LVSteve
Member
Nice score, looking forward to pictures.
I think 1956 will be a Pakistani refurb. AFAIK the Fazakerley plant they were given only produced No.4 Mk2 rifles.
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Jonesing for an Enfield
- Thread starter Stephanie B
- Start date
Nice score, looking forward to pictures.
I think 1956 will be a Pakistani refurb. AFAIK the Fazakerley plant they were given only produced No.4 Mk2 rifles.4330Inroute
Member
I had one of the Canadian No.5 carbines. Paid $50 in 1975. It hurt to shoot because of the hard rubber butt pad so it stayed in the gun cabinet at my parents house. In 1989 I traded to a coworker who wanted to go deer hunting real bad. Traded for a new in the box Model 19 4 inch. When I got home with the 19 my brother said he would like to buy it. Knowing with 2 kids he didn't have much money I gave it to him. I was out $50 but I got my money back at his dinner table over the years.
Engine49guy
Member
Just sold the .303 on the bottom to my buddy last month to make some room in the safe,
The two above it are both purpose built .308 Natos.
The two above it are both purpose built .308 Natos.
OP
LVSteve
Member
I don't know about Pakistan, but I'd say it's definitely been to India with that screw. The symbol before the B in the serial is not an X, but a pair of crossed swords or lances. If your FFL has recorded it as XB then I can recommend a good optician.
Just to warn you, if your rifle has a five digit number with a B prefix, that serial has likely appeared on at least TWO Enfield rifles if not three. Maltby No.4 rifles had five digit serials starting with a 1, and mid 50's Pakistani refurbs also used that type of serial. Somewhere there is also like a No.1 rifle with a B prefix and a five digit serial.
Does the left flat of the receiver have P.O.F. etc stamped on it with a date? I can't make it out on this computer. Pakistani refurbs also have the left wrist area scrubbed of their original British markings.
Just to warn you, if your rifle has a five digit number with a B prefix, that serial has likely appeared on at least TWO Enfield rifles if not three. Maltby No.4 rifles had five digit serials starting with a 1, and mid 50's Pakistani refurbs also used that type of serial. Somewhere there is also like a No.1 rifle with a B prefix and a five digit serial.
Does the left flat of the receiver have P.O.F. etc stamped on it with a date? I can't make it out on this computer. Pakistani refurbs also have the left wrist area scrubbed of their original British markings.
OP
Indeed. 56xPOFx{serial #}, where 'x" is those little swords that really do look like a X.
LVSteve
Member
Great find. A POF No.4 Mk1 is something I have yet to grab for my Enfield collection.
calmex
Member
In my own case, my Lee Enfield is my "substitute assault rifle". Under the strict Mexican Gun Laws, any kind of Military-type semi-auto is Verbotten. Although some .223 Mini-14's have been registered, I question the legality of the registrations under the actual written law. I'd like to see a letter from the Secretary of Defense stating that those regsitrations would be upheld before I'll run out and buy one. But there is hope, I suppose, in this area.
In the meantime, I think my Lee Enfield is a pretty good substitute. It came to me in chopped and sporterized form. A friend had gotten a Number 5 and Number 1 from an Uncle for a song. After a few minutes chatting, I realized he'd never be able to restore them. I made him an offer; "Sell me the Number 1 for a couple of hundred bucks and I'll restore it but at the same time I'll help you restore your Number 5." Well, he took the deal. The Number 1 was made in 1943 by B.S.A. and has a bore in immaculate condition.
Since Canada had used the Number 1 in the First War, and there was still wood in storage for some Cadet Rifles -- and I have friends who have keys to those lockers -- the Number 1 wood was easy to get. The Number 5 wood was a little harder, but I got a nice set from a place on the Internet. Getting all that stuff down here was intersting, but I got it done.
When I was a youngster, an older friend of my Dad's who had gone over-the-top with the Newfoundland Regiment at the Somme on July 01, 1916 was still around. I wouldn't want my rifle to stray too far from what Mr. Bywaters would have been carrying when he marched across that field and saw all his friends mown down by the maxims. He was lucky to have come back from that, and later Paschendeale. When I knew him, he had already had one foot amputated from gangrene infections he had gotten from severe trench foot caused by the endless mud of Paschendeale. By the way, if you haven't seen Paul Gross' film "Passchendaele", give it a go. It might be a cheap Canadian movie by Hollywood standards with too much "mush" but they got the mud right.
