I submit the Enfield is the Ultimate SHTF rifle!

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Wildalaska

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I dare ya to prove otherwise...

Battle proven reliability!
Fast rate of fire!
Long range capability!
Fast reloading with clips!
Hard hitting!
Tough and rugged! In fact I dare say the toughesst!
Accurate!


The Enfield (No 4) has LESS flaws than any other candidate!!!!

Go on prove me wrong!

WildidareyacomeonidareyaAlaska
 
how about the M10 coming in from australia via tri-star? new production enfield No.4 chambered in 7.62x51mm feeding from m-14 mags.

actually i agree with you, as i also love the enfield No.4. my only objection has been getting cheap .303 ammo (i don't reload) and stripper clips. i have been very impressed by how fast the action can be cycled and how accurate they are.

one of my fantasy rifles is a No.4 mkII (T) chambered in 6.5x55mm...i know i'm a sick puppy :what:
 
no48x6.jpg


<3 Enfield.

I have no doubt if the SHTF one of my six Enfields would be my choice. I might take my No. 5 though, because it's nice and light :)

no5mk18x6.jpg
 
As long as ammo availability isn't an issue I agree with you whole heartedly! That's why I built this.

055063.JPG


While teaching a patrol rifle course earlier this year I brought my scout out to show my AR15 wielding compatriots what a real rifle could do. I was able to easily shoot a perfect qualification score and still stay within all of the time limits. I really needed to stay on top of it with my stripper clips but it definitely can be done! :D
 
As much as I like the Enfield - using your criteria, the M1 gets the nod. Greater rate of fire, no less demonstrably rugged, fast-loading, hard-hitting, yada yada.
 
Hard to argue one over the other...the "Smellys" are top-notch turnbolt rifles, but I give the nod to the "US Rifle Cal .30 M1" on 2 minor points...
It is fractionally faster to relaod with the en-bloc clip than the strippers, and .30-06 ammo is USUALLY a bit cheaper and easier to find than the .303 Brit load.

That being said, I have seen some REALLY FAST guys with Smellys & stripper clips, though. I understand why some of the WWII German Infantry men thought that a lot of the Montgomery's Guys were carrying subguns of some sort.
 
You know, the SHTF has to be defined a bit better for me to say. If you're in, say, a month-long scenario, I would go Garand all the way. It's more accurate (for me) and quicker to reload. I own both the SMLE and the No. 4, and can shoot better with the Garand. In a firefight, I would be much, much happier with a Garand.

However, if SHTF turned into post-appocalypse, I would rather have the Number 4. There are very few parts to break on the Enfield compared with the Garand. Sure, you could lose or damage the magazine, rendering it a single-shot, but that's not very likely. It doesn't require nearly the level of cleaning and lubrication that a Garand does to keep running, and you don't have to worry about recovering your clips (except you can put the charger in your pocket whereas the Garand clip pops out). Keep in mind how many Enfields the Afghani's used against the Soviets. If I were put into primative conditions for extended periods of time without backup or resupply, I would prefer the Enfield. Of course, I would also be very happy with an M39 Mosin, as it is more rugged than the Enfield, just as accurate, and with even fewer parts to break.

Ash
 
I pretty much need a good trigger to shoot well. I'll even concede it's likely that my inability to work with a ratty trigger is a problem not shared by many shooting milsurps.

So, my personal ultimate milsurp SHTF or otherwise rifle is a K-31.

Battle proven reliability, Fast rate of fire, Long range capability, Fast reloading with clips, tough, etc doesn't mean much if you can't hit anything.

Like the old IDPA dude said "You can't miss fast enough to catch up"

Hey, WildJerseyDevilAlaska: is Canjar still around? In a former life, I had an Interarms mauser mark X that wasn't worth spit until it got Canjar-ized. I haven't heard anything of them in quite a while (Canjar, not Interarms).
 
I dare ya to prove otherwise...
Click to expand...

How much ammo will you find for your precious Enfield at Wally World or the local gun shop? Can you always guarantee you'll have access to your ammo stores or reloading equipment if the SHTF?

The Enfield is a fine rifle, but IMHO if it can't be fed from anywhere in the U.S., it ain't a SHTF rifle. Just my opinion. ;)
 
I don't know I still tend to thing a good ole' pump shotgun with a variety of rounds or even a high quality .22 make pretty darn good choices.

