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I have recieved what looks like to read No4 MK 1/3 (F) FTR. This rifle has the modern day style rifle stock but with the solid brass butt plate. The metal finsh is a Blued look other than the original matt black finish. i noticed the barrel is more black than blued. Not sure if that is the way they came? Is this rifle rare in anyway. I can not find any other rifles as mine is online. The seriel number reads 60L9924. Please can anyone give me some insight on my new peice. Thanks
The serial number indicates the receiver was originally manufactured in Canada at the Long Branch factory.
The No.4 Mk 1/3 indicates it was originally manufactured as a No.4 Mark 1* but that after the Second World War, it was modified at the Fazakerley (F) factory to the new No. 4 Mark 2 standard.
No.4 Mark 1/3 rifles are not exactly rare but are less common. Yours has been sporterized to make a hunting rifle, as can be seen in your pictures
Thank you Amatikulu! The Rifle has f '53 stamped on many places, so its cool to find out that it was there in Fazarkerley in 1953. It was so hard to find info about this rifle on other websties for some reason. Out of curiosity, do you know the possible value of the gun? and also if there was any way to tell if it had a specific use like a sniper rifle or something before it got modified?
Snipers would have T fer telescope stamped next to the serial number or on the wrist left side. The Long Branch rifles are good, well made, shoot well, hold their value well.
Here's a question that'll test you, how many grooves are in the bore twist? 2, 4, 5, or 6? n fact they all shoot good, but its fun to know.
The /3 modification is a remounted trigger, something that improves accuracy in Enfield so much that they retrofitted many rifles, ala the No4 MK2 had the new trigger, and /3's are earlier No4 Mk1's that are retrofitted, good to have. If you can see FTR 53 anywhere it means your rifle was overhaiuled at that time, also good to have, not a problem if not there.
Welcome to the forum, you now have a rifle that will shoot about Nazi helmet sized target at one kilometer range, ie 1,000 yards,now its up to you to be that good, lol.
Do you want the real truth as an answer to your question Warlord? Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh, but it's diplomatic and truthful but I'll be as kind as I can be. Your old No4 Enfield rifle has been sporterised to within an inch of its life. It's been chopped so as to irreversibly changed to something it never was. I know that others say different, and I'm sorry to disagree wiuth RJ here, but with a free floating barrel like that that looks like it's been lightened (very small photos.....), with harmonics that have never been put to the test and without even a standard backsight by which to calibrate it to, then using that rifle, you could never be sure that any two shots would form a group.
Its value is that of the parts that haven't been got at because sporterised rifles like this are regarded as mongrels, neither fish nor fowl. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news
Sorry not true. The receiver hung trigger has no effect on accuracy but is MUCH easier to set up compared to that of a Mk.1/1*. Which was the reason that it was introduced.Quote:
Originally Posted by RJW NZ
WarLord, your pictures are very small and with my poor eyesight I have difficulty in seeing clearly what your pictures show. However, I have restored several sporterized rifles to original configuration but they all conformed to a certain criteria:
1. the serial number on the back face of the bolt handle had to be the same as the serial number on the receiver (in your case the receiver number should be electropencilled on the left receiver flat - and should also be on the left side of the butt socket.
2. The barrel had to be in good condition and be uncut - i.e. the bayonet lugs should still be present at the end of the barrel.
3. The receiver should not be drilled and tapped for scope mounts. (yours may have a non gunsmithing mount from what I can make out).
If these criteria are met, the relevant fore stock, handguards and barrel bands can be found for reasonable pices at several dealers (such as bdlltd.com ) or from e-bay.
Look carefully Amatikulu and you'll see that the backsight ears have been lopped off and that the rear of the body has been, at best, castrated. The body (and barrel?) are fit for scrap. Unless someone collects what some politely call 'sporterised' No4's. And even then, the one or two people in the universe who do collect them, concentrate on the quality conversions............... The words 'quality' and 'converted No4's' don't seem to sit well together
If you hunt and like the rifle have it checked out by a good gunsmith, if it checks out safe to shoot see if it shoots reasonably well and if so enjoy it.
It is not collectible or restorable but it still is a Lee-Enfield and still is one of the smoothest and quickest cycling bolt action rifles out there.
Peter: The No. 5 was, of course, the original "sporterized" No. 4 . I've read in all the usual sources about the inherent accuracy problems in this model. In your experience, was it really that bad? A couple of the sources talk about No.5's being rebuilt with a standard No. 4 action body (to improve accuracy) which would make a standard No.4 B (bubbified). Warlord 69th- you've undoubtedly gathered from the honest replies here that your rifle has little collector value but up north chopped No. 4's have made effective (and cheap) deer rifles for generations. Take your rifle to the range and see what it will do on paper.
Ridolpho