Brass is hard to get, so I make sure to correctly fireform any I do get by using a charge of about 8.0 grains of Red Dot, topped with a wad of kleenex over which I fill the case to the neck with cream-of-wheat and then plug the neck with wax. Firing the case with an O-ring holding the rim back against the bolt gently fireforms the shoulder without stretching the back end of the case and I seem to get a decent number of reloads-per-case this way. I use Lee Necksize dies and have a Redding Body Die to "bump back" the shoulder should I need to. I have not had to do that yet in many firings.
I originally was using a 220 grain .315 diameter mould from Accurate Molds but have recently got my hands on a .316 diameter mould from NOE Moulds, their 316299 which leaves me a 210 grain bullet (waterdropped number 2 alloy) once the gascheck is installed. 23 grains of 2400 gives me 1,955 feet-per-second duplicating Mark 1 ball performance. Good enough for me. These bullets stripper load very nicely -- the 220 grainers were a bit long and hung-up sometimes -- and are very accurate. These are all the new NOE bullet here. My bore diameter is .314. I bought a Lyman 450 sizer die in .314 and using a dowel and emory cloth made myself a .316 sizer. It works great.
I knew from the start that I wanted Scout-scope capabilities and I also wanted a rear aperture sight. Had I landed a Number 4 instead of a Number 1 that would have been easier to do but a Number 1 was what I had. I got an original Parker Hale rear aperture sight off of Ebay to solve the peep-sight problem. It's a real gem. The aperture is twist adjustable between five different aperture sizes without removing anything -- you just click on through. Those are some of the original 220 grain loads there in this photo.
The pen tip points to the little raised disk you use to click-through with your thumb the 5 different aperture sizes you can can choose from without unscrewing anything when using this deluxe Parker Hale sight.
I installed an S&K Scope mount into the original rear-sight area. I left the sight guards in place.
While having the S&K mount installed, I had my 'smith cut a rounded trough into the center of the mount running full-length from front-to-back. This trough allows me to actually acquire the iron-sights looking through the rear-sight aperture even with the 'scope mounted (this with LOW mounts!).
I selected the Burris Scout Scope, using Burris quick-detach mounts made for Weaver bases. This system actually works, but you have to be careful when remounting the 'scope to get it mounted just right. If you do that, you have return-to-zero repeatability. If you just slap it on without being really careful, you probably won't. But it does work. The trough I had cut into the base mount is clearly visible here.
When mounted, the Scout Scope does not interfere in any way with clip loading. The combination is deadly out to 200 yards and I have yet to test it on the 500 yard range at Queretaro...but I think it will be pretty decent.
It's a pretty decent set-up. With the 'scope dismounted the rifle looks like a normal Number 1 with a Parker Hale sight.
With the 'scope mounted you have Scout capabilities in a World War I rifle. For me it fills a need, allowing me to have a reliable battle-rifle that won't get me locked away for violating the rather strict firearms laws of the land. The rifle is set up to accept a Ching-sling, but I have not actually made that plunge yet.
I also have to get my friend Michael to strip the wood and refinish it all to match as it's a mish-mash of wood. But that's a rainy-day project.
In the meantime, I think my Lee Enfield is a pretty good substitute. It came to me in chopped and sporterized form. A friend had gotten a Number 5 and Number 1 from an Uncle for a song. After a few minutes chatting, I realized he'd never be able to restore them. I made him an offer; "Sell me the Number 1 for a couple of hundred bucks and I'll restore it but at the same time I'll help you restore your Number 5." Well, he took the deal. The Number 1 was made in 1943 by B.S.A. and has a bore in immaculate condition.
Since Canada had used the Number 1 in the First War, and there was still wood in storage for some Cadet Rifles -- and I have friends who have keys to those lockers -- the Number 1 wood was easy to get. The Number 5 wood was a little harder, but I got a nice set from a place on the Internet. Getting all that stuff down here was intersting, but I got it done.
