Enfield Number 4 MK 2

[TIMC]

I was wondering about that myself. They actually shortened the stock by 1/2 inch too, sawing right through the upper handguard tab. The rifle might be an A3 receiver, but the trigger group and bands are regular milled early '03 bits too......

A very interesting rifle, I bet it has a good back story!

Good observation, I had to do a lot of modifications to make the stock fit right. Amazing what you can do with a little determination and a good dremmel! All this like I said was just a fun project to test my meager gun smithing skills.

 

[CapnMac]

It can be difficult for "us," the folks who have been around a while, to wrap our heads around the current Enfield 'mania.'

After all, we still think of them as things you'd find in a barrel for $15 or 20 each; not even worth racking on the wall. Or the c-note specials of the 90s--and even then, there was little discrimination between a SMLE and a No 4 or the like. And, "everyone knew" the ammo was hard to find and "not good" (which was more about corrosive primers than bad components). Mind, in that era a decent 03A3 was about $250, and a really good M-1917 was $200, too.

Time have changed. Real beater Enfields are now well north of $400; there are realy specific collectors out there hunting the various variants just to have them. When you have people paying top dollar to get one of every factory that mad a No 4 Mk 2, they go for significant money now.

So, OP's mummy-wrapped copy is worth some serious bucks. Easily worth two shooter-grade copies. In terms of a trade-even, you want an all-correct, all-Remington 03A3 in 90% finish, and with perfect stock cartouches. Or an all-milled ≤'43 date Smith-Corona 03A3 at ≥90% finish with cartouches and a type "C" stock (an "S" stock but only with a bayonet included in the deal).

This is kind of a once in a lifetime deal; unless you go out and find another mummy-wrapped arm to sell. The Enfield market is hot and heating up. It's going to get a boost on 11 November 2018; and another about 1 September 2019 (and a stronger one in 2039, if any of us are about then).

 

[fpgt72]

As a collector, I want a gun that I can at least see. What's the point of having one in the mummy wrap? Besides that, packaging is not perfect and you don't know what rust and damage lurks underneath the packaging.

I think I would take the financial hit, unwrap it, and clean it. Or avoid the whole thing altogether.

This reminds me of the old story about the barrel of anchovies that for years was traded back and forth between New York delicatessens. Finally somebody opened it up and found that the anchovies were thoroughly spoiled. When he complained to the person he got it from, he was told "those anchovies are for buying and selling, not for eating!"

Different levels of collector....you are not at the level that would be interested in this.

 

[AlexanderA]

Different levels of collector....you are not at the level that would be interested in this.

It's not a matter of levels, but rather of collecting philosophy.

 

[lionking]

I got one in the 90's in a wrap, cleaned it up and shoot it sometimes. So these days you loose $200 or $300 dollars if you unwrap it so what?, unless you want to sell it now. So I bought it for $300 new in the mid 90's and today could still sell it for double or more the money even after being shot some when you think about it double the money in twenty years is a long time to see a profit. If you want to make money faster there are better ways. The only way you are gonna loose great value is if you bubba it or and drilled holes in it to scope or carry it around a a "truck gun" and beat it up out in the field.

And ammo is just as available as 30-06 like privi and sellier&bellot , plus a Springfield 30-06 surplus is hit and miss on accuracy because many have wear and tear and a mint M1903 is gonna be way past $1000 to buy if and when you see one.

Here is mine the light stock one next to my Longbranch back when I got all creative doing photos lol.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I got one in the 90's in a wrap, cleaned it up and shoot it sometimes. So these days you loose $200 or $300 dollars if you unwrap it so what?, unless you want to sell it now. So I bought it for $300 new in the mid 90's and today could still sell it for double or more the money even after being shot some when you think about it double the money in twenty years is a long time to see a profit. If you want to make money faster there are better ways. The only way you are gonna loose great value is if you bubba it or and drilled holes in it to scope or carry it around a a "truck gun" and beat it up out in the field.

And ammo is just as available as 30-06 like privi and sellier&bellot , plus a Springfield 30-06 surplus is hit and miss on accuracy because many have wear and tear and a mint M1903 is gonna be way past $1000 to buy if and when you see one.

Here is mine the light stock one next to my Longbranch back when I got all creative doing photos lol.
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Your a little off on your values. About three years ago the value difference was $200 to $300 between the unwrapped and wrapped rifles. Today it can go up to as high as $500 to $600.
There are Collectors that are still trying to add an unwrapped No4 Mk2 to there collection. As time goes by there are fewer unwrapped rifles that come up for sale.
If the OP just wanted a clean No4 Mk2, he could sale the one in the wrapper for around $1000 or more and pick up a clean one out of the wrapper for around $500. Do the math. SG Ammo has 1980’s German manufactured 303 for $230 for 500 rounds.
https://www.sgammo.com/product/303-...lus-ammo-174-grain-bi-metal-fmj-1980s-vintage

 

[lionking]

Your a little off of your values. About three years ago the value difference was $200 to $300 between the unwrapped and wrapped rifles. Today it can go up to as high as $500 to $600.
There are Collectors that are still trying to add an unwrapped No4 Mk2 to there collection. As time goes by there are fewer unwrapped rifles that come up for sale.
If the OP just wanted a clean No4 Mk2, he could sale the one in the wrapper for around $1000 or more and pick up a clean one out of the wrapper for around $500. Do the math. SG Ammo has 1980’s German manufactured 303 for $230 for 500 rounds.
https://www.sgammo.com/product/303-...lus-ammo-174-grain-bi-metal-fmj-1980s-vintage

ok didn't realize that unwrapped are now bringing in that much difference. Just my point of view but having a wrapped one you will never even see just doesn't appeal to me. Maybe in a box in cosmoline would be different at least you could see it to some extent. Yeah got several cans of the MEN ammo real good ammo was gonna make a thread about it cause I just tested it in my SMLE.

