What’s your Lee Enfield Holy Grail?

Hmmm My dream Enfield? It would have to be the Enfield Cavalry Carbine... I don't know why, but I love the look of them and is often a page lingered over in Skinnerton's "The Lee Enfield". To be fair, I would be happy with any number of desirable enfields, not the least of which being the Mk.V trials but I have always wanted a true Mk.I as well as a "Long Lee." One day gentlemen, one day.

Incidentally, it is clear to me that milsurp collectors must never win the lottery as there are still rifles to be purchased at all. I know this because if I struck it rich in such a way where money was simply not a serious obstacle, I would buy pretty much any milsurp rifle that tickled my fancy.... and let me tell you, that's a LOT of rifles...

From the threads elsewhere, one of the real rarities MUST be a genuine Enforcer.............

I've got what seems to be an authentic Lithgow No.6 Mk1 Jungle Carbine 'Experimental'.

The serial number is XP142 and all numbers match. It's in very good condition but the bore is quite dirty and needs a good clean. I had it initially appraised at a local gun store today and they got quite excited about it and said they wanted their local Enfield expert to have a look, but ballpark they said it was worth several thousands for a true collector, very rare.

Not sure if I want to sell it yet as it's an heirloom but am open to offers. My grandfather who handed it down to me was a kittyhawk/spitfire fighterpilot in the war, he must have acquired it along the way somehwere.

I've attached some photos, happy to do more if people require them.

Interested to hear peoples comments, the research I've done suggests that they are quite rare and most are in museums these days, is this true?

I know of more in private collections than in museums.

Total of 194 made, less than 50 of each of four slightly different examples.
Yours is from the first group, features are barrel mounted rear sight and standard butt with SMLE brass butt plate.
Second group had same rear sight, and No5 style rubber butt pad.
Third had receiver mounted rear sight and standard butt
Fourth, receiver mounted rear sight and No5 style butt.
Serial numbering started at XP101, following on from the 100 experimenta "Intermediate shortened lightened" rifles.

Value is relative to want- several thousand, yes.

There is an article on these in the Australian MKL

Cheers mate, great info.

I saw that you've got one of these yourself, where did you get it from and what sort of condition is it in?

Thanks mate,

Luke.

Mine came from a mate who was a collector/dealer. He brought it along to a gunshow a few years ago knowing I couldn't pass it up. It looks to be little dinged up, but that's just mainly the pale wood. It really is in good condition. The putty repair on the handguard was most likely done at the factory according to the late John Wray from the Lithgow SAF Museum. If you checked out the knowledge library entry then you've seen nearly all the pics I have.

Yours looks to be in pretty good condition, Luke. Avoid using abrasives in the bore if it doesn't shine up and don't touch the wood.

There have been a few sales of No6 rifles in recent years. The one mentioned in the other thread was in exc. cond. One sold for a bit more than that last year, but a couple of others were around the same or a bit below. One that had been messed with (a coin set in the butt and a coat of gloss on the wood) went for just over 4K.

Cheers
Brad.

Hi Brad,

Good stuff mate. Some ignoramus(namely me) lightly sanded the buttstock wood about 5-6 yrs ago because it had some sort of sticky resin on it. There were 4 rifles handed down to me in all and I think they'd been masking taped together for some time which is what gave them the stickiness I suppose.

Don't worry I'm not touching anything on it now, I'll leave the bore as it is. Overall it is in pretty good shape in comparison to some of the others I've seen.

Thanks mate,

Luke

My only holy grail would be a Stirling SMG to go with the Vickers, Sten, Lewis, and BREN. BUT that ain't gonna happen. I have too bloody many Enfield rifles and carbines, plus Sniders and Martinis to look for more. (roughly 200), Enfields going from Metfords to the L42A1. Besides, I ran out of room some time ago.
My sister; "Whats going to happen to all those guns when you are gone? Answer; Take what you want, and sell the rest!:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John Sukey

My only holy grail would be a Stirling SMG to go with the Vickers, Sten, Lewis, and BREN. BUT that ain't gonna happen. I have too bloody many Enfield rifles and carbines, plus Sniders and Martinis to look for more. (roughly 200), Enfields going from Metfords to the L42A1. Besides, I ran out of room some time ago.
My sister; "Whats going to happen to all those guns when you are gone? Answer; Take what you want, and sell the rest!:D

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John all those guns and not one camera.