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About a third of the SMLEs I had are marked on the left side with the Naval issue "N".
The No4s have no such mark, I thought it was the Canadians that supplied the Enfield's to the Italians, all the No4s I had from this batch have been Long Branch versions with 2 - groove barrels.
Several of the No4s only had handling marks and appeared unfired apart from proof.
It could well have been specifically the Canadians Simon. I suspect they probably went Navy to Navy & it may well have been that they came from RCN stores.
I only bought a couple of the No4's, but found exactly the same as you - we looked through about 50 & they were all 2 groove LB rifles. In fact this is why I only bought two of them - we all know that a good 2 grove barrel will shoot as well as a good 5 groover, but to all of my potential customers 5 is bigger than 2 so it must be better......
ATB
You made me chuckle Rog!
Funny; I've been shooting No.4's for 30 plus years and I usually reach for a favorite old former Canadian Army issue, '42 date Long Branch with post war Parkerized finish as FTR'd at CAL in the 50's or 60's with the dreaded 2 groove barrel!! I use it as a control because it's perfect!!!
Has anyone ever established if there's notable accuracy differences between two and 6 groove barrels? As far as I know there aren't, but then I'm very much in the "Wandering Zero on the Jungle Carbine was a myth" camp too.
If you search through older threads here, you'll find Peter Laidler has spoken at length about both of these stories. Others too...it's all here.
Ah.......but you didn't use a No5 during a short fleeting gun battle Colonel. When both you and the rifle got very hot.........
Admittedly this is true. The closest I've gotten to that is rapid fire events in service rifle competitions and I maintain any accuracy issues will have more do to with me and the fact I'm trying to throw rounds downrange as fast as I can work the bolt than they will with a wandering zero,Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Appears to have been a navy to navy transfer...Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Payne
RCNAD = Royal Canadian Navy Arms Depot St. Hubert Quebec and Dartmouth Nova Scotia
ENFIELD RIFLES FROM ITALIAN NAVY
EUROARMS - ENFIELD RIFLES FROM ITALIAN NAVY
http://www.euroarms.net/EFD/enfIMG/a-Enf-4_cassa_1.jpg
http://www.euroarms.net/EFD/enfIMG/Enf-4-test_03.jpg
http://www.euroarms.net/EFD/enfIMG/a-Enf-4_exam_1.jpg
http://www.euroarms.net/EFD/enfIMG/a-Enf-4_exam_4.jpg
I like the barred out "DP" rifles
http://www.euroarms.net/EFD/enfIMG/Enf-DP_01.jpg
http://www.euroarms.net/EFD/enfIMG/Enf-DP_02.jpg
At least the Italian distributor went to the trouble of sorting out the the bolts and returning them to the correct rifles; kudos to them for that.