No. 2 MK. IV* / Former ShtLE Mk. IV ConD

[MVolkJ]

I've posted this rifle elsewhere, but wanted to post it here as well as it seems that one of the members here (Buccaneer) has a very, very similar rifle, also a No. 2 Mk. IV* conversion of an old ShtLE Mk. IV ConD.



The rifle in question.



Originally a 1901 Sparkbrook LE Mk. I*.



1909 Enfield Conversion to ShtLE Mk. IV ConD; later converted into a .22 caliber trainer. You can see the splice where the Long Lee buttstock was modified for the SMLE safety lever. Has the exact same overstamp "No. 2" marking as Buccaneer's rifle.



Here's where it gets good. At some point in time this rifle's CMF inventory number got cancelled, and a new one was applied - 516. IIRC, Buccaneer's rifle is 507, making his 9 off of mine. Similarly, also shows a 3MD acceptance stamp.



Same numbers on receiver; also the struck MLE serial and the SMLE serial added at 1909 conversion to Mk. IV.



Unit markings from after the 1909 conversion. Issued to Yeomanry, Hertfordshire Battalion, then reissued to the North Staffordshire Regiment.

Given the nine number gap between Buccaneer's and mine, it would seem that there would be other rifles out there like these two. I wonder if the 5xx CMF number indicated a specific lot of rifles converted into .22RF trainers at some point or other; one wonders, were these all ConD IVs, or were there some Mk. IIIs in there?

Anyone else got a 3MD rifle with a 5xx CMF stores number? Is it a Mk. IV Cond? Is it a .22RF trainer?

Information

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[Lance]

I had #432, sold her a few years ago.....

[MVolkJ]

Hmm, that's three so far, with a pretty wide range of inventory numbers. And again, it's a No. 2 Mk. IV* conversion of a Mk. IV ConD with that same overstamp. Lance, do you remember the barrel date? I assume it was a solid .22 barrel and not a sleeve.

Was this the fate of a large bunch of Mk. IV rifles? Australian service, then conversion to trainer?

[Lance]

Per my records it had a '51 barrrel.

[MVolkJ]

Ahh... same as mine then. 8 '51 Lithgow barrel. I wonder if these were done up as .22s that late? I seem to recall reading that Lithgow (or someone in Australia) made up a bunch of .22s for Cadet forces in the 50's.