A Brit-made six-gun that I love, the Enfield No. 2 MK I*

[les.b]

M1A: thanks for the heads up!!! That was the gun I was talking about in my post 139 above!!!! I am happy you got it, and also happy that we did not end up bidding against each other!! It would have all been David's fault!!! That is indeed a great revolver, and I followed it for days, as the price inched up. I usually wait til near the end to bid, and I decided at the last not to jump in, when the price started to get near $600!!! What a coincidence.... I'm happy for you.

Best Regards, Les

 

[dabney]

The original round that Enfield No. 2's were chambered for, the 200-gr. LRN (.380-200) was thought to be a "close-enough" round to the legendary .455 Webley to replace it. This was the thinking of the British War Office in the early 1920's, also the soldiers could be trained faster/cheaper with a smaller round/revolver. As students of Enfield history know, the .380-200 round was discontinued for "Hague Convention" considerations and a new metal jacketed (lighter) round replaced it. This new, approved .380 round was definitely sub-standard to the .455 Webley, without any doubt!

In years past, I was able to get a few rounds of 200-gr. LRN .38 S&W for self defense purposes. Since my passion for the Enfield/Webley .380 Revolvers was so great, and I keep one in my nightstand, and take one sometimes on out-of-town trips, I thought it prudent to load up my Enfield with the "original" round. My Enfield shoots it straighter/better/bigger splash in the swimming pool with big soft lead bullet/with light report when firing same. The original concept of 1922 still has merit. A big soft lead bullet, traveling at a moderate velocity, and impacting on soft bodily tissue under 10-feet away will resolve a lot of deadly, could be encounters. Whether at home or on the road, an Enfield/Webley .380, in good working order, can be a very viable self defense answer. These classic British Military Revolvers, properly set up, can/will do the job of protecting you from evil. Thanks M1A, for your recent display of your new-to-you, great looking Enfield No. 2. A real British treasure!

David

 

[Texas Star]

The bullet issue is a factor in the Hague Accords, not the Geneva Convention.

I wonder when those articles were signed. The British did use lead bullets in WWI.

 

[dabney]

Right you are Texas, about the Hague versus Geneva. Please note correction in my post on this. This is something that keeps coming up, even in the bible book on Enfield Revolvers by Stamps/Skennerton on page 41 paperback. There is mention about British Officers being concerned about "Geneva Convention" violation with 200-grain soft lead bullet that would lead to the ,380-200 being discontinued for a jacketed round later. The authors were listing the Officers concern at that time (1920's time period) and recorded what they (officers) said about it. Even they, were in error back then. Thank you again, for keeping me on the straight and narrow!

David

 

[dabney]

Great looking "Commemorative' Enfield & Commando Knife

I was recently investigating the Guns International website for shooting treasures and stumbled upon an absolute gotta-have/gotta-get "Commemorative Enfield No. 2 MK I* Revolver with British Commando Knife. The pair come in a nice looking wood display box with glass window for open display. This Enfield has been painstakingly re-finished in a deep blue with gold lettering/scroll on both sides of the barrel and a Brit Unit insignia, also in gold, stamped into the left-side of the frame. The grips are not the standard wood or Bakelite Enfield Grips, but beautiful after-market, smooth walnut grips, which enhances the looks of this dark blue finish Enfield! It is not a firearm one would take out and shoot, unless zombie time comes early. It is an immaculate arm that an Enfield junkie, like myself, craves for! It had already been sold at about 1700-dollars. The pictures of this gotta-have/gotta-get Enfield is just captivating! I hope someone that knows how to post a link will do so and the rest of the Enfield junkies can detox with me.

I would like to know more about this "special" commemorative Enfield that I'm speaking of. It looks like, maybe a company, may have made a special run of these and this one is one of those. If any of you have info on this "commemorative" Commando Enfield please plug me in. I'm hyper-ventilating here, just looking at the pictures.

David

 

[les.b]

For a nice overview of the wartime generals you might try "Churchill's Generals" by John Keegan. Each chapter devoted to a different man, the narrative surprising in the amount of detail. Whets the appetite.

We have the hardback edition. Companion volume to "Stalin's Generals" and "Hitler's Generals." There's a book out named "Roosevelt's Centurions" with the same theme but I don't know if it's part of the series.



