Enfield Rifle No.4 Mk2

Davinman · May 8, 2016

Question for you enfield experts, i have a sporterized #4 mk2 1942 Savage 2 groove bbl enfield. the fired brass comes out looking like weatherby shouldered brass. i was wondering if it mite be an epps chamber? i can say that with factory loads it shoots terrible, but with once fired,neck sized brass it shoots terrific, if you need photos of the fired brass ill post a new thread. any info would be great.

Texas Star · May 8, 2016

Davinman said:
Question for you enfield experts, i have a sporterized #4 mk2 1942 Savage 2 groove bbl enfield. the fired brass comes out looking like weatherby shouldered brass. i was wondering if it mite be an epps chamber? i can say that with factory loads it shoots terrible, but with once fired,neck sized brass it shoots terrific, if you need photos of the fired brass ill post a new thread. any info would be great.

This will not make sense to most here. I think you're referring to a rechambered rifle by Canadian gunsmith Elwood (?) Epps. That's a capitalized last name. He may indeed have developed Improved or similar .303 wildcats. Maybe our Canadian members know. Haven't seen that name in a few decades. It does sound as if something like that is affecting your rifle.

A 1942 Savage-made rifle is a No. 4 MK I*. The Mk. 2 dates from 1949.

Some wartime chambers are a little "loose." Have a gunsmith check your chamber for specs. You may have a generous chamber to ensure firing dirty ammo or you may have a wildcat cartridge based on the .303. Most US gunsmiths will not be familiar with Canadian and Australian .303 wildcats. But it sure sounds like you have a chamber milled out to use a wildcat with added powder capacity. The radiused Weatherby chamber/shoulder is distinctive. A new thread with pics of the brass would indeed help to assess the matter.

Your stock has nice lines. Is it synthetic? Who made it?

Davinman · May 8, 2016

Thank you Texas Star. yup, synthetic stock, stock came on the gun when i got it. here are a couple photos of the cartridge compared to factory 303, any help will be well appreciated i also have a new thread on this "conundrum" that i just started earlier this morn.

LVSteve · May 8, 2016

Davinman said:
Question for you enfield experts, i have a sporterized #4 mk2 1942 Savage 2 groove bbl enfield. the fired brass comes out looking like weatherby shouldered brass. i was wondering if it mite be an epps chamber? i can say that with factory loads it shoots terrible, but with once fired,neck sized brass it shoots terrific, if you need photos of the fired brass ill post a new thread. any info would be great.

IIRC, a lot of US commercial ammo is rather short in the shoulder area. Remington ammo is a culprit in this respect. That would probably lead to the effects you are seeing.

dabney · May 8, 2016

The British Enfield Rifle has "always" had a place in my home, in the early days of my life as a hunter, and my early cop years as a squad car rifle. That was a Number 4, as wording I used to distinquish it from the SMLE Model, my favorite Enfield Rifle Model. From time to time, when I can stomach tv news, I still catch a view of an Arab handling/carrying an Enfield Rifle. Most of the time, the distinctive profile of the Enfield Rifle, catches my eye when viewing news video from the Middle East.

The Enfield Rifle, with close companion .380 Enfield No. 2, are family members long-standing at the Abney home. Besides my on-duty service revolvers, these are my home defense arms and sometimes roadside insurance. It is so great to find Enfield friends here!

David

JohnRippert · May 8, 2016

Davinman said:
Question for you enfield experts, i have a sporterized #4 mk2 1942 Savage 2 groove bbl enfield. the fired brass comes out looking like weatherby shouldered brass. i was wondering if it mite be an epps chamber? i can say that with factory loads it shoots terrible, but with once fired,neck sized brass it shoots terrific, if you need photos of the fired brass ill post a new thread. any info would be great.

I can remember multiple posts on Enfield forums of people who reload talking about keeping the spent brass separate for each Enfield you shoot as the chambers were always "generous" in the shoulder area.

The first centerfire rifle I pulled a trigger on was a No4MK2 and we kept a empty paint can jumping until we ran out of ammo. I own two now of which my favorite is a all original Savage. I think Savage stamped their "S" on every part except the screws.