My argument being that I am not going to war. I am hiding or sneaking. If I have to fight chances are it will either be a close range affair.

I think you need utility more than tacticality. Chances are you will be doing more hunting then anything and for that you want to be quiet and be able to have enough ammo on you to sustain you for long periods of time. The .22 might not be humane if given a choice but in a bad situation it will take most game up to dear size if you do your part.

All that being said the old smelly would make a dandy TEOTWAWKI rifle for all the reasons you mentioned. I also think an AK-47/SKS would as well.

Chris
 
So, my personal ultimate milsurp SHTF or otherwise rifle is a K-31.
Click to expand...

I agree. Being a left handed shooter the Enfields rate of fire would be deminished with me behind the trigger.
I would prefer the K31, a Win94AE, or a Pump shotgun. - All slightly more Ambi-friendly.
 
If the 'long-range punch' part of the equation was removed - SKS (with an adequate rear sight) all the way. Ammo is far mo' plentiful, it's got enough punch for both medium-game and defense purposes within 150 yards, is anvil-stoopid-simple, is certainly as 'battle-proven' as the Mk4No1, has a greater rate of fire than the Enfield, and is about as accurate as most non-sporterized Enfields out to 150 yards.

Certainly, 303RR ammo is not particularly plentiful - 7.62x39 is better, .with 223 and 308 probably tops of the centerfire world. Of course, there's also probably more 22LR ammo out there than everything else combined.....

In my SHTF scenario (which doesn't involve 150+ yard sniping nor fending off maurauding brownies or other such dangerous critters), I'd reach for the SKS first and the 10/22 second.

If I were playing the game according to WildstartingthingsupAlaska's rules, I'd reach for my 308-chambered Mauser mit receiver-mounted peep sight. Now THAT is the best of both worlds - all of the attributes of the Enfield (save a minor loss of tolerance to lots of use without being cleaned in sandy and/or muddy conditions), chambered in a cartidge thats got mo' steam than the 303RR and will be plentiful until the day the world ends.
 
I am almost with WildneveradulldayAlaska on this.

However, the basis for my "Scout" rifle was an Ishapore 2A1. All the benefits that WildthinkaboutthatamomentAlaska states, along with the availability of 7.62 NATO ammo.
 
As far as ammo availability right now, Yes. 303 is pretty common where I am, and you can even get it at Wal-mart. It is pricy though.
I can't argue with the Enfield.
 
Enfields come in different flavors. Mine is a P-17 (30.06). I dunno if it's the "ultimate", but it certainly is accurate and reliable. .303 Brit is nigh on impossible to get around here.
 
I use an Itshootspore in .308 as my trunk gun. Cost = $78

That being said, a low-cost Yugo SKS would give it a run for the money for that purpose.

Rick
 
The barrel is a surplus 2 groove that I bought from Springfield Sporters for $20.

The front sight is from XS Sight systems.

You can see a write up of it here.

Click on the article "Saving a Burnt Out Jungle Carbine".

1moa is the norm with this rifle. It still needs a better trigger though. I have a CanWest trigger on my "need" list.
 
I like my Mosin, with the cheap ammo less than $2 for 20 from J&G. I would love a Mauser in .308, though....any thoughts on that Spanish Guardia Civil 1916 short Mauser in .308?
 
I'd also interested in the CanWest trigger - lemme know if yu oget it and how it works out. I have a Huber trigger on my Mk4No1, and it's not exactly what I would have liked given the high cost of the unit.
 
Jaeger that project looks real interesting but...
... link no workie. :p

I tried Mozilla and IE on a T1 line and can't get the page to load.
 
Well, I checked the link. It's the correct address. THe site must be down.

I sent the action and new barrel to Bo Wallace at Ashley Outdoors (before they were XS sight Systems). He installed the new barrel, cut it and crowned it. He installed the new front sight and adapted one of their scout mounts to fit the Enfield. He aslo relieved the stock.

The stock is a Ram Line, the rear sight is a standard micrometer sight and the scope is a Leupold Scout scope. The Sling is a Galco Ching Sling and the stock Pack is from Eagle.

It's a great setup and has accounted for several deer. It usually gets a few strange looks from other hunters in the field.
 
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