No. 4 .303 Question for LVSteve

[Texas Star]

Steve-

I have a No. 4 MKII service rifle in military configuration, not a sporterized one. It has the usual electro-penciled info on the left of the receiver, showing that it was made at Fazakerly Arsenal in 1952.

Conditon is NRA VG Plus to Excellent. I don't think it's been refinished, and there are no markings to indicate a Factory Thorough Repair. (FTR) It has a rack number on the butt, in white paint. I assume that it was issued in some military or police force, somewhere.

But it has no butt socket marking with GR or EIIR or anything elsewhere, nor does the serial number appear on the other side of the socket.

My other No 4 was a Savage-Stevens No. 4 MK I*. Like most of those, it was stamped US Property, as a Lend-Lease rifle. It didn't have any markings with a crown or a monarch's initials, but it was probably not officially deemed British property, so that wasn't surprising.

I handled a No. 4 Savage with Union of South Africa markings some years ago, but that probably didn't have any Crown markings, either.

Did No. 4 rifles not have the butt socket markings with crown and monarch's initials, as did the No. I and older rifles and carbines? Or is there just something odd about my No. 4 MK II not having those?

I'm thinking I may have a rifle made for Ireland, India, or some other nation that ordered them from Enfield, but did not want British ownership markings on them. It would have been ordered new, not as British surplus.

I'm asking Steve, as he is a former Brit and knows these rifles pretty well. But if others here have non-Savage No. 4 rifles, do they have the butt socket markings? Did the Long Branch rifles have those, or just Canadian markings?

I used to know this stuff, but seem to have forgotten.

My rifle looks fully serviceable, as if it might still reside in an official arms rack. It isn't beaten up or refinished. The lack of socket markings surprised me when I looked for them today. Never thought about it before, I guess. I've owned it for 15-20 years, having bought it at a gun show.

If I've fired it (I think I have), it was with Winchester commercial 180 grain hunting ammo. (I still have some of that box.) No problems with functioning, but I think I just shot at cans and clods of dirt, so can't report on accuracy as if I shot it for groups at the bench.

 

[LVSteve]

I have never seen a No.4 marked with a royal cypher from any of the factories. I'm not going to say none were ever marked, because saying "never" in relation to milsurp rifles is a sure way to get bitten in the butt.

 

[Texas Star]

Steve-

Thanks. I'll look later today for any Broad Arrow stamps. Wouldn't No. 4 rifles have had those? (If British-issued.)

 

[LVSteve]

Steve-

Thanks. I'll look later today for any Broad Arrow stamps. Wouldn't No. 4 rifles have had those? (If British-issued.)

Wartime stampings were very hit or miss. Post war builds and rebuilds are more consistent. I'm trying to recall if my 1950's rebuild has broad arrows or not. I know my P14s do. If your No.4 Mk2 has them then it is pretty certain that most post war rifles were so marked.

 

[Faulkner]

I have a No4 MKII that was manufactured in 1955 at the Fazakerly Arsenal as were all British made No4 MKII's. Mine was still in the wrap smothered in cosmoline when I got it in 1992.

I did some research on these not long ago and it was quite common for them not to have a lot of markings since most No4 MKII's were contract guns. Aside from the markings on on the left side of the receiver and the obligatory serial number markings mine has not other markings.

 

[Texas Star]

Faulkner-

Thanks! Yours and other rifles made that late seem to all have light stock wood. Is that beech or something, instead of walnut? My rifle has a walnut stock, I think. It's the traditional darker color.

BTW, I hope you'e feeling better after that wreck with the dog.

 

[Faulkner]

Most of the No4 MkII's from 1954-1955 have what has been referred to as a 'blond' stock. I'm not sure what kind of wood it is but it's certainly not black walnut.

(I feel 100%, but my voice is still recovering. Kinda comes and goes and the doc says it will do so for 6-8 weeks).

 

[LVSteve]

The blond stocks I believe are beech. Many other Enfields have beech stocks but they appear to have been stained to make them darker. IIRC beech has those little half-moon spots in the grain pattern. they are most noticeable on the comb of the buttstock.