LVSteve · May 8, 2016

My Longbranch updated to Mk2 standard.

Faulkner · May 8, 2016

I have one of the so called "Irish find" No4 MKII manufactured in 1955. I bought it about 25 years ago and it was still in it's original mummy wrap and cosmoline with matching blade bayonet.

6GUNSONLY · May 8, 2016

No. 5 Mk. 1 is as close as I have. Would love to have No. 4 to go with it

M1A · May 8, 2016

And I would like a No.5.

M1A · May 10, 2016

My pics in post #1 disappeared, so I reposted them as thumbnails.

hanno · May 10, 2016

Proper kit for the buttstock:

jessebogan · May 10, 2016

Yay Enfields. I have that disease too. 3 number 1mk3s, all BSA's, all 1916. One is marked for the 2nd military district of Australia. I have a pristine 1950 longbranch, (Last year for them) and one of the "mummy wrapped" number 4 mk2 Fazakerly guns. The gun store had unwrapped it, so I got the first ever shot. Recently I picked up a number 2A1 in 7.62, but have not shot that yet.

6GUNSONLY · May 19, 2016

Faulkner said:
I have one of the so called "Irish find" No4 MKII manufactured in 1955. I bought it about 25 years ago and it was still in it's original mummy wrap and cosmoline with matching blade bayonet.

One just like this just sold on Gunbroker for north of a $G.

shottist · May 19, 2016

I also have a No 4 "Mummy Wrap". Absolutely new and unfired out side of the Factory when I got it. Shoots extremely well. Also have 2 of the No 1 Mk3Trainers. One NZ marked and the other has the prettiest wood I have ever seen on an issue rifle. Have a love for these rifles, lugged one around while doing my "National Service" in NZ while playing Soldier.

Cyrano · May 19, 2016

I only have three in .303. First is a MLE Mk I*. It was first issued to Canada who transfered 10,000 of them to New Zealand in 1914. I got some 215 gr RN bullets from Woodleigh (not cheap) for it.

Second is a Mk III*, which didn't have a good barrel. I got a new barrel, even had the original wax on the threads, and had Brian Dick, the SMLE guru, rebarrel it. As you can see, it also wears a Parrker Hale aperture sight.

The third is a Ross Mk II, which Canada transfered to the US when we entered WW I and were short of rifles. I think they were only used for drill. Its bore is not perfect.

I regret to say that none of them are particularly accurate. I've played with various loads and bullets with no better results. It must run in the family; my father, who trained on the Springfield, carred an SMLE Mk III* in combat in WW I. His diary notes, at one point;"Went to the rifle range today. Shot a pretty good score considering I was shooting a Lee Enfield".

Faulkner · May 20, 2016

Faulkner said:
I have one of the so called "Irish find" No4 MKII manufactured in 1955. I bought it about 25 years ago and it was still in it's original mummy wrap and cosmoline with matching blade bayonet.

6GUNSONLY said:
One just like this just sold on Gunbroker for north of a $G.

Ha, and to think I paid less than a hundred bucks for it still in the wrap.

LVSteve · May 20, 2016

Faulkner said:
I have one of the so called "Irish find" No4 MKII manufactured in 1955. I bought it about 25 years ago and it was still in it's original mummy wrap and cosmoline with matching blade bayonet.

I like that you describe it as a "so-called" Irish rifle. The generally accepted truth is that the UF 55 series were built for the RAF and few, if any, were ever issued. The nearest they got to Ireland was at least the width of the Irish Sea.

I have a rifle that sits in the range of the Irish rifle contract, and it was definitely issued and used judging by the state of the wood and the cupro-nickel fouling in it.

Stephanie B · May 22, 2016

hanno said:
When I shot a lot of corrosive .303 ammo, I used to take one of those and a Thermos of hot soapy water to the range with me. I know there are simpler ways, I liked doing it the way the troops did.

That's what I do when I shoot Combloc ammo through one of my Mosins. Except that the funnel is a plastic transmission funnel from an automotive parts store.

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