When I was a youngster, an older friend of my Dad's who had gone over-the-top with the Newfoundland Regiment at the Somme on July 01, 1916 was still around. I wouldn't want my rifle to stray too far from what Mr. Bywaters would have been carrying when he marched across that field and saw all his friends mown down by the maxims. He was lucky to have come back from that, and later Paschendeale. When I knew him, he had already had one foot amputated from gangrene infections he had gotten from severe trench foot caused by the endless mud of Paschendeale. By the way, if you haven't seen Paul Gross' film "Passchendaele", give it a go. It might be a cheap Canadian movie by Hollywood standards with too much "mush" but they got the mud right.
Brass is hard to get, so I make sure to correctly fireform any I do get by using a charge of about 8.0 grains of Red Dot, topped with a wad of kleenex over which I fill the case to the neck with cream-of-wheat and then plug the neck with wax. Firing the case with an O-ring holding the rim back against the bolt gently fireforms the shoulder without stretching the back end of the case and I seem to get a decent number of reloads-per-case this way. I use Lee Necksize dies and have a Redding Body Die to "bump back" the shoulder should I need to. I have not had to do that yet in many firings.
I originally was using a 220 grain .315 diameter mould from Accurate Molds but have recently got my hands on a .316 diameter mould from NOE Moulds, their 316299 which leaves me a 210 grain bullet (waterdropped number 2 alloy) once the gascheck is installed. 23 grains of 2400 gives me 1,955 feet-per-second duplicating Mark 1 ball performance. Good enough for me. These bullets stripper load very nicely -- the 220 grainers were a bit long and hung-up sometimes -- and are very accurate. These are all the new NOE bullet here. My bore diameter is .314. I bought a Lyman 450 sizer die in .314 and using a dowel and emory cloth made myself a .316 sizer. It works great.
I knew from the start that I wanted Scout-scope capabilities and I also wanted a rear aperture sight. Had I landed a Number 4 instead of a Number 1 that would have been easier to do but a Number 1 was what I had. I got an original Parker Hale rear aperture sight off of Ebay to solve the peep-sight problem. It's a real gem. The aperture is twist adjustable between five different aperture sizes without removing anything -- you just click on through. Those are some of the original 220 grain loads there in this photo.
The pen tip points to the little raised disk you use to click-through with your thumb the 5 different aperture sizes you can can choose from without unscrewing anything when using this deluxe Parker Hale sight.
I installed an S&K Scope mount into the original rear-sight area. I left the sight guards in place.
While having the S&K mount installed, I had my 'smith cut a rounded trough into the center of the mount running full-length from front-to-back. This trough allows me to actually acquire the iron-sights looking through the rear-sight aperture even with the 'scope mounted (this with LOW mounts!).
I selected the Burris Scout Scope, using Burris quick-detach mounts made for Weaver bases. This system actually works, but you have to be careful when remounting the 'scope to get it mounted just right. If you do that, you have return-to-zero repeatability. If you just slap it on without being really careful, you probably won't. But it does work. The trough I had cut into the base mount is clearly visible here.
When mounted, the Scout Scope does not interfere in any way with clip loading. The combination is deadly out to 200 yards and I have yet to test it on the 500 yard range at Queretaro...but I think it will be pretty decent.
It's a pretty decent set-up. With the 'scope dismounted the rifle looks like a normal Number 1 with a Parker Hale sight.
With the 'scope mounted you have Scout capabilities in a World War I rifle. For me it fills a need, allowing me to have a reliable battle-rifle that won't get me locked away for violating the rather strict firearms laws of the land. The rifle is set up to accept a Ching-sling, but I have not actually made that plunge yet.
I also have to get my friend Michael to strip the wood and refinish it all to match as it's a mish-mash of wood. But that's a rainy-day project.
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calmex
Member
More Lee Enfield.
My friend Michael French just bought this nice Savage Number 4 a couple of weeks ago but has not taken possession of it yet. Ignore the number 5, we did not buy it (although we may go "back to the well" on it if opportunity knocks). We're told the No. 4 is a 1943 production (same as my own) that was rebarreled in the Fazakerley Plant in the 1950's and has a "four or five groove barrel". As we have not got it in our hot little hands we cannot confirm this. We do not know the bore diameter.
