Let me start by stating I understand that times were different "back then" but I have seen easily over a dozen "sporterized" or "Sante Fe" Enfield variants in my area. It pains me to see them and I want to restore them but I hear the voice in my head saying "you can't save them all." GRRRRRRRR.
Thanks for listening to my rant!
Save what you can. It helps ease the pain.
I "saved" an smle last year. It was a 1915 MkIII. Forend cut down, receiver drilled and tapped. Finger grip filed and sanded down. The buttplate had been replaced with an awful, homemade recoil pad. The real insult was the stock disc had been replaced with a FIAT car emblem! But, it was still had its original cut-off plate in place, and its original adjustable windage rearsight. I bought it for $150, and put it back to its military configuration with bits and pieces scrounged from all over. It looks great (filled in the D & T holes), and its a fun shooter. Is it original? No. But it seems to look quite a bit more respectful, and I'm glad I bought it.
Remember there were four million No.4s kicking around "back then" and so they were as plentiful and, thus, as cheap as chips.
My first 303 was a No4 Mk1 variant that was basically sporterised by the Canadian Military for various uses.(Royal Canadian Air Force,survival rifle) Approx. 7000 No4 Mk1 were milled and cut to almost unrecognizable Enfields. That being said, when I began to look at the history I am fascinated with the original features of the Lee Enfields. Hopefully others that own sporterized will see the originals as we do an join the cause to save the species. I was at a show this past weekend and it was very sad to see almost all sporterised selling for $170.They could not give them away. The very few originals were in the $400-600 range and that was nice to see..It was a good rant !
---------- Post added at 08:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:00 AM ----------
Sporterized I mean....
I guess in a time of such turmoil and a "disposable" society I hate seeing our lack of appreciation for our past. I have the same thoughts over our buildings, etc. Seeing things like Tiger Stadium in Detroit torn down after close to a century, rather than preserved. Battlefields in the US that are always under threat of encroachment, etc. I understand the reality of not being able to keep everything, just wish we did more to preserve MORE and appreciate our past like other parts of the world do.
At least there are dedicated people like the folks on these forums that do care, it gives me hope!
I'm from that area, across the river in Canada. I don't share quite the same feeling about a stadium but I do understand about the heritage buildings. The government buildings in Canada don't have to be preserved so we destroy our heritage buildings on military land as quick as look at them. Sad really. At least in the US you realize the historic importanc some of these have and preserve. It would cost way more to keep and repair a stadium, that I'm sure would be smaller than needed than to build a new one. In Quebec, the Plains of Abraham barely exist now because of the encroachment issue. It's all about money now...Quote:
Originally Posted by artyldr01
The city in which I grew up announced yesterday that the were renaming all the parks in the city with unpopular historical refrences to a very tragic in my country's history (The Civil War).
History washed away with the stroke of a pin. I may have to change my screen name to HOOKED ON DISAPEARING HISTORY.
Certainly, money and progress are necessary. Of course I guess another perspective is that we live in a time when we can afford to be "collectors" and preservationists when previously survival was front and center...Perspective is everything.
I saved one today! 1945 No4 Mk1 Long Branch.Not cheap, but she won't fall to the sporter!!