My aunt was getting rid of junk before moving and asked me if I wanted my Grandfathers old gun. It was a Lee Enfield .303 caliber made in 1942 from England. It has a full wood stock all the way to the front sight and is still operational. I am wondering if there is any market for this gun as I will never use it? It also has the adjustable rear sight. Stock is in OK condition with some scratches and I spent an hour cleaning it yesterday.

Without seeing it ....around $350.

There is always a market, it's just that some things are more common than others.

Why not shoot it? 303 commercial range ammo is available from PPU at $15 a box. It's not expensive for the amount these guns are typically shot. I mean you don't see to many people shooting 500 rounds out of them in one session. At most a box or two. They are fun rifles and pack a good punch

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Stop cleaning.

Provide photos, including all marks on the rifle.

Depending what you have, could be worth anywhere from $100-500. Could be more, depending what you have.

Pictures would be most helpful. I'm a big fan of the jungle carbine version.
Don't be too aggressive with your cleaning.

You might also check any other "old junk" to see if there's a registered magnum in there, in a box...

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Halfway and one more step

Attached is a picture of the rifle. Condition wise there are some scratches on the wood and one gouge that could be fixed IMO. Mechanically it appears very sound. I fired it once as a kid at the suggestion of my Grandpa which caused him to get yelled at by Grandma. That was probably 50 years ago. It has not been fired or cleaned since.

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Matching numbers may make it slightly more desirable. Check the receiver, bolt handle, magazine, and maybe the stock for matching serial numbers. These old Enfields are great rifles.

A good info source is Enfield-Rifles.com. You could probably sell it there too.

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

Either post a GOOD, SHARP photo of the lettering and other markings on the left side of the action or tell us PRECISELY what's there. Don't omit anything like an asterisk. This stuff means more than you realize.

Your description was so sloppy that I thought you were really referring to a No. 1 Mk III rifle, with that bit about how far the wooden stock extended. You still cut off the barrel end in that poor photo. Is anything cut off on the actual barrel, or did you just fail to include it in the picture?

I normally encourage families to keep heirloom guns. In this case, I feel that the rifle would be better off in the hands of someone who cares about it and knows what it is.


Can you at least open the bolt and look down the barrel of the EMPTY rifle and tell us the condition of the bore? Was it even cleaned the last time it was shot?

Is the butt plate brass or pewter? Did you get the bayonet, too?

Let me get this straight. You are in possession of your grandfathers rifle and the first thought is how much can I sell it for? I would rather be drug naked through a cactus patch than give up my grandfathers gun. I will never be so broke that I need to sell it. But then again maybe others did not care their papa's as I did mine. What I would do to see them one more time.

Yes.....please stop cleaning and fixing. Surplus guns have their own criteria for collecting. What's dirty to you is original ww2 to someone else. If you make it look like new often times the collector value drops and collectors arnt interested in a new condition one while none collectors have no interest period.

Please take good, clean, sharp and well lit pics. Of the rifle and it's stampings. Just to give you an idea, some of these Enfields were made by Savage in the US. MANY surplus rifles have cool history

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I suspect that you have a $250-$300 SMLE rifle if in good condition - especially the bore. Loved by many, but very common as it was manufactured through both World Wars. Again, the family connection is worth more than the gun. The proper bayonet could add almost $100. Like many here, I have one.

Neat old rifles, any idea how it came into your grandfather's hands? Any import marks?

Wound a little tight aren't we Texas?? I will submit better pics tomorrow. Not sure why my Grandfather had it. He was not a hunter or believer in home defense nor did he serve in the armed forces as he was between WW1 and WW2 agewise. The gun really holds no sentimental value for me. I am thinking of selling it and using the cash to purchase a CVA Optima for muzzle loader season this year.

Look at Post No. 9. Is he wound pretty tight, too? When people make posts like your initial ones, such reaction is rather common on gun boards. I guess we're a sentimental lot. Of course, not everyone is very attached to their ancestors, and it's your rifle now. I hope it finds a good home.

And I feel better knowing now that you hunt, even with muzzle loaders, just not my rifle interest. Good luck in the woods this fall.

Heck I paid money so I could acquire my wife's grandfathers 25 auto. I also have a couple of my one grandfathers rifles. My other grandfathers rifles will all go to my uncles and I won't see any. Pretty sad that a gun person is going to sell a rifle acquired from his grandfather for a mesely couple hundred bucks

I am not sure you need to freak out about cleaning. Wipe it down with one of your old gun rags that has oil on it from cleaning other guns. Based upon the picture you have what appears to be a SMLE. I bought one about a year ago on GunBroker.com for 300 +/-. A parts matching 42 SMLE might be in the average range of $350-550 to the right person. It would have been better if you have a story with it but, what the hey.