An order has already been made to my friends in Canada in charge of such things for a nice click-adjustable Number 4 rear sight to be removed from the arms locker and sent to someone who can deliver it to me here. (Chief Warrant Steale, go as nutzoid as you want, it's already happened and it's already on the way!)
Factory .303 British ammo is rarely but occasionally available for sale in the Mexican Army Store in Mexico City. The last time I saw it for sale it was about 28.00 U.S. per box of 20 and it was Remington 180 grain SP ammo. Firing such ammo out of my rifle with the .314 bore is useless, I might as well use a shotgun. Also, the little trick of putting an O-ring around the case-rim doesn't help as much with fullpower loads. The brass still stretches where you don't want it to, leading to case separations in chambers that are over-length. After 1st Ypres in late 1914, when the change was made to the III* in 1915 I believe most chambers came out overlength. Mine certainly is (mine is actually a Number 1 Mark III*). I have no reason to believe that Michael's chamber will be any better but when we get the rifle we can find out.
At the moment, when I get factory ammo I simply pull all the bullets and fireform the cases to my rifle as described in the preceeding post. I have kept all the .312 factory jacketed bullets but have no use for them myself. If Michael's rifle has a .311 or .312 bore, they may be of use to him. If not, he will have to size a hard lead gascheck bullet to his bore as I have. My own Lee Enfield is very accurate with my lead reload and the gently fireformed cases seem to last nicely when only necksized.
If I can just get a couple of hundred more loaded rounds out of the Army Store to make decent fireformed cases out of (one is "allowed" to buy 200 rounds per month in theory but reality is more like 200 rounds every 6 months IF they have your caliber in stock) I'll be good to go for some time.
I can't wait until we get this No. 4 here in our hands to play with!
My friend Michael French just bought this nice Savage Number 4 a couple of weeks ago but has not taken possession of it yet. Ignore the number 5, we did not buy it (although we may go "back to the well" on it if opportunity knocks). We're told the No. 4 is a 1943 production (same as my own) that was rebarreled in the Fazakerley Plant in the 1950's and has a "four or five groove barrel". As we have not got it in our hot little hands we cannot confirm this. We do not know the bore diameter.
An order has already been made to my friends in Canada in charge of such things for a nice click-adjustable Number 4 rear sight to be removed from the arms locker and sent to someone who can deliver it to me here. (Chief Warrant Steale, go as nutzoid as you want, it's already happened and it's already on the way!)
Factory .303 British ammo is rarely but occasionally available for sale in the Mexican Army Store in Mexico City. The last time I saw it for sale it was about 28.00 U.S. per box of 20 and it was Remington 180 grain SP ammo. Firing such ammo out of my rifle with the .314 bore is useless, I might as well use a shotgun. Also, the little trick of putting an O-ring around the case-rim doesn't help as much with fullpower loads. The brass still stretches where you don't want it to, leading to case separations in chambers that are over-length. After 1st Ypres in late 1914, when the change was made to the III* in 1915 I believe most chambers came out overlength. Mine certainly is (mine is actually a Number 1 Mark III*). I have no reason to believe that Michael's chamber will be any better but when we get the rifle we can find out.
At the moment, when I get factory ammo I simply pull all the bullets and fireform the cases to my rifle as described in the preceeding post. I have kept all the .312 factory jacketed bullets but have no use for them myself. If Michael's rifle has a .311 or .312 bore, they may be of use to him. If not, he will have to size a hard lead gascheck bullet to his bore as I have. My own Lee Enfield is very accurate with my lead reload and the gently fireformed cases seem to last nicely when only necksized.
If I can just get a couple of hundred more loaded rounds out of the Army Store to make decent fireformed cases out of (one is "allowed" to buy 200 rounds per month in theory but reality is more like 200 rounds every 6 months IF they have your caliber in stock) I'll be good to go for some time.
I can't wait until we get this No. 4 here in our hands to play with!
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OP
I ordered the Grade B .303 from CTD. The word on the surplus rifle forum was that the 480-round case was all HXP, mostly 1969, but some from the `70s. Turned out to be true for me. The `69 was all tarnished, a few with corrosion, but still a good deal. The `70s stuff was good-looking.
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