Enfield question: to refinish or not to refinish?

[iamkris]

Well, earlier this year I got one of the first batches of Enfields that AIM Centerfire and others sold. Mine is a 1943 No 4 Mk 1/2 (e.g., has the Mk 2 mods made to the trigger group) with a micrometer sight. Unfortunately I had "Iwannagunvirus" and paid $139 instead of the $79 they are selling them for now. The good news is that the old war horse is mechanically sound -- bore looks like it was never fired. The bad news is, like others, she is caked head to toe in not only old dirt-laced cosmo (expected) but every nook and cranny is full of grease, dirt and awful black paint.

I swear that the Indian depots pulled these rifles off the line, left them in what ever condition they found them and slapped a coat of black paint on them. Everything is covered in globs of paint. Sort of like a 100 year old house that got coats of thick paint over the years but never was stripped.

I've broken her down into every screw and pin and scubbed every part with mineral spirits and a brass brush (a 2 day process). Now the metal is completely clean but there is 5-10% finish left. Now my question...

I don't believe Indian imported Enfields appear to be all that collectable. I don't foresee selling this rifle -- certainly not to make a profit --will just be a shooter. So should I work to dress up the rifle and paint Brownells AlumaHyde II matte black on the metal (to match the original) or leave the old girl with little finish? I know many (including me) say leave rifles in their original state...it's just that she looks so sad in her current state with the years of neglect.

 

[Destructo6]

I had my $99 No4Mk2 parkerized and I refinished the wood. It looks great and I have no regrets.

 

[Zeke Menuar]

Alumhyde II works great and is pretty tough, so far. I used the semi-gloss. My No1 MkIII looks likes some sort of presentation piece now. Should've used the matte. Oh well, it is the best looking gun on the rack for now.

The wood finish is shellac sealer/undercoat and a Tung oil finish. Makes the Ishapore mystery wood look fantastic.

I had my $99 No4Mk2 parkerized

Parkerized eh? What did that run ya? I am currently redoing my Ishy 2A stock with a new improved version of the finish I used on the No1 MkIII. Parkerizing would make my 2A almost indestructable.

ZM

 

[iamkris]

5 replies on 2 boards say refinish. Thanks for the input guys.

 

[.45&TKD]

I'd be cautious of what I did, but would most likely do something. This is the best enfield specific board I know of
http://www.gunboards.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=44

I have a No.4 Mk1 (F) with the micrometer sight that is a great shooter, but needs some restoration work. The black paint on your metal is most likely "Suncorite" which is an original finish. I have suncorite on my rifle, as well, and it needs some touch up. I may just leave it alone. It's about 65-70%.

The problem with my stock finish is that along with grease and dirt, somewhere along the line, some kind of lacquer was applied and has mostly worn off everywhere but the buttstock, giving a mismatched finish. In addition, lacquer is not an authentic finish for an Enfield.

As far as I know, Boiled Linseed Oil is the only arsenal approved finish for an Enfield, so I am going to stick with BLO when I finally refinish the stock.

I'd research it some more if I were you, at the above mentioned sight. I may not get to my restoration before you do, so I'd be curious of what you end up doing and how it comes out.

 

[Lonestar.45]

"I don't foresee selling this rifle -- certainly not to make a profit --will just be a shooter."

Having said that, you should go for it and refinish it. It will never be worth a ton of money as a collector anyway, at least not in your lifetime or mine. And even on the off chance it ever was, would you ever sell it? Probably not.

I get a kick out of some of the hardcore purists on other boards that frown upon refinishing a beat up $79 milsurp that was bought purely as a shooter anyway. Some buy to collect, some buy to shoot. I buy to shoot. And I wouldn't feel bad about refinishing a cheap milsurp. If it were something rare, unique, or in already great shape, then no, I would not mess with it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[iamkris]

The gunboards link is a good one. Seems that the concensous is Suncorite as the original...touch up if you can. If not, proper way to refinish the metal is bead blast then park, covered by baked on black finish.

That said, I'll easily have double my money invested in the rifle if I go that route. The condition isn't nice enough to go through that in my opinion. The metal has been ground down and restamped, and there are some tool marks from a clumbsy armorer in it.

I'll go the matte black AlumaHyde II route. Several said they used it and like the results.

Oh, and definitely BLO on the wood.

 

[jame]

I made the same bad purchase decision, and posted the same question on various boards, including here. In many cases, at the time, I got absolutely BBQ'd by various "purists".
I went ahead with the refinish anyway, and am I glad I did. I'll never get my money back out of it, but the lessons I learned are invaluable.

 

[.45&TKD]

I'll go the matte black AlumaHyde II route.

iamkris, please post a picture when you are done. I would like to see how it turns out.

 

[Destructo6]

Parkerized eh? What did that run ya?

IIRC, about $80 which included return shipping. It's been so long that I can't even recall the name of the place - "Jaeger Werkes" or something. It came out a pretty dark charcoal, which looks quite nice.

Yeah, refinish + micrometer rear sight (which I hate - want it?) + replacement brass buttplate = more than original cost.

 

[ScottsGT]

Hate to say this, but I bought the same set up about 4 years ago. Just when I was getting into hunting, and before I discovered restoring military rifles. I "Bubbaized" mine. Did real tasteful job I might add. I removed the sights, welded up the channels and holes in the barrel, polished off all the nicks and chips and had the entire gun blued over a wire brushed surface. Turned out beautiful. I mounted it in a Choat synthetic stock since I didn't want nice wood getting nicked up climbing into the stands. Mounted a BSA Cats Eye scope and polished the stainless bolt. Real beauty of a former turd. Hunting buddy has the .303 he hunts with in a cut up wood stock. His is much heavier than mine.
I did find a source for the elusive thumbhole stock everyone has been looking for as seen on Crocodile Dundee. Still have not ordered one though. I'd probably finish it so nice, I'd have to buy a new hunting rifle.

 

[iamkris]

45&TKD and Zeke

I had both matte black and semi-gloss (what you used?) AlumaHyde II in the "cave". I decided to try the matte first on a large piece that would not be visible so I tried the barrel. When I dried I compared it to some images of Enfields I have...it is WAY too matte. The Suncorite seems to have a slight sheen.

I then finished off the rest of the parts in the semi-gloss. Comparing to the pix I have it is a little too shiny. Oh, well. I think I like this look better though. What Brownell's needs to do is come up with a satin finish black. That would probably be closer.

Will post pix once the epoxy finish cures and I get it reassembled. In the mean time, I'm busy trying to force the oil out of this soaked stock.

 

[ScottsGT]

iamkris,
Stick that stock in the oven on the lowest temp you can. If it was summer time, I'd suggest just leaving it out in the hot afternoon sun all day. The heat makes the oil rise out of the wood some how.

 

[krell]

Enfioeld No. 4 Mk 1 black finish

Heard mention here of SUNCOTE paint for use on the No. 4 Mk 1 metal. Where could I buy a small quantity of this coating? Does it come in an aerosol? If not SUNCOTE, is there an equivalent readily available? Thanks.

 

[MJ]

 

[iamkris]

Wow...a post back from the dead (2004)

Here's the follow up thread I posted back in Jan 2005 http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=120249&highlight=enfield

 

[DougW]

MJ strikes again.

I'll show him...........

Just got Savage #4 (fourth one that is), and I am RESTORING it from a bubbatized hunter (note how I kept on topic). No import marks, painted with Krylon, beautiful blond stock cut down, but the front sight was not touched.

Pics next week after bits and pieces from Springfield Sporters arrive.

I'll show him............