2A Enfield from AIM

[Freightman]

received it yesterday what a surprise no cosmoline on th outside or bore of rifle, there was that black paint that has been brushed on as the bristles were still stuck in it. That will be removed when I get my arm well, bore as new, stock very good, all matching numbers even the magazine, now for the wait till I can use my arm six weeks.
some pictures.
i am one handed for six weeks but found with a vice and shooting rest i can get the black paint and cosmoline off.went to the range with 40 rounds and a caldwell shooting rest, the rounds were 10- with 10gr unique and poly filler, 10 rounds with 11.2gr of 452aa, got 5# from a friend, both with 185gr lee .312 and 50/50 lube.
the target is the best, didn't think i was going to put up the worst did you, and the 452aa is beter than the unique not by much. the problem is that will be all when i am out.

[smokemjoe]

Thats the same as mine was, I put it to a fine wire wheel and now it has a pale gray color, Paint was like a hard plastic and chipped of easy, Looks better now, My bore is like new,Looks like thay used the 303 barrel and chambered it to 308 Win. Good shooter with .312-.313 cast bullets.

[Kuato]

I have 1 that I got years ago. A buddy & I used to shoot pennies @ 25 yards. I hit plenty of em with Czech surplus 7.62 ammo. IIRC these aren't old SMLE actions. they were machined out of modern steel in India on British machines.

They are kindda archaic looking but MAN they shoot good.

[Freightman]

I think the black paint was for rust preventave, because the mag is only painted on the exposed parts. If I can find S-S pan that is big enough I have the solution to parkerize at least two rifles. After I get over this injured arm I may just re do everything back to unissued, need a project for the winter.

[MtGun44]

I think some Indian gun storage guy got a deal on old locomotive paint. . . . .

Thickest and gloppiest (is that a word?) [smilie=1: of any paint I've seen.

It was hard to tell there was a rear sight under there.

So far mine is mediocre in the accuracy dept, but havn't shot it a lot.

Bill

[Freightman]

I basically bought it as a hog gun, hi-cap, fast, and if I scratch it no big deal.

[Freightman]

Finally got around to slugging the barrel and I was very pleased to say the least, the throat is not very long from the chamber to the start of the rifling is .085, the throat is .3095, the bottom of the lands at the breach is .3085, the top is .301, at the muzzle it is .308 at the bottom and .301on top, 5" down. so I will size to.310 should shoot quite good as you can see at the top of the page.
Got the sling and splint off my arm, but can't pull or lift with it for aprox. four more weeks. thanks for all the help and encouragement.

[mike in co]

the black "paint" is called "stoving" and is the "correct" finish for the rifle.


mike in co

[thewanderingmind]

The 2A is actually one of the best buys you can find in Enfields. Despite the "stoving" and all the fibers you will find embedded in the paint (elephant hair?) it will clean up very, very nicely. I had occasion recently to handle one that a friend took to his company and had a friend "sandblast" the paint off all the metal parts. He liked it so much "in the white" he simply took it to another work area and had it buffed. The wood was refinished, as well, using standard stock refinishing techniques, and came out a glowing honey brown. He went ahead and polycoated it after steaming out a few dings, and that is one hot momma! Since it's not going to be a wallhanger - it's going out after Texas deer shortly - he is the envy of his buddies...