other web sites have this feature super easy). I seen a few other No4 Mk1 enfields with the round bolt head on them and I thought it might have been a carrier over from the No1 Mk3's before they went to the rectangular style.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
interesting, that just rifle is an early one, and that round cocking piece is proper. Nice
"...the rear sight..." Battle sight has been damaged. Gunparts lists 'em at $24.85US. It's the whole rear sight.
The '1941' is the year of manufacture. The 'broad arrow' on the barrel indicates British military acceptance. The 'B' indicates Birmingham Small Arms, Shirley.
The '1941' is the year of manufacture. The 'broad arrow' on the barrel indicates British military acceptance. The 'B' indicates Birmingham Small Arms, Shirley.
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I forgot to ask but what kind of wood do you think the butstock is, as I believe there are a couple different kinds of wood and I would like to try and match it. I also noticed on a few of the rifles the hand guards had some groves cut into them, was this a certain manufacture??
The buttstock has been reshaped, so it will need replacement as well. Early rifles often had grooved handguards. For a really early No. 4, the cruciform bayonet would be correct, but one of those would likely cost more than the rifle.
Butt stock has defiantly been re-shaped into a pistol grip (or a poor attempt). It is most likely walnut. The grooved hand guards (I think) were on the early models, they were eliminated during the last years of the war to speed up production. There is a person on Ebay selling complete stock sets for around $130 buy out, and the one on there now has gone over the buy-out price (someone was not thinking). Most of the restorers speak Highly of Springfield Sporters, and their prices seem fair, I think i figured around $100 CAD for everything I needed. Now do not go taking my word for gospel, I tend to be a little confused (got it from my mother) so I may be wrong.
I am in the same boat you are, I have sort restoration project of my own going on. Making a poor mans sniper variant out of a No.4 with a chopped barrel. Gonna look funny with the stubby end, but its gonna be a sweet rifle.
I am in the same boat you are, I have sort restoration project of my own going on. Making a poor mans sniper variant out of a No.4 with a chopped barrel. Gonna look funny with the stubby end, but its gonna be a sweet rifle.
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I'm not up enough on the early BSA serial numbering, but conceivably that could be the 25th rifle produced, although I believe the earliest rifles used an "A" prefix as is on the bolt, to indicate that they were in some respects "non-standard" as they were still working out the bugs in the manufacturing.
Strange to find such an early bolt in such an early rifle but still mismatching. Maybe an importer was mating up bolts and rifles and just got as close as they could with what they had.
I doubt the wood is original. The forend would have had the cutout for the magazine cut-off and the butt might well have had a marking disc at that early date. The original wood could have been beech or walnut.
The MkI cocking piece is right of course, and if the backsight is SM41 marked, it is probably original too. It wasn't long before they dropped those in favour of the 300/600 yard flip due to manufacturing hold ups.
Might have had the MkI 'waisted' foresight protector originally, but hard to say now. Take it apart and have a good look over all the metal for other markings, including the mag.
Strange to find such an early bolt in such an early rifle but still mismatching. Maybe an importer was mating up bolts and rifles and just got as close as they could with what they had.
I doubt the wood is original. The forend would have had the cutout for the magazine cut-off and the butt might well have had a marking disc at that early date. The original wood could have been beech or walnut.
The MkI cocking piece is right of course, and if the backsight is SM41 marked, it is probably original too. It wasn't long before they dropped those in favour of the 300/600 yard flip due to manufacturing hold ups.
Might have had the MkI 'waisted' foresight protector originally, but hard to say now. Take it apart and have a good look over all the metal for other markings, including the mag.
Grooved handguards came and went, some early rifles had solid handguards, and some No.4 Mk.2's had grooved ones. I think the A prefix rifles were trials rifles? Can't remember, and my book is on loan right now. That round cocking piece is a pretty rare find, worth almost as much as the rifle cost. Keep in mind, a mismatched bolt may be unsafe to shoot. Most mismatched bolts only lock on one lug.
Another friend told me the same thing reguarding the bolt, I will take it in to get the head spacing checked before I do any shooting with it.
Bolt
Headspace check won't show if the bolt doesn't fit properly. Look at the locking surfaces on the lugs, there should be evidence of equal wear on both of them. If not, the one that is working will have to be stoned down until they both bear equally. Pretty easy to do, and not really time consuming. If you need help, PM me. Make sure you correct any bolt issues BEFORE headspacing, as the headspace will increase if you remove metal from one lug.
Headspace check won't show if the bolt doesn't fit properly. Look at the locking surfaces on the lugs, there should be evidence of equal wear on both of them. If not, the one that is working will have to be stoned down until they both bear equally. Pretty easy to do, and not really time consuming. If you need help, PM me. Make sure you correct any bolt issues BEFORE headspacing, as the headspace will increase if you remove metal from one lug.
