It's not a new pristine 55 MGA.................who cares....
LOL
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Heh! Heh! Thank God I will never have the problem of a decision like that! My Enfields all go BANG with great regularity and no associated guilt. Owning Enfields should bring pleasure not pressure.......................................... .
I unwrapped my new never issued Faz, cleaned it and found that it had been test fired before it was greased and wrapped. It is/was my understanding that an Armorer test fires “all” of them before they are wrapped.
Well, they've all been fired. Doesn't the proof firing at the factory count? If they're still wrapped, it's probably best left that way. If it's been unwrapped then break it in on the range, take good care of it and I doubt it'll lose any substantial value. I reckon time will tell.
They were proof fired then the sights were set with a 'telescope layer' then 5 rounds were fired to test for function and accuracy. It's at this point that those that gave the tighter groups (that's the accuracy part of the test) were sifted and TR marked.
So while they've all been fired, it comes down to 'new-in-wrap but test fired' or 'looks-pretty-new-but I-can't-tell-how-many-rounds-have-been-down-it'
Then, in light of this recent information, the term "unfired" becomes somewhat redundant???
After a two year wait for my licence for a No.4 Mk.2 I could not wait to go and try it out. The old Lady is still in as new condition. Well this last Sunday she accompanied me to a High Power Rifle shoot.
Believe me of all my Lee Enfield rifles this lady is next to my Eddystone P14 the most accurate. Off the thirty rounds fired five shots missed the black centre.
My advice is; take the old Lady out to the range and enjoy it. Life is too short to keep a good rifle locked up.
Unfired or not, if it's pristine keep it that way and don't shoot it. Admire it, fondle it and buy one or six more to shoot and have fun with.
I have a Long Branch that came with a transit case and bayonet and the person I bought it from owned it forever and I do believe it was only test fired. It is absolutely as perfect as it can be and I wouldn't ever consider firing it.
How often do you get a chance to own a Long Branch that perfect? I have about 25 other Lee Enfields that overall I would fire (well most of them) but not the Long Branch.
Maybe I am crazy but it was cleaned, oiled and put in the safe to be shown and handled by my closest friends.