What The Heck Is Going On With Lee Enfield Prices?

Mumbles Marble Mouth

Mumbles Marble Mouth

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I was thinking about selling my No 1 Mk III all numbers matching and checked out some prices on the EE to get an idea on what price to ask for it but No 4's are asking for almost $1000 while No 1's are priced around $500 and some sportized Lee Enfields are asking for as much as an an all original No 1 Mk III. What the hell is going on? The No 1 is way better than the No 4!
 
It's a question of what people want and feel connected to. A lot of the guys paying premium prices for No.4's are doing so because their dads or grandfathers fought in WWII and they feel a connection to that weapon. A connection they don't necessarily feel with the No.1 used a generation earlier.
 
Condition, maker, Canadian marked, whether or not its a restoration, all matching, etc will all effect value.

They also seem to have dried up at dealers, which will drive demand up.
I have also noticed that Longbranches are desirable in Canada and Savages more so in the states.

Just pray someone does a British Band of Brothers.
 
you cant go by what people are asking. you can only go by who is selling.
the number 4's i see people are just trying to get there money out of. there is a lot of stocks and parts out there to restore a no4 and people are buying them and trying to get back their money. if a new stock of no1 wood comes out the price will go up on them too. thats my guess.
 
Finite supply, infinite demand. Prices will continue to rise. Anyone else remember shaking their heads at $300 enfields a decade ago? With that in mind, there's no such thing as paying too much, just buying too early.
 
revilo said:
Finite supply, infinite demand. Prices will continue to rise. Anyone else remember shaking their heads at $300 enfields a decade ago? With that in mind, there's no such thing as paying too much, just buying too early.
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Ain't that the truth.

Several years ago I bought a no4 mk1 1943 longbranch that was mint. Paid like $360 which was top dollar at that time. Thought it was a lot of money back then but now I'm happy I bought that rifle cause I couldn't touch one in that shape for anywhere close to that price now.
 
I had a long Lee Enfield rifle that I restored and sold, I regretted doing so right away, but I was broke and needed some cash flow.

I saw it on a dealer web site and a few years later, but I couldn't afford to buy it back. It had more than tripled in value.

It is still doing the rounds and changes hands, its history and price get embellished each time it goes up for sale.
 
TheTooner said:
No, it isn't.
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It's probably a matter of personal choice. That said, the No 4 was introduced as a cost-cutting measure compared to the 1 mk 3, though India and Australia continued to manufacture the No 1 into the 2nd world war, while England and Canada went for the No 4....

I'm going to put it down to personal choice.
 
JTF# said:
you cant go by what people are asking. you can only go by who is selling.
the number 4's i see people are just trying to get there money out of. there is a lot of stocks and parts out there to restore a no4 and people are buying them and trying to get back their money. if a new stock of no1 wood comes out the price will go up on them too. thats my guess.
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Yes, thats an interesting dynamic in the milsurp world. You would think that the desporterizing and building of rifles would drive down prices as it increases supply. Instead we see that a Garand or an Enfield is worth the build cost because guys wont sell them for less.
 
It seems all the main stream milsurps have jumped in prices. Enfields, Garands, K98s, ect.

An enfield that went for $450 a few years ago could probably get close to $800 now a days

I remember a few years ago a dealer had M1 Garands in decent condition for $650. Now, a similar M1 would push the $1000 mark.

I also remember Marstar having those Un-issued yugo M48bo mausers for about 450 with bayonet. those pop up on the EE from time to time as well for almost double. missed those as well.

Basically I missed several chances for affordable milsurps, should have bought as many as I could while they were cheap, Still a few under appreciated milsurps out their, better jump on them before they get popular.
 
It's the Internet and sites like this one that lead to artificially inflated prices.

There seems to be a kind of "Auction hysteria" where people get carried away seeing other people get an item and then they start to think that they really NEED one too, and start to be willing to pay unreasonable prices.

It's a marketplace and sellers are delighted to charge as high a price for an item as a buyer is willing to pay.
 
I would say that a No1 should get you about $100 more then a comparable No4 condition wise.

there are a lot of rebuilt No4 on the market and $500 seems to be the going rate now on a rebuild, this has driven the price of an original No4 up to the $700+ range. No1 enfields have not seemed to have kept pace with the increase. Still a good No1 will still get you $600.
 
Hey I got a blade bayonet for a No 4. Any idea how much that thing is worth. Unfortunately someone has polished it. Funny enough I found it in the garbage. Saw it and realized it was a No 4 Bayonet.
 
Frost Cracked said:
It's probably a matter of personal choice. That said, the No 4 was introduced as a cost-cutting measure compared to the 1 mk 3, though India and Australia continued to manufacture the No 1 into the 2nd world war, while England and Canada went for the No 4....

I'm going to put it down to personal choice.
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Liking one more than the other is personal choice, and in that sense anyone's preference for the No.1 is just as valid as mine for the No.4. But they were both designed as service rifles and the No.4's design brief was to improve on the No.1 in that role and it succeeded. Easier and cheaper to produce with no loss of performance or reliability and for most shooters, especially without prior experience, the peep sight on a longer sighting plane resulted in better marksmanship for the same level of training and practise.
 
There are lots of people who don't necessarily get caught up in "auction hysteria", and they have decided to buy Lee Enfields to add to their collections. Nice rifles will bring good prices. I sold an unfired "Irish contract" No.4 at the Calgary show to a fellow who knew what he wanted, and also knew it was his one likely chance. He was polite and made me a reasonable offer. He looked at it the day before, went home, thought it over, came on Saturday to buy it.

We are gradually tearing ourselves away from the "endless supply of cheap old surplus rifles" sold in barrels. I may be wrong, but I see a whole new wave of collectors coming over the hill. Fasten your seat belts boys and girls. Some wild times ahead! :)
 
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