Question about G43 / Lee Enfield No.4 MKI

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Doran

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Hey all!

New to the forum here I hope this is the right place to post this. I inherited a Gewehr 43 and a Lee Enfield No. 4 MKI from my late father ~20 years ago. These babies have sat in my gun safe ever since. I think I've shot the Lee Enfield maybe a couple of times after I gave it a quick clean. Truthfully I'm scared to even attempt disassembling the G43 to clean it and have never shot it. My question is does anyone have any idea as to the rarity (if at all), authenticity and approximate value of these two firearms. From what I can find on the internet searching serial numbers etc, the G43 and it's scope appear to be authentic WWII era made firearms. I'm trying to decide if I should make a display case out of these or sell them to someone who may appreciate them. Any knowledge / resources / help would be greatly appreciated!

https://imgur.com/a/9mYAsx6
https://imgur.com/a/XrlI5RA
 
Hey Doran,
Its hard to tell the value of the G43 without looking at it. Do the numbers match? how is the bore? is the glass in the scope clear? there are a lot of things that go into the value of it. The enfield you have posted there is sporterised, so in today's market, its likely worth about 300-400 dollars. Forum members may say otherwise. If your G43 is a nice example, they can fetch somewhere around 4k to 5k
 
That Lee Enfield is more than "sporterized" - picture 3 shows patch to top of comb at butt plate. Picture four shows missing retaining pin for the rear sight axle, missing safety "locking bolt" and likely a sawed-off "locking bolt" spring. Wood on butt does not appear close to wood on fore-arm - appears to me that rear end of the fore-arm wood very eroded?. It likely goes "bang" and probably could kill a deer with any semblance of rifling left in that bore, and if the headspace is close - but whatever lowest level of value that Lee Enfield sporters go for these days - that would be pretty much what that one would be worth?
 
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Sported Lee Enfields have gone up in value along with everything else, but that one is hurting. $150tops.

IF the G43 scope is genuine it has considerable value.
G43s have got very pricey the last few years. But, like the No. 4, yours is hurting. To restore it, it needs a stock set, band and sights; maybe more. Restoration isn't going to be cheap. But worth doing. Properly restored, the rifle would have significant value.
 
G43 is missing both sights front and rear. Also missing the end cap for the stock along with the cleaning rod. The stock has also been altered, may be an alteration or an entirely new stock tough to tell, the fact that it doesn’t have the German sling slot leads me to believe it’s an aftermarket/custom/ or a different stock altered to fit. Also appears to be missing the magazine(s) unless just not pictured. Missing all that it’s tough to estimate value, to someone who has all those parts to spare it’s a valuable rifle, without them those are tough parts to locate. My advice is, if the scope and mount are WW2 original (difficult to tell as there are a lot of fakes but there are some some good resources online on the topic). My rifle has what I believe to be an original scope but repro mount. But if it’s original sell the scope separate a the scope and mount are valuable to a collector with a rifle (the rifle may have some worth as parts to that owner too I guess). Given there is very little available for original scopes but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s worth $1000-2000 to the right collector (again scope would have to be original, clear and not seized). In my opinion the rifle is only really valuable as a parts rifle. I’d keep it around as parts for my complete rifle. That’s just me though, there may be someone with a parts bin of g43 stuff that would want the rifle to complete.
 
Take a few close up, clear shots of the scope mount and post them, we will have a better idea of it is legitimate or a reproduction
 
JasonGTA said:
Take a few close up, clear shots of the scope mount and post them, we will have a better idea of it is legitimate or a reproduction
Click to expand...

As a safe queen for 20 years after inheritance from an old-time hunter, it is a safe bet that this is a genuine WW2 scope.
 
Webley No.5 said:
..... Missing all that it’s tough to estimate value, to someone who has all those parts to spare it’s a valuable rifle, without them those are tough parts to locate. My advice is, if the scope and mount are WW2 original (difficult to tell as there are a lot of fakes but there are some some good resources online on the topic). .... Given there is very little available for original scopes but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s worth $1000-2000 to the right collector (again scope would have to be original, clear and not seized). ...
Click to expand...

A complete shooting G43 is over $4000 these days. Yours is not in that category. Canada is the wrong market to rebuild that G43. As others are suggesting, it needs a lot of attention and specialized fabrication. At a glance every part from the muzzle to the butt has been modified or replaced or is missing. The best group of guys to offer this to are reenactors will buy what looks right as long as it can be carried around.

But ... that looks like a genuine wartime scope and base. There's a couple grand sitting there for resale. The gun is just keeping the scope off the floor.
 
Lot's of good info here thanks a lot everyone. Really appreciate it. I kinda figured they were both not in great shape. Interesting about the scope. I had a story about the origin of the G43 from my grand uncle who fought in the war but I'm the 3rd person to inherit this rifle and I'm pretty sure it was used for hunting for many years after the war. Anyone who knows anything about its use or mods has been long since deceased. Sad they didn't realize the value (historical or monetary) in the rifles and replaced or modified all those parts. I may end up keeping both building some nice shadow boxes for them and put them on display.
 
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