No1 MkIII* - Chris Cone Collection

Featured on this page is a No1 MkIII* Dispersal Rifle manufactured in 1942 part of Chris' personal collection. This rifle is interesting in that it has no export/import markings, not even the British export proofing. She has all matching serial numbers and a 4 groove BSA Co barrel. The furniture includes a walnut fore-end and handguards with a beech buttstock complete with a gunmetal buttplate that has never seen the ground.

As was the case in World War One, the requirement for rifles was extremely acute again in World War Two. This combined with the new reality of German bombing during WWII, that a system of assembling rather than manufacturing No1 rifles was devised. Various companies through out the UK set about assembling rifle from parts made at the existing rifle factories. These rifles came to be known as Dispersal Rifles. The Dispersal rifle was assembled using parts from everywhere, so these rifles will be "original" Enfields even though by today's standards they look like "parts guns" made up to cash in on the current consumer demand for surplus arms. It's rather humorous that they are in fact parts guns, but officially produced parts guns.