Churchill's Generals (Cassell Military Paperbacks): John Keegan: 9780304367122: Amazon.com: Books

Bryan:

Just a heads up, found a nice hardback of "Churchill's Generals" on Amazon, the same publisher as yours, used, for $4.00.... And as a prime member, shipping was free!!! It just came today. We're in finals this week, and I'm rereading another of my old favorite authors, Eric Ambler, (amazing how neither Doyle, Ambler, or Fleming had a clue about firearms, and yet I still love them). I will be starting on the new book soon though.

Thanks to you, Texas Star, and David, I've added a few new books to my collection. And thanks to M1A, I didn't add a new Enfield to my collection (dag nab it!). By the way, when I went back to check out your bookshelf, I saw some Russian medals there. I have a small collection of those also.... And a bunch of Russian and Communist Block firearms also, but that is material for another thread sometime. I would love to share some of my experiences in Russia, which included some behind the scenes visits to a few military museums, and an up close personal look at some original Russian arms. I was able to go shooting with the Moscow police too.... Sometime we can share that story.

Best Regards, with apologies to David for the thread drift!!!,

P.S. I have been skimming "Churchill's Generals", and like it so much that I just went back to Amazon and found used hardcover versions of "Stalin's Generals", and "Hitler's Generals", and they are on the way, free two day shipping!! Amazon Prime is definitely worth it's cost, with free shipping on everything, no matter how inexpensive, and the streaming video. I'm also watching an old Noir film, "Cry Danger" on the iPad I between everything else...good flick, Dick Powell, Rhonda Fleming, and William Conrad!!!

Les

 

[les.b]

David, I couldn't find the set that you were looking at at the auction that you mentioned, but I did find one at another site. I wonder if they could have refurbished and refinished original WWII vintage Enfields to make up the limited edition? You have my curiosity aroused, and I am going to keep looking for information on these sets!!!

Here's the link to the auction that I found, back in 2012: Cased WWII Commando Special Edition Commemorative British | Lot #32510 | Heritage Auctions

Well.... I did find the site that you were mentioning... I think... Try this: https://www.gunsamerica.com/929773246/Webley-Enfield-Mark-2-British-Commando-with-Fairbairn-AMF.htm

Here's a photo from another site of the revolver and dagger out of their case:




Best Regards, Les

 

[dabney]

Les, this is exactly what I was talking about. Thank you my friend for this kindness sir. Everytime I see this, as an Enfield collector, I get sweaty palms. What an addition to a collection of Brit firearms this would be. Thanks again!

David

 

[les.b]

For M1A: I just finished "Cry Danger", but when I started another oldie, "Dark City", 1950, I immediately thought of your sign off, a quote from C.H., well, the first thing I see is "Introducing Charlton Heston", and here he comes, walking down the street, younger than I ever remember him! Free on Amazon Prime!!!

Sorry, again, David, for the thread drift... And Oh, yeah... I read somewhere that they only made 250 of those Commando sets.

Best Regards, Les

 

[M1A]

C.H. is a favorite of mine. I wish I could print the phrase the way he said it.
Lizabeth Scott (Dark City) is not hard to look at, or listen to.
BTW, Dab started a good thread. A little drift won't hurt.

 

[Texas Star]

Hmmm...that Fairbairn-Sykes knife rings my chimes. Second Pattern, and worth a lot more than the $2.98 that I paid for a Third Pattern as a kid. I wonder what became of it while I was away in the Air Force.

If you guys haven't read Charlton Heston's autobiography, "In the Arena", find it. That's a Beretta O/U shotgun he's holding on the back cover.

Les-

Thanks for that info about Heston's first movie. He had a dramatic "presence" that few actors have had, and none does today. Russell Crowe is about the most macho they can do, and he looks kinda scruffy.

 

[les.b]

Les-

Thanks for that info about Heston's first movie. He had a dramatic "presence" that few actors have had, and none does today. Russell Crowe is about the most macho they can do, and he looks kinda scruffy.

Here's a teaser: a screen shot from the opening credits:



By the way, the movie also features a couple of other guys you may have heard of: Jack Webb and Harry Morgan!!

Best Regards,

Les

 

[les.b]

Here's a teaser: screen shot from early in the movie "Dark City". Dropped by C.H.'s hand during a police raid. What a neat old style Detective Special. And this was supposed to take place right after the war... You can even read the date on the newspaper. Great detail in this flick.



Best Regards, Les

 

[les.b]

For the readers of this thread, I just posted some Enfield No 2 MK 1* shooting results on David's other British revolver thread http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...rit-made-six-gun-i-love-380-mk-iv-webley.html.

David, Texas, M1A, Cryano, Bryan, and others who have been following these threads, I think you will be interested.

Best Regards, Les