Return to LGS for an Enfield?

[Steel Horse Rider]

Now go back and study the Arisaka. If it is a 6.5 mm it is a type 38. Did the rear sight have a flip up mechanism for range? Was the Mum intact on the reciever? I have two Type 38's and they are both much more accurate than you would believe with the large aperture rear sight. Both are carbines but one only has the fixed aperture and was a "school gun" issued for home guard or training purposes the other has the range adjustment slide and is extremely accurate for a short barreled weapon.

 

[Noah]

The Arisaka adjusted for range, it flipped up and had a second perpendicularly oriented aperture that moved up and down on the sight once flipped to the vertical. The place on the receiver where the flower ought to be was scratched off completely and was no accident, someone ground it off.

 

[AlexanderA]

Congratulations on a good buy. A Lithgow Enfield was one of the first rifles I had (I bought it for $9.95 at Academy Surplus in Austin, Texas c. 1961).

The first thing I would do is take off the forend and check for cracked wood in the "draws" area at the rear. The Australians used relatively soft Coachwood that was notorious for cracking in that area. That's why they used copper strips to reinforce the wood where it interfaced with the sear lugs of the receiver. (I noticed that there's a transverse brass reinforcing pin in yours.) If you find cracking, don't shoot the rifle until the issue is addressed. Otherwise, the forend will eventually split lengthwise, with the front trigger guard screw acting as a wedge.

(That's what happened to mine. At that point, I decided to sporterize it. Mea culpa.)

 

[Scoped]

Tried to take a picture of the rifling from the muzzle end, it didn't go so well but I uploaded it anyway.

All the numbers match, with the possible exception of the magazine but that's because I couldn't find the serial. Is it inside the body?

If you look closely below and to the right of the serial on the stock, you can see a faint "1943". Would this be an issue date?

Is there supposed to be some sort of importation mark somewhere? I wasn't able to find one, externally anyway.

Scratched carefully into the stock, on the left side just behind the grip, are the letters/ initials "JM".

I haven't done any cleaning yet... I have cleaned cosmo out of and restored a trio of Mosins, an SKS, and a WASR. What would you recommend if I wanted to clean the stock and metal? The wood is darkened in most places by built up grime and oil but does not seem saturated in a preservative. Same for the metal- a little surface rust in a few spots like the bayonet lug, but clean otherwise.

If you want to pretty the stock up a bit than you have two options:

1) Leave it alone! That stock has more history than a highschool world civ book.

Or

2) Pick up some Toms 1/3 military mix. I use that on all my military surplus weapons, including my Lee Enfields, to restore moisture and shine to the stock. It also helps cover up minor scratches (due to the BLO and Turpentine), and protect the wood. Its amazing stuff and it smells awesome. Also makes your rifle feel soft!

 

[Scoped]

Or
3) You can sell it to me