Thomas Turner Snider Enfield

[Blastattack]

I recently purchased this Thomas Turner Snider Enfield. The hammer is missing and the square part it fits on is broken off. Otherwise it’s in pretty reasonable condition. There’s fine rust everywhere, but all the mechanics are still good: firing pin is free and the spring is good, and the breech lock unlocking and extraction seems fine, if a little stiff and unlubricated. I’d like to restore it to complete and functional if I can, and turn it at minimum a functional wall hanger, though fireable would be nice. What can you all tell me about this gun? What’s it worth? Where can I get replacement parts? What course of restoration would you all suggests?

More pictures to follow. Doing so from my phone sucks.

 

[tiriaq]

Gently clean the steel. Oil and bronze wool. 0000 steel wool if you can't get bronze wool. Gently.
You need a tumbler, hammer and hammer screw.
Put an ad in the EE.
Dixie Gun Works has original Snider hammers, either flat nose or hollow nose for US$25.

What is it worth? How much did you pay?

 

[Blastattack]

Gently clean the steel. Oil and bronze wool. 0000 steel wool if you can't get bronze wool. Gently.
You need a tumbler, hammer and hammer screw.
Put an ad in the EE.
Dixie Gun Works has original Snider hammers, either flat nose or hollow nose for US$25.

What is it worth? How much did you pay?

I paid nearly nothing for it, on account of its apparently poor condition. However, the ugliness is mostly just "makeup". Under a layer of crud, the barrel is still shiny (with some pitting), and the lock mechanism appears pristine inside, barring the broken/missing parts. Does anyone in Canada specialize in the repair and restoration of these guns?

 

[wr.sainsbury]

I paid nearly nothing for it, on account of its apparently poor condition. However, the ugliness is mostly just "makeup". Under a layer of crud, the barrel is still shiny (with some pitting), and the lock mechanism appears pristine inside, barring the broken/missing parts. Does anyone in Canada specialize in the repair and restoration of these guns?

All parts you need are available from Dixie - you will also need the spring stirrup. Suggest you will need the flat nose hammer rather than cupped which was for the percussion issue. Looks to be a Third model which means steel barrel and better quality and probably made for the retail, civilian market. Look for WD stamps on the various parts which if not there will confirm my guess. Nice find.

 

[Blastattack]

All parts you need are available from Dixie - you will also need the spring stirrup. Suggest you will need the flat nose hammer rather than cupped which was for the percussion issue. Looks to be a Third model which means steel barrel and better quality and probably made for the retail, civilian market. Look for WD stamps on the various parts which if not there will confirm my guess. Nice find.

From all the pictures I see online, Thomas Turners used the hollow/cupped hammers. Do you have an example of what this WD stamping looks like? I don't see that marking anywhere, but there are quite a few that I have now uncovered.

The rifle is in incredibly good shape. All the rust/crud and whatever was in, or and around the receiver has been removed, showing the amazingly strong and relatively unpitted finish underneath. The top of the barrel has a fair bit of spots yet, but the underside is surpsiginly 100% factory finish. It's beautiful and amazing. The channel in the stock looks like it was cut yesterday. Other than the damage, this gun appears to be in fantastic shape overall, just needs some attention.

Most surprising of all is the bore. When I first received it, it was a dark rusty hole. After two applications of Wipe-Out and some good scrubbing, the bore is shiny, end to end with sharp rifling. Once she is repaired, I would love to shoot her. I'll be calling Dixie tomorrow to get the hammer and tumbler if I can.

 

[tiriaq]

The Mk. III action had a positive mechanical lock.
Previous Marks did not. The cupped hammer was intended to reduce the chances of the breech blowing open should a case head fail. It engaged the breech block, tending to hold it closed. The Dixie hammers are Snider hammers.

 

[wr.sainsbury]

So question is - is it a Mk111? If so , I believe it used the flat nose hammer. Have been wrong before on these but seems logical. The WD is a small stamp usually on the inside of the lock and under the breech as well as on the hammer sometimes.

 

[milsurpo]

Blastattack: With "commercial" rifles the ordnance classifications don't necessarily hold. I have a Turner Snider that has the locking catch (ala Mk III) but an iron barrel and cupped hammer. Nevertheless, many of these were used in NRA sanctioned shooting events which required basic similarity to military versions in many regards. Look for an inspection mark and number stamped just ahead of the rear sight on the right side to see if yours was viewed for acceptance in competition. These are beautiful rifles and yours appears to be well worth restoring. I would suggest buying a cheap, complete sporterized Snider as an alternate way to source parts but be aware, you will likely find interchangeability problems with many parts since yours is commercial. Be ready to do some hand fitting.

milsurpo