Don't clean the wood other than to wipe it with a clean dry cloth. You can clean the barrel and bolt without really affecting the value. If I were you I would at least take it out with a box of ammo and "Kick the tires" as it were. They are fun to shoot and I am going to use mine hunting. It is history and would make a great piece to hang in the man cave.

Better pictures would help. Check the barrel for how many lands. I think it should have 5 but, may have 2. What is the maker?

I'll take it as it for $200. I know it is a sacrifice on my part but, I am willing to do it.

I did see some numbers on the bolt and will verify my suspicion that the bolt had the same serial number as the rifle. Also found a website that tells what the stamps mean on the buttstock strap and receiver. I should be able to tell where it was made. Will also check the magazine for a number. Will try to submit close pics of the numbers tomorrow. Let me think about the offer but I appreciate your sacrifice

Guys, I don't see what the big deal is about him selling his grandfather's rifle. Obviously the man wasn't a hunter or shooter and just had it around probably due to circumstances. Maybe someone owed him money and gave the rifle to hold and never came back or never got the money. Whatever..... theres a million reasons. It meant nothing to his grandfather and it means less to him.

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Here are some additional pics of the rifle. The serial number is 7328. The butt stock strap has the same serial number. I could not find a serial number on the bolt. The butt plate is brass and has a storage compartment. There is a "broad arrow mark which indicates it was made for export.

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Its hard to tell on the Receiver but the serial number appears to have a B before the 4 numbers but I could be wrong. The number on the strap is 7328

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You ignored the markings that should be on the left side of the action. Should tell the manufacturer there, like Fazakerly, and the model of rifle, like No. 4, MK I.

The photos are poor, but good enough tp tell that the rifle is at best in just average condition, with numerous small dents and the wood looks dried out and considerable bluing is missing from the magazine.

I'd guess it might sell for $150-200. Unless you're not showing us something that might affect value, that's my best guess.

Did you check the rear face of the bolt handle for numbers?

Personally, I wouldn't buy it at all. But some pay for guns that I reject. I don't own "truck guns." Others like the heavily used and uncared for look.

A lot of these rifles were sold by the Crown as scrap metal, not as firearms. They look pretty rough, in many cases.

The Broad Arrow signifies govt. ownership, not that the rifle was exported. Opposing Broad Arrows indicate that the rifle was sold from Stores and became the private properrty of an officer, allowed to buy from the govt.

My No. 4 is a MK II from 1952 and my son has an unissued, new one from 1955. Now, that one is NICE!

The round part of the receiver, into which forestock and buttstock both fit, has markings on the left side that will tell the maker. It may be a British manufacturer's code, so look for a letter, S, M, or N and a numberThere are books which tell what code numbers were issued which manufacturers.

I bought one at a gun show last year for $200 from a young man walking through the show.He wanted some new black rifle and could not get the dealer to trade for it.I don't know what it is worth and don't care it is a great shooting and very accurate gun that is pretty cheap to shoot.

1+ !
Perhaps I'm being a nostalgic , maudlin, soon to be Geezer, but I cannot fathom how such a tie to family history should be simply sold off, even if you have NO interest in shooting it . Yes, commercial ammo form PPU and recently, Wolf ( Military Classic ) is available at "popular" prices, hunting ammo is priced up with everyone else's. I have one of these, though of early 1950's vintage; bought at a gun show with no pedigree. It has the superior milled rear micrometer sight ( instead of the proper for model flip up sight ), milled front sight guard (instead of the proper for model stamped version ) and a clearly used in the field brass buttplate with trapdoor, instead of the proper steel late production item. Was it assembled using left over parts from past production, were the "upgrades" done when the arm was sent in for armory servicing? No way to know. So as a "proper" example, it sucks. As an example that is a dream to shoot, it is the one I was waiting for for several decades. It will go to one of my nephews, eventually. Not to be hard, just my 0.02 and worth every penny

Does your rifle have the letters FTR on it? Means Factory Thorough Repair.

If it's from the 1950s, it's not a MK I, anyway, and the two position flip sight is NOT proper for it. THat was just a wartime expedient on some No. 4 rifles.

If made in the '50's, your rifle is a No. 4 MK II. Look at the markings on the left receiver flat, where I've been trying to get the OP to look on his rifle. Should read that it's a No. 4 MK II and may have added mod markings in stars/asterisks.
The maker is usually the govt. factory at Fazakerly. If Canadian-made, it'll say Long Branch.

Instead of telling you what a horrible person you are for wanting to sell your grandfathers rifle or what a piece of **** it is vs. their unissued rifle, I will try to give you some useful info.
I am pretty sure your rifle is a No4 Mk1. Judging by the picture of the right side of the receiver, I think I see the bolt release which was omitted on Mk1*.
It was made in 1942, and given its serial number, was manufactured by BSA-Shirley. Buttplate is correct for this rifle, only Savage and Longbranch used Zamac Buttplates.

