I bought another unfired Lee-Enfield No4 MK2 today ....

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MCMXI

MCMXI

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... but don't worry, I didn't get a ridiculously good deal on it :D. A friend's brother bought it many years ago for around $100 and he probably devalued it by taking it out of the wrap and removing the cosmoline. I've wanted another unfired No4 MK2 for a while and paid $850 for this one and another $150 for two bayonets, one if which appears to be correct for the rifle. Overall I'm very pleased with the rifle and happy to have another No4 MK2 with a lower serial number than my first one which I bought about 10 years ago but shot for the first time this July 4th. Both are UF 55 models. If anyone has any information to share re the bayonets such as how much they're worth and why one is a spike and the other a blade I'd be interested.

Thanks. :)

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...first-time-65-years-after-it-was-made.871217/

So here are some photos of the new rifle along with the other No4 Mk2.

no4_mk2_a6495_01.jpg

no4_mk2_a6495_08(1).jpg

no4_mk2_a6495_07.jpg

no4_mk2_a6495_02.jpg

no4_mk2_a6495_03.jpg

no4_mk2_a6495_04.jpg

no4_mk2_a6495_05.jpg

no4_mk2_a6495_06.jpg

no4_mk2_a6495_09.jpg
 
Very nice, congrats! I just purchased a No4mk2 from Classic Firearms for $500. Has a broken extractor spring, so midway is in process of getting one to me.

would love to find an unfired one.

Hey, you have two, you probably don’t want both right?
 
troy fairweather said:
You need to play the lottery lol. Very nice btw
Click to expand...

I didn't get a killer deal so I don't think an early lottery funded retirement is in the cards for me! :D

BreechFace said:
would love to find an unfired one.

Hey, you have two, you probably don’t want both right?
Click to expand...

... but only one is unfired .... at the moment! :p
 
I think you got a great deal. My shop had one the owner offered me for $1,300 before he put it on Gunbroker. It was unwrapped and probably fired. I have one just like it, unwrapped and definatly fired so I declined. Also because $1,300 is what I have seen them go for still in the wrap. It sold for $1,500 less than 2 weeks ago. Same shape as the one you just bought.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/876736097

I say great deal.
 
Johnm1 said:
I think you got a great deal. My shop had one the owner offered me for $1,300 before he put it on Gunbroker. It was unwrapped and probably fired. I have one just like it, unwrapped and definatly fired so I declined. Also because $1,300 is what I have seen them go for still in the wrap. It sold for $1,500 less than 2 weeks ago. Same shape as the one you just bought.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/876736097

I say great deal.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I have the rifle and bayonets in my possession but haven't paid for anything yet so I'm thinking about passing on the bayonets. I definitely want the rifle but the bayonets aren't worth an additional $150, and as cool as they are for collectors, my interest ends at the muzzle.
 
MCMXI said:
If anyone has any information to share re the bayonets such as how much they're worth and why one is a spike and the other a blade I'd be interested.
Click to expand...
The No. 4 (spike) bayonet was the wartime standard. Simple, but effective.
The No. 5 was a Bowie bladed knife bayonet adopted for the No. 5 (jungle) carbine.
After the war, there were requests for a blade bayonet for use with the No. 4 rifle. So a complicated design, the No. 7, was adopted using the No. 5 blade with a swiveling pommel. But it was deemed unsatisfactory and wasn't issued.
In 1947, the No. 5 blade was married to a simple socket and adopted as the No. 9.
Both the No. 7 and the No. 9 use the blade and scabbard of the No. 5.

Estimates of values:
No. 4 spike bayonets typically run from $30 - $100, depending on specific model, markings, and condition.
No. 5's are $150 - $200.
No. 7's are $200 - $300.
No. 9's are $30 - $85, again depending on model and condition. One factor holding the price down is that there are so many marked "POF" (Pakistan Ordnance Factory).

Note that the spike bayonet can be attached to the British entrenching tool handle (helve) and used as a mine probe. The helve has a bayonet lug like the one on the muzzle of the rifle.
 
