New to me No4 MK1 (at least I think)

I've been doing a lot of reading ever since I found out that I'd be getting this rifle and I'm pretty sure this is English manufactured due to the ROF (F) 7/43 on the left side of the bolt carrier (at Faz if I've been reading right). I also took a few pics of the serial numbers on the rifle. The magazine obviously doesn't match the others but it has been restamped, my guess is by INTERARMS which is who is the dealer marked all over the paperwork. My grandpa bought this rifle quite a while ago for $100 and once he heard about my WWII interests and my love of weapons he decided to give it to me.

I know the scope and rail we bought by him but he did give me the original rear site, I just need a hinge pin since the original broke when removing it.

I need to take it into the gunsmith this week just to make sure everything is tip top since it was purchased and never even fired. I'm sure I'll need to give it a good cleaning as well.

Anyway, is there anything else I should know about it? Anything seem odd about those serials and the manufacture date? I'm very excited about this rifle and the fact that it is hopefully authentic as well is even a bigger joy to me. :D

Here's a link to the pics.. PICTURES

FH, Welcome to the forum.

Your rifle has been serviced, possibly by a field repair unit. The magazine is a replacement from a rifle that was more than likely beyond repair. The old s/n was struck through and yours applied. Why? Because that magazine worked with your rifle and needed to stay linked to it. Possibly when the s/n was restruck on the LHS of the butt socket also.

A good L-E primer is Stratton's British Enfield Rifles Vol. 2. Usually copies available on the different arms web sites. Check North Cape Publications, also.

Brad

Congrats on acquiring a fine rifle! :)

Is the scope mount of a type that doesn't require holes in the rifle (i.e. "no gunsmith")? Reason for asking, a Lee Enfield is more collectable when the metal is original. Looks like that's the case, on one picture the scope mount reminds me of the S&K mount.

Lou

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Originally Posted by louthepou

Congrats on acquiring a fine rifle! :)

Is the scope mount of a type that doesn't require holes in the rifle (i.e. "no gunsmith")? Reason for asking, a Lee Enfield is more collectable when the metal is original. Looks like that's the case, on one picture the scope mount reminds me of the S&K mount.

Lou

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Thanks, I'm still very excited just thinking about it. :)

That's correct, it required no gunsmithing to put the rail on as far as I can tell. There are 2 screws that hold the rear of the rail that go through the holes for the hinge pin on the rear site. And there is a "wedge" at the front (for lack of a better description) with a bolt that goes to the rail itself that holds it in place. It's tough to explain but I think it will be pretty easy to remove. That is why I'm thinking of converting it back to the original sight since I have it.

I just looked it up and the S&K mount as best as I could here at work and it looks like exactly what I have, which is a good thing as far as I can tell.

I just have to decide for sure what I want to do, I may order the hinge pin anyway since it's cheap and decide later. Being able to use stripper clips would be nice, but having the scope is quite nice as well.

Sorry my posts always turn out to be a wall of text. :lol:



Bradx, Thanks. I'm hoping that the s/n work was done as a factory repair and not some schmuck at interarms when it was imported. :) I'm going to look into picking up that book, looks like a good reference guide.

I wonder if Interarms didn't re-stamp that buttsocket themselves...no indication of FTR etched on the receiver. That magazine could have been matched and re-stamped at unit level.

While the serial on the forestock is nice...an "M" stamp usually means ROF Maltby...odd.

Is there a matching s/n on the side of the bolt handle and is it an overstamp??

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Originally Posted by Smead

I wonder if Interarms didn't re-stamp that buttsocket themselves...no indication of FTR etched on the receiver. That magazine could have been matched and re-stamped at unit level.

While the serial on the forestock is nice...an "M" stamp usually means ROF Maltby...odd.

Is there a matching s/n on the side of the bolt handle and is it an overstamp??

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There is a matching serial on the bolt handle, on the side facing toward the butt, and as far as I could tell it's not an overstamp. My camera is dead as dead can be and the blackberry just wouldn't take a good pic of it as many times as I tried. I dropped it off today to get looked over by a gunsmith so I'll take an even closer look when I get it back.

That serial on the forestock isn't an M, it's an A, there's a small gouge in the wood there and with my BB camera it made it look funny.

I'm starting to think I have a mystery on my hands. :D

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That serial on the forestock isn't an M, it's an A, there's a small gouge in the wood there and with my BB camera it made it look funny.

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Well then, that's alright and a match as well.