It is rough, but most Enfields are. Wood needs a good dose of linseed oil. What condition is the bore.

For value, go to gunbroker and look up sold enfields.

I did locate the serial number on the bolt and it is B7328 which matches the number on the receiver although it was difficult to make the B out. This confirms to me that it is in fact a BSA Shirley rifle manufactured in 1942. The bore had rust in it and I was able to get most of it out with a bore brush and patches. I did read that if you spray some gun cleaner in it and leave it there perhaps overnight and then run a patch through it should remove the remaining rust. I thought about using CLP but would like to hear any opinions on that. The fact that the rifle is a BSA Shirley rifle with matching serial numbers should make it a bit more valuable but I do in fact intend to sell it and get that Optima I have been looking at. Not to mention, Bow Season is coming up fast. Can't wait.

I am assuming that because there was rust in the bore that there is pitting. What kind of bore brush did you use, plastic, copper, or steel? You could use WD40 on the barrel to give it a good cleaning. A small amount of pitting is to be expected but, if you were seeing a good deal of rust on the patches then you may just have a wall hanger.

Try using a white grease pencil or chalk to bring out the markings on the rifle. Rub it into the marks then wipe the top with a rag. This usually highlights the marks and other stamps on the rifle.

Break Free CLP is okay. That's what I use on guns, after using bore cleaner like Hoppe's No. 9 on the bore and the chamber. I like it better than Rem-Oil.

Oiling the bore overnight should loosen some rust, but I fear pitting lies beneath. This will lower value, but I've seen posts by people who shoot rifles like yours with some pitting and still get good accuracy.

I don't know whether a BSA Shirley rifle is more valuable than a Fazakerly or Maltby rifle. Enfield didn't make No. 4 rifles; too busy making revolvers and Bren guns.

I don't think you have a BSA. I think it is a ROF Fazakerley. Military Surplus Collectors ForumsAccording to this website it shows that a "B" should be followed by 5 numbers. Looking at the pic you have given us I see what looks like 73281 following the B

If you can take a good picture of the left side of the receiver it will give up a better idea of what it truly is.

Okay, now this one is giving me something else. It still could be a BSA

Ian Skennerton's

I collect 303s and have many they are wonderful guns. its not a Maltby or a M would be over the number. I thinking a BSA I have one marked like it. with the broad arrow under the number and the B over it. If it is FTRd it will have a month/year after FTR. for savage made guns and parts look for a S in a square. and us property.the best way to finish getting the rust from the barrel is shoot it.I have shot many to a bright bore.

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God save the SOUTH

You are right, it is ROF Fazakerley, not Shirley. It was late and I was tired and I confused the B with an R. The B in the serial number is the key, that is an Fazakerley code. The rest of the serial number is 7328, the 1 you see is a ding in the receiver. The serial number on the butt socket and the bolt confirm it is 7328. No.4 serial numbers are 5 digits total, One letter and 4 digits, or 2 letters and 3 digits.

I checked another site today, about any price difference between UK manufacturers of the No. 4 MK I in the U K.

The learned collectors there said there's no premium on a particular maker's production. Keep in mind that I didn't ask about Savage or Long Branch production.

Savage was the single largest producer of No.4, roughly equalling 1.2 million rifles. Long Branch was 906000.

I'll give fzntundra a hundred and fifty bucks cash for it just so ya'll will quit picking on him.

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- Change it back -

Here are some pics of the left side receiver and bore. There seems to be a FIFT on that side after No 4 Mark1. Can't find any info about those numbers.

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I hope you cleaned the rifle after you fired it 50 years ago.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I gotta tell ya. I think you have a $50 wall hanger. There is more shine on my forehead than that barrel. Sorry, not interested anymore. Would be nice to get some better pics of the outside of the receiver.

With all due respect I think you are wrong but accept your conclusion. Picture my wife holding her flash on her cellphone on the receiver end of the barrel while I try to focus my cell phone on the barrel end. Just to illustrate my opinion I will do the same thing tonight with my Remington 700BDL that has a pristine barrel and post the picture. Doubt you will see much difference. I will take the Enfield to a local Gunshop that sells on consignment.

Final update on this Lee Enfield Rifle. I sold it to a military gun enthusiast for $300.00. I met him in the parking lot of Fox Valley Firearms after having it examined by a gunsmith. I wanted to make sure the rifle was safe to operate. The gunsmith confirmed that the lock up was sound and that the bore was in good shape. He did comment that their was lint in the bore from my cleaning patches which indicated to him that the rifling in the bore was still very sharp meaning the gun was not fired a lot. He also said that Enfield bores were always dark due to the bluing process done in those days. The buyer refurbishes Enfield's and Mosin Nagant rifles as a hobby. The pictures he showed me of his finished rifles were beautiful. Someone will get a good looking rifle when he is done.