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AlexanderA said:
The No. 4 (spike) bayonet was the wartime standard. Simple, but effective.
The No. 5 was a Bowie bladed knife bayonet adopted for the No. 5 (jungle) carbine.
After the war, there were requests for a blade bayonet for use with the No. 4 rifle. So a complicated design, the No. 7, was adopted using the No. 5 blade with a swiveling pommel. But it was deemed unsatisfactory and wasn't issued.
In 1947, the No. 5 blade was married to a simple socket and adopted as the No. 9.
Both the No. 7 and the No. 9 use the blade and scabbard of the No. 5.

Estimates of values:
No. 4 spike bayonets typically run from $30 - $100, depending on specific model, markings, and condition.
No. 5's are $150 - $200.
No. 7's are $200 - $300.
No. 9's are $30 - $85, again depending on model and condition. One factor holding the price down is that there are so many marked "POF" (Pakistan Ordnance Factory).

Note that the spike bayonet can be attached to the British entrenching tool handle (helve) and used as a mine probe. The helve has a bayonet lug like the one on the muzzle of the rifle.
Click to expand...

It appears that the blade bayonet was made in 1954 at the Royal Arms Factory, Enfield and was stamped with two government acceptance marks.

https://oldmilitarymarkings.com/brit_bayo.html

Based on some quick research, the spike bayonet marked No4 MKII was most likely made by Prince, Smith & Stells, Ltd in Keighly, Yorkshire between 1942 and 1945 and has the government approval stamp.

http://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Id...n__No__4_Spike_Bayonet_/britain_spikes_2.html

I'm going to see if I can keep the blade bayonet and return the spike bayonet but not sure how this will affect the final price.
 
tark said:
Wow! Being afflicted with "collector's syndrome" I would never shoot one, and shoot the snot out of the other. Damn fine looking guns!
Click to expand...

The problem with unwrapped Lee-Enfields is that you don't know if they're really unfired or just thoroughly cleaned up so the collectibility is somewhat diminished. That said, I will probably leave the latest purchase alone and only shoot the other, for the time being at least. I wanted a wrapped No4 MK2 for a while but now I wonder what I'd do with it. The fact that both of my unfired Lee-Enfields were already devalued by taking them out of the wrap is a positive since I can enjoy them for what they are. I think it'd be cool if a company offered a modern take on the Lee-Enfield.

I've agreed to pay $950 for the rifle and blade bayonet since I don't want the spike version. Overall that's a very fair deal for the seller and me so everyone's happy.
 
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MCMXI said:
... but don't worry, I didn't get a ridiculously good deal on it :D. A friend's brother bought it many years ago for around $100 and he probably devalued it by taking it out of the wrap and removing the cosmoline. I've wanted another unfired No4 MK2 for a while and paid $850 for this one and another $150 for two bayonets, one if which appears to be correct for the rifle. Overall I'm very pleased with the rifle and happy to have another No4 MK2 with a lower serial number than my first one which I bought about 10 years ago but shot for the first time this July 4th. Both are UF 55 models. If anyone has any information to share re the bayonets such as how much they're worth and why one is a spike and the other a blade I'd be interested.

Thanks. :)

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...first-time-65-years-after-it-was-made.871217/

So here are some photos of the new rifle along with the other No4 Mk2.

View attachment 939274

View attachment 939275

View attachment 939276

View attachment 939277

View attachment 939278

View attachment 939279

View attachment 939280


View attachment 939281

View attachment 939282
Click to expand...


Very beautiful rifles.

I am envious.

I am not familiar with Enfields... your last photo, what is that "part" ?
 
troy fairweather said:
That's the bolt head, the paint is pristine meaning unfired.
Click to expand...

Yep, and there was cosmoline in the firing pin hole along with a pristine bolt face and extractor, both of which support the claim that the rifle is unfired. The first one I bought had a lot more cosmoline in every nook and cranny but my friend's brother did a very thorough job of removing that goop. Seriously, if you have one unfired and full of cosmoline I suggest leaving it alone unless you want to shoot it.
 
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