Old posting about No 4 Mk 1 FTR'd in 1949 but not updated to Mk 1/2.

[Arnie]

This is my first posting. I've been browsing this forum for interesting Lee Enfield information in general and answers to questions I might have regarding my own 3 rifles. One of my questions concerned a No 4 Mk 1 I own. The rifle is in fairly rough shape on the outside, having pieces of wood patched in but has a new barrel and is exceptionally accurate. The rifle has very few original markings except for 1942 on the left side of the butt socket. The electric pencil serial number begins with a Y and the markings on the left side of the receiver indicate it was given a FTR in 1949 at Fazakerly but was apparently not upgraded to Mk 2 configuration. I was always curious as to why this was the case. Well this evening I reached somewhere around page 126/7 of the forum and found that Spinecracker had precisely the same question as me! He also wondered if these rifles were common. No one had a really specific answer except that it is quite possible that some Mk 1's simply weren't updated when FTR'd. After pouring over my copy of the Lee Enfield Story by Skennnerton I noticed that Mk production started in late March 1949. I assumed that my rifle was FTR'd between January '49 and March '49. Anyway, this is all for whatever it's worth and to inform Spinecracker that there is at least one other of these rifles around. By the way I bought this rifle at the old Navy Arms store in Ridgefield, New Jersey sometime in the early '90s. It was one of a batch of new imports they had. I tried to send Spinecracker a PM but was advised I couldn't do it since I have never posted, so here it is.

Arnie

Information

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[spinecracker]

Thanks, Arnie. I have since sold my 1949 FTRed Lee Enfield so that I can concentrate on Long Branches (makes as much sense as anything else), and I am now trawling for an interesting 1944 Long Branch.

[Arnie]

spinecracker,

You're welcome, and good luck in your searching.