 

[Danger Mouse]

I got one in the 90's in a wrap, cleaned it up and shoot it sometimes. So these days you loose $200 or $300 dollars if you unwrap it so what?, unless you want to sell it now. So I bought it for $300 new in the mid 90's and today could still sell it for double or more the money even after being shot some when you think about it double the money in twenty years is a long time to see a profit. If you want to make money faster there are better ways. The only way you are gonna loose great value is if you bubba it or and drilled holes in it to scope or carry it around a a "truck gun" and beat it up out in the field.

And ammo is just as available as 30-06 like privi and sellier&bellot , plus a Springfield 30-06 surplus is hit and miss on accuracy because many have wear and tear and a mint M1903 is gonna be way past $1000 to buy if and when you see one.

Here is mine the light stock one next to my Longbranch back when I got all creative doing photos lol.
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View attachment 809643

Have you put anything on the wood to take care of it?

 

[fpgt72]

It's not a matter of levels, but rather of collecting philosophy.

Sorry wrong, you have to be willing to shell out a grand for something you will never see.

A little like buying a car you will never drive, owning a plane that you will never fly.

There are different levels of everything, there is nothing bad about that....you are just not at the level of buying something you will never use.

 

[Enfielder]

Buying a Sporterized Enfield that has the stock cut up will get you a shooter and even a tinkering project to replace the stock back to baseline. Make sure you get one that has the front and rear sight intact. Keep the mummy for your kids.

 

[Paul Kersey]

I got one of these in the early '90s. The previous guy was right, $249 and a free transfer from a ffl I worked with. Mine was made in 12-55. Hindsight being what it is I have often wished I had bought two. As it was, I unwrapped it and have enjoyed shooting and reloading for a fine old rifle.

 

[fpgt72]

I got one of these in the early '90s. The previous guy was right, $249 and a free transfer from a ffl I worked with. Mine was made in 12-55. Hindsight being what it is I have often wished I had bought two. As it was, I unwrapped it and have enjoyed shooting and reloading for a fine old rifle.

Different times....and again we can say this about 100 things if you are age 50+. But truth is we bought what we could afford at the time.

I wish I had bought that 427 tri power corvette for $8,000 to.....six figure car now.

 

[Gunsmoke33]

It can be difficult for "us," the folks who have been around a while, to wrap our heads around the current Enfield 'mania.'

After all, we still think of them as things you'd find in a barrel for $15 or 20 each; not even worth racking on the wall. Or the c-note specials of the 90s--and even then, there was little discrimination between a SMLE and a No 4 or the like. And, "everyone knew" the ammo was hard to find and "not good" (which was more about corrosive primers than bad components). Mind, in that era a decent 03A3 was about $250, and a really good M-1917 was $200, too.

Time have changed. Real beater Enfields are now well north of $400; there are realy specific collectors out there hunting the various variants just to have them. When you have people paying top dollar to get one of every factory that mad a No 4 Mk 2, they go for significant money now.

So, OP's mummy-wrapped copy is worth some serious bucks. Easily worth two shooter-grade copies. In terms of a trade-even, you want an all-correct, all-Remington 03A3 in 90% finish, and with perfect stock cartouches. Or an all-milled ≤'43 date Smith-Corona 03A3 at ≥90% finish with cartouches and a type "C" stock (an "S" stock but only with a bayonet included in the deal).

This is kind of a once in a lifetime deal; unless you go out and find another mummy-wrapped arm to sell. The Enfield market is hot and heating up. It's going to get a boost on 11 November 2018; and another about 1 September 2019 (and a stronger one in 2039, if any of us are about then).

+++++
Thanks for the feedback. One other tidbit... the guy I bought it from tells me it was built under an RAF contract. I've discovered that No4's that in the "Irish Contract" were not all made for the Irish. Many of the FAZ built guns were for other contracts. I'd have to take the wrapping off to confirm but it is an interesting story.
Your guidance on the correct 03A3 is right on target. That's what I'm looking for. A Smith C would be my first choice but I would also settle for a Remington that was in top condition. If you know someone who is interested in a straight up swap, send them my way.

Dave

 

[Gunsmoke33]

Have you put anything on the wood to take care of it?

Nothing on the wood. Tot tell the truth I'm not sure about the wood species although I suspect it is beech. The rifle is wrapped in brown craft paper. Beneath the wrapping paper is a waxy protective layer that encases the rifle. The waxy packing is wrapped around the rifle from butt to muzzle. The muzzle has been exposed. It is sticky with cosmoline. The bore is packed with grease/ cosomoline. I've not attempted to do any exploratory un wrapping.
I'm still looking to work a trade for a high quality 03A3, Smith C or Remington. I shop with SGAMMO and am aware they are a good source for ammo. Their service and prices are great. I would prefer to stick with 30-06. My other shooter is an M1 CMP. Just makes ammo selection easier.