Rescued another one...

adcoch1 · Apr 6, 2021

Been coming to the rescue of old rifles and beat up shotguns at my LGS lately. This one I snagged today is an evidence locker gun that recently was released to my LGS.

Lee Enfield smile #4 mk1 sporter. Barrel has been chopped at 22" with what looks like a hacksaw, no front sight at all, and the Schnabel looks like it was whittled with a pocket knife, but it is in mechanical good shape. Missing the mag, but those are available with some looking. Only paid 50 bucks out the door. Gonna have some fun with this one I think...

NIGHTLORD40K · Apr 6, 2021

Not bad for $50. You could probably part it out on fleabay and triple that.......

adcoch1 · Apr 6, 2021

NIGHTLORD40K said:
Not bad for $50. You could probably part it out on fleabay and triple that.......

Yeah, but I can't do that. I really like cock on close bolt guns for goofing off with, and I haven't had a Lee Enfield in a long time. I do need to get a mag and some dies, brass and maybe even a bullet mold once I get a front sight on this thing. And it'll need a crown job too. I may just use this as a cast bullet shooter.

dredd · Apr 6, 2021

All good dogs deserve a nice home. LOL

How could you not grab that for $50.00???

Congrats!

NIGHTLORD40K · Apr 6, 2021

You could probably do a .22 conversion fairly easily....bolt head, barrel, plug the mag well, a few other bits, I think.

swg1 · Apr 6, 2021

Good deal. Front sight and a mag and it's a great truck gun.

troy fairweather · Apr 6, 2021

Nice I'd buy them all day for that much, I'd make a nice sporter with it.

Dave DeLaurant · Apr 6, 2021

Nice. Might also be a good candidate to build a pseudo DeLisle Carbine from:

https://www.troupsystems.com/product/enfield-45-acp-kit/

WestKentucky · Apr 7, 2021

A Smelly for $50. Heck yeah!!! I have no clue how hard it is to rebarrel one, but I think I could find out first hand. Stocks are easily sourced.

And if you didn’t want to rebarrel it, you could cut it back further to be a tanker gun and then crown it and put front sights on. Unless your cutting that stock at a barrel band to mimick a duffle cut war bring back I would swap it... but the duffle cut idea sounds almost as fun as the tanker cut barrel.

If you don’t play with it pass it along, somebody here will let you make a few bucks and have a ball with it.

adcoch1 · Apr 7, 2021

Dave DeLaurant said:
Nice. Might also be a good candidate to built a pseudo DeLise Carbine from:

https://www.troupsystems.com/product/enfield-45-acp-kit/

I never even thought about one of these! That might be a great idea.... I will find a few 303 rounds and test the accuracy first, but a 45 might be the ticket...

adcoch1 · Apr 7, 2021

WestKentucky said:
A Smelly for $50. Heck yeah!!! I have no clue how hard it is to rebarrel one, but I think I could find out first hand. Stocks are easily sourced.

And if you didn’t want to rebarrel it, you could cut it back further to be a tanker gun and then crown it and put front sights on. Unless your cutting that stock at a barrel band to mimick a duffle cut war bring back I would swap it... but the duffle cut idea sounds almost as fun as the tanker cut barrel.

If you don’t play with it pass it along, somebody here will let you make a few bucks and have a ball with it.

Cutting it down just a bit is what I had in mind when I bought it. Throw a front sight on there and call it good. But a 45 cap bolt gun would be fun, as would an African style sporter kinda like the one Val Kilmer started out with in The ghost and the darkness. Any way I go it'll be fun.

Archie · Apr 7, 2021

There was (is maybe) an Australian company who made the actions and barreled them to various calibers. .45-70 was one of the calibers. So was .218 Bee as I recall. My point is there are a variety of calibers that will be accommodated by the Lee-Enfield action.

In this case, the .303 British cartridge is suitable for most game encountered in North America or Europe. (I hesitate about Kodiak bears or the like.) It's probably a bit light for large, dangerous African game, but adequate for non dangerous game like eland or gnu.
(Not a problem for me, I'll never get to Africa.)

Riomouse911 · Apr 7, 2021

A steal, nicely done! I paid $150 OTD for my Savage lend-lease version at Big 5 sporting goods 20 years ago and I thought I got a great deal, you absolutely aced it even if it does need some TLC :thumbup:

.

Keep us informed on your progress as you bring it back from Bubbas purgatory.

Stay safe.

mgmorden · Apr 7, 2021

A steal at that price. Since its obviously non-original I'd say its well worth completing the sporterization in a "proper" way

Riomouse911 · Apr 7, 2021

Archie said:
There was (is maybe) an Australian company who made the actions and barreled them to various calibers. .45-70 was one of the calibers. So was .218 Bee as I recall. My point is there are a variety of calibers that will be accommodated by the Lee-Enfield action.

In this case, the .303 British cartridge is suitable for most game encountered in North America or Europe. (I hesitate about Kodiak bears or the like.) It's probably a bit light for large, dangerous African game, but adequate for non dangerous game like eland or gnu.
(Not a problem for me, I'll never get to Africa.)

Was that the old Gibbs Rifle Co.? (Navy Arms, Old Western Scrounger, etc.) They made mil surps into cool sporters.

Stay safe.

Robert · Apr 7, 2021

WestKentucky said:
A Smelly for $50

Not an SMLE. It's a Rifle, No.4 Mk 1.

Riomouse911 said:
Was that the old Gibbs Rifle Co.? (Navy Arms, Old Western Scrounger, etc.) They made mil surps into cool sporters.

Stay safe.

It was. They did not have the best reputation.

Rescued another one...

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