I was at my local fleet farm they have a small gun case and i had never really looked at the guns there so i decided to check them out and to my suprise they had two old british enfield rifles for 140 dollars a piece. on one of them the barrel looked rusted but on the other it looked pretty good. and it got me thinking 140 dollars for a good gun like that sounds like a pretty good deal. is there anything good or bad that i should look for on them, i know i should look at the bore and the crown but other than that i dont really know.
Surplus Enfield ideas?
- Thread starter Glock22
- Start date
- Status
http://303british.com/
Click on the link for "Saving a Burnt Out Jungle Carbine" to see what I did with my old clunker 303.
If it's in good shape you should snag it. They are great rifles.
Click on the link for "Saving a Burnt Out Jungle Carbine" to see what I did with my old clunker 303.
If it's in good shape you should snag it. They are great rifles.
zedheadmc
Member
I agree with the other guys, though my personal knowledge is restricted to the #4 MK1's. I am working on fixing that problem though.
Another good site is www.enfieldrifles.profusehost.net
Another good site is www.enfieldrifles.profusehost.net
MountainBear
Member
Enfields are a fun, inexpensive way to get into the surplus rifle market. I enjoy them for the history they represent as well as their shootability.
BLACK-N-TAN
Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2006
- Messages
- 71
Ive got a sporterized one I picked up years ago for like $60, it's a good time. It shoots fairly strait with surplus rounds (if you can find em). I need to dust that thing off and take it out one of these days
xtarheel
Member
They are a great piece of history and fun to shoot. I have a No. 4 and a No. 5 jungle carbine.
The No.4 I bought about 15 years ago for $80. Metal was good but the stock was in sad shape. I recently bought new wood from ssporters.com and stained it with military stain from Brownells. It really looks nice now and I have a little more $150 in it.
When buying one look at the bolt head. It will have a number stamped on it. That is how they adjusted the headspace as it wore. A #1 or #2 is good. A #3 is the biggest after that one was not enought the rifle was declaired "unservicable", or so I have heard.
The No.4 I bought about 15 years ago for $80. Metal was good but the stock was in sad shape. I recently bought new wood from ssporters.com and stained it with military stain from Brownells. It really looks nice now and I have a little more $150 in it.
When buying one look at the bolt head. It will have a number stamped on it. That is how they adjusted the headspace as it wore. A #1 or #2 is good. A #3 is the biggest after that one was not enought the rifle was declaired "unservicable", or so I have heard.
MikeJackmin
Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2005
- Messages
- 1,604
A matching number bolt is good; a cracked stock is bad...
I just bought a Savage (U.S.) made Enfield that the US made and shipped to UK per the Lend-Lease program. Price was $169.00 from Southern Ohio Guns http://www.southernohiogun.com/surplusrifles.html
It is a decent shooter with a slick (!!) action and pretty decent wood. As said above, it's a nice piece of history. It helped round out my WWII collection.
It is a decent shooter with a slick (!!) action and pretty decent wood. As said above, it's a nice piece of history. It helped round out my WWII collection.
The bigest problem I see with Enfields, and any other milsurp, is usually "cleaning rod wear" at the muzzle, from using steel cleaning rods.
The bores may be good, and even kinda frosty and pitted, and they still shoot fine--But if the muzzle is crap, they won't shoot well. So, check the muzzle carefully. Other than that, the Enfields are one of the better milsurps available (although I like my Mausers alot). Check for mathing numbers as well, it's worth mor if all the numbers match.
The bores may be good, and even kinda frosty and pitted, and they still shoot fine--But if the muzzle is crap, they won't shoot well. So, check the muzzle carefully. Other than that, the Enfields are one of the better milsurps available (although I like my Mausers alot). Check for mathing numbers as well, it's worth mor if all the numbers match.
armoredman
Member
One load I use will give me MOA with the Enfield No4MK1* I have, best $50 I ever spent. I think I have three time that in just brass for it, now!
MJ
Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2005
- Messages
- 943
I may have over paid a bit @ $200 but it shoots.
The 1942 Savage rifle was OK but the wood had to go so another $50 for a stock set. The receiver had pads on it and the bracket too. The old stock set donated the cheek rest and hardware and the scope came from my spares box. This target is at the max for my range of 240 yards. After that it's steel plats at 325 yards. If you shoot from the far right station at a target located at the far left back stop it walks out to 240yds. 174g MKS over IMR4064 @41g. All I have to do is learn to hold better and wee bit of stock inlet to get the correct trigger pull and we are done.
MJ
The 1942 Savage rifle was OK but the wood had to go so another $50 for a stock set. The receiver had pads on it and the bracket too. The old stock set donated the cheek rest and hardware and the scope came from my spares box. This target is at the max for my range of 240 yards. After that it's steel plats at 325 yards. If you shoot from the far right station at a target located at the far left back stop it walks out to 240yds. 174g MKS over IMR4064 @41g. All I have to do is learn to hold better and wee bit of stock inlet to get the correct trigger pull and we are done.
MJ
dogngun
Member
THey are very rugged, accurate, fast rifles, 10 round capacity, power is about like a .308. There are several companies that load hunting ammo for it now, including Wolf and PMC, and they are a bit less money than Remington ammo.
I have had 4 of these rifles and never had a bad shooter, even one with a ring in the bore shot very well.
There are a lot os Enfield sites and forums that will give you many hours worth of information...just Google Enfield Rifle Forums.
For your money, you will have a reliable, tough, usable rifle with some history and maybe the start of a new interest.
Sounds like a good deal to me.
Have fun.
Mark
I have had 4 of these rifles and never had a bad shooter, even one with a ring in the bore shot very well.
There are a lot os Enfield sites and forums that will give you many hours worth of information...just Google Enfield Rifle Forums.
For your money, you will have a reliable, tough, usable rifle with some history and maybe the start of a new interest.
Sounds like a good deal to me.
Have fun.
Mark
- Status
