Enfield Jungle Carbine. How to tell if it is the real deal?

[makarov1989]

A friend of mine told me today that he saw a Enfield Jungle Carbine at a pawn store down town. He said it was a .303 cal and it was one of the best ones he has seen. The price is only $99 so it got me thinking.

How can I tell if it is a real Jungle Carbine or just a cut down? It is a good sign that it is still in .303 but I know very little about Enfields. Give me some helpful hints on sniffing out whether this is a deal or not. How much should a real Jungle Carbine cost in good shape? I have yet to see the gun for myself so I will be walking in cold.

 

[B27]

About 2/3 of the way down the page.

http://www.angelfire.com/nh/milarm/fakes.html


Just the price on the one you found makes it highly suspect as not being an original.
BUT, if you just want the gun for a shooter these "fake" No5's can be excellent for that.
I had a Santa Fe No5 repro that was just bunches of fun to shoot and I did not have to worry about messing up a collectors item.

 

[No4Mk1]

Hmmm.... $99 is either the deal of the century, or....

The fact that it is 303 is a good start, but be sure of that. It is easy to tell as the 308 magazines are boxy and look entirely different than the 303 mags.

A real No 5 is going to be all black metal, have the flash hider, and a funky looking rubber but pad. The ones for sale at SOG give you a decent visual reference. See this photo.

No 5's were made at ROF - Fazakerly from 1949-1956 and BSA - Shirley from 1944-1946. Other markings or dates would be an indicator of a "fake" or "reproduction".

Hope this all helps!

 

[No4Mk1]

BTW, I agree with B27 that this would still be a pretty good deal for a good "shooter" repro, so don't let that discourage you or your friend from picking this rifle up if it looks to be in good shape!

 

[makarov1989]

Thanks B27! Without even seeing it, I bet it is a aftermarket conversion of some kind. That is O.K., if it looks good, I might buy it anyway.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

check the knox form.

if it's got some grooves in it, it's a JC.

 

[clarkg1124]

As a reference,I recently paid $200.00 for a genuine BSA-Shirley in excellent condition,missing the magazine and ejector screw.I was all over it at that price,as real No5Mk1s are rare and pricey in this area.
Clark