Enfield No 4 Mk 1/2

[RugerFan]

I was just given a No 4 Mk 1/2 and I don't know much about it (or Enfields in general). Here is some of what I see on the rifle:

Ser# A34xx
1955
England
BNP (with Crown stamped above)

Can anyone shed some light? Any other markings I should be looking for? Thanks

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l449/wolf913/Mk4.jpg

[beemer]

The No 4 MK 1/2 is a modified No 4 MK 1. The trigger was moved from the trigger guard to the action body to conform to No 4 MK 2 standards. The trigger mounted on the trigger guard was not as consistant as one mounted on the action. The rifle was reworked (FTR) and remarked in 1955. Nice looking rifle.

Dave

[m.chalmers]

Read the books by Skennerton
http://www.skennerton.com/
one of many enfield sites
http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

[big boar]

Good stuff on 303British.com

[Bloodman14]

GIVEN!?!? Nice score! Hang on to that one. Check out 'surplusrifle.com'.

[JeffinNZ]

Given! GIVEN! [Jeff faints]

[RugerFan]

Given! GIVEN! [Jeff faints]

Yup “given” and completely out of the blue. I recently befriended an old retired US Army 1SG (Vietnam vet) that I had met at a local range. He casts bullets, but is not a member here (I don’t think he even owns a computer). The other day I asked him if he owned any rifles because all I ever saw him shoot were pistols. He said the only rifle he had was a British Enfield that his 82 yr old brother gave him. It had been collecting dust in his closet for some time and he asked me if I wanted it. I asked if he was selling the gun and he said “You can have it.” Two days later it’s tucked snuggly in my safe (I did give him some H110 and 4227 that I know he uses with his magnum revolvers). I thought it might turn out to be a beater, but I was pleasantly surprised that the rifle is in rather decent shape. I’m pretty tickled. Brass and dies are on the way.

Thanks for the info all. I'll be checking out some of these sources.

[dualsport]

Given?!! I'm going to be a lot nicer to those old geezers at the range.

[Buckshot]

............That's sure a clean looking SMLE. What's the barrel look like?

................Buckshot

[dromia]

Just for the sake of accuracy their Rick..... its not a SMLE.:D

That refers to the No1 Rifle only, it was called the SMLE when it was introduced, Short, Magazine, Lee Enfield.

The above rifle is a No 4.

They rationalised the nomeclature by giving sequential numbers to the different models.

[Boz330]

They were selling these in the mid 90s for $59.95 when the Brits cleaned their arsenals out. A buddy and I both got one and they are great shooters. Unless it has been abused the barrel should be like new.
With a 150gr jacketed and 47gr of H-380 this rifle shines. This load shoots good in 4 different #4s that I know of, (less than 2MOA).
For cast mine likes the 314299 with 4759.

Bob

[higgins]

If you're into milsurp rifles you already know this, but when I see an Enfield that looks that good on the outside I instinctively warn the new owner to be aware that most .303 surplus ammo is corrosive, regardless what the guy selling it tells you. There is a little noncorrosive surplus left out there, but if the seller knows what he has you'll end up paying about as much for it as you would Prvi or Wolf Gold commercial. If you shoot any surplus that you're unsure of, clean with one of the methods involving water and you'll be OK. When you read the milsurp boards you will see corrosive cleaning methods debated endlessly. Check to see if the serial number on the receiver matches the serial number on the back of the bolt handle, and possibly the number on the bottom of the magazine. If all three match you really got lucky, although a nonmatching or unnumbered magazine is no big deal. some No4 rifles are also numbered on the bottom of the forend out toward the upper band;but again, if it's not numbered on the forend it's nothing detrimental. As mentioned above, it probably went through FTR (Factory Thorough Repair) in '55, meaning any worn parts that weren't up to spec. (including the barrel) got replaced. When it came out of FTR it really was "good as new" (almost). Nice one!

[RugerFan]

............That's sure a clean looking SMLE. What's the barrel look like?

................Buckshot

At first the bore looked a bit "hazy", but after many patches (Sweets, JB bore paste & Hoppes #9) run through it, the rifling is looking rather bright and shiny.


If you're into milsurp rifles you already know this, but when I see an Enfield that looks that good on the outside I instinctively warn the new owner to be aware that most .303 surplus ammo is corrosive, regardless what the guy selling it tells you. There is a little noncorrosive surplus left out there, but if the seller knows what he has you'll end up paying about as much for it as you would Prvi or Wolf Gold commercial. If you shoot any surplus that you're unsure of, clean with one of the methods involving water and you'll be OK. When you read the milsurp boards you will see corrosive cleaning methods debated endlessly. Check to see if the serial number on the receiver matches the serial number on the back of the bolt handle, and possibly the number on the bottom of the magazine. If all three match you really got lucky, although a nonmatching or unnumbered magazine is no big deal. some No4 rifles are also numbered on the bottom of the forend out toward the upper band;but again, if it's not numbered on the forend it's nothing detrimental. As mentioned above, it probably went through FTR (Factory Thorough Repair) in '55, meaning any worn parts that weren't up to spec. (including the barrel) got replaced. When it came out of FTR it really was "good as new" (almost). Nice one!

I plan on shooting only my cast handloads, so no worries concerning corrosive ammo, but thanks for the heads up. All numbers match except the magazine. I do see "FTR" stamped on the receiver.