Enfield stuff (Newark auction results)

Got to the auction yesterday for the first time, but next time will be bidding by post unless there is another Boys anti Tank rifle.

below just some results, remember the prices shown are the winning bid have not included the buyers premium 17.5% then the VAT on top of the winning bid plus premium,

A 1914 Smle complete with volley sights all matching but was a DP, £350

Long Lee looked nice had been re finished, £480

A stripped action and barrel N04 (.410) £55

A sporter SMLE charging bridge had been cut off, original barrel but was shotout, and a lot of holes drilled in the action to take a PH scopemount would of bidded on this if it wasn,t for the holes in the action could of been used for a Delisle conversion, think it went for £28

SMLE stock set (No4 Butt) damage at rear of forestock (part missing), i lost interest as the bidding was at this point £60 plus

Box of 20 No4 hardwood butt,s was interested in these but winning bid was £40.
after the premium and vat its just under £60, Last year at the War and Peace show these could be got for £2 to £4,

(Didnt think i would make it to the War and Peace show this year, but due to a change in the holiday plans, will be there on the opening day, i dont go to see the tanks, its all the tradestands etc, its like the bigest car boot sale in the world, dedicated to Military collectors) Go if you have the chance you wont be dissapointed, you will need a day to see and rumage through the stands

The last Lot i waited for, was the Boys Anti Tank rifle sold for £2500.

To be honest the auction is good for cheap .22 rifles and shotguns, prices around £10 to £20, but those who love milsurps etc i think you get more bargains on the likes of guntrader.

You should have posted that you were going - a few of us go fairly regularly.

What about the .22 smoothbore SMLE for £300 and the boiling out funnel at £40 (all plus premiums)

I assume that the Boys was live? I often wonder why we don't see many of them. I guess that they all got cut up at some point.

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Originally Posted by Beerhunter

I assume that the Boys was live? I often wonder why we don't see many of them. I guess that they all got cut up at some point.

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Catalogue description :- "A .55 cal BOYS ANTI TANK rifle rebarreled to .50 cal. Serial number B5789. Correct sights and muzzle brake. The action marked RB MK1. Walnut cheekpiece, padded butt cushion and butt oil bottle. T shaped Mono-Pod. the lower rails drilled for scope mounts. Grade 2+, barrel 40".

Bought by an RFD (Registered Firearms Dealer) for a customer who was prepared to pay more !!!

Who in the UK needs / can justify one of these ?
We have to justify (give good reason to own) any rifle to the Police - "Yes Mr Policeman, I want it in case some rampaging tanks come up our road" - Its bad enough with a 303 & 7.62 unless you only shoot on a range.

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Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

You should have posted that you were going - a few of us go fairly regularly.

What about the .22 smoothbore SMLE for £300 and the boiling out funnel at £40 (all plus premiums)

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I left straight after the boys was sold (Beerhunter it was live) it was a last minute thing, i had the catalouge a week before but didnt know if i was going.

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Originally Posted by bigduke6

The last Lot i waited for, was the Boys Anti Tank rifle sold for £2500.

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The last "live" one I saw was at the Tralfalgar Meeting about 3 years ago IIRC it went in the region of £1200~£1500.
I believe that was sold to from one dealer to another.

Anybody going up to Bisley at the weekend?

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Originally Posted by Beerhunter

I assume that the Boys was live? I often wonder why we don't see many of them. I guess that they all got cut up at some point.

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As far as I'm aware, we don't see many of them because unmodified they (or is it just the ammo?) are section 5. This one was sect 1 by virtue of it having been modified to .50 BMG cal. I know the bloke who purchased this very well. He was acting on behalf of a customer. He had clearance to bid a lot higher, so someone wanted this badly.
Alan, "good reason" for this piece would be membership of the 50 Cal Shooters Assoc, research, or just collecting. I don't think it'd pass as a foxing rifle though.

Have seen some big fox round my way, anyone out there thinking of a big calibre, join the FCSA as they cater for anything that would go over the joules limit on ranges, such as any belted magnum calibres etc plus the ranges they shoot are around the 1000 metres.
Anyone now found on Altcar (were our club shoots) with rifle calibres that may break the joules limit or considered to be in excess, the range officer will chrono the rifle /rounds and if the limit is broke the person and the club will recieve a life ban. Our club have now put a ban on any calibre above the norm.

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Originally Posted by Strangely Brown

The last "live" one I saw was at the Tralfalgar Meeting about 3 years ago IIRC it went in the region of £1200~£1500.
I believe that was sold to from one dealer to another.

Anybody going up to Bisley at the weekend?

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We had one (live) on show at an HBSA Exhibition about eighteen months ago. If I remember correctly it was still in .55 as well.

The guy didn't seem to have had much trouble with plod. As long as you have a 'good reason' (HBSA Membership?) and somewhere to shoot it, what could be the problem?

Yes. I'm going for a mooch around the HBSA Arms Fair on Saturday and first try of my new SMLE on Zero if it isn't packed.

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Originally Posted by bigduke6

Anyone now found on Altcar (were our club shoots) with rifle calibres that may break the joules limit or considered to be in excess, the range officer will chrono the rifle /rounds and if the limit is broke the person and the club will recieve a life ban. Our club have now put a ban on any calibre above the norm.

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Doesn't sound like there's much of an outbreak of common sense up your way bigduke. At my ranges we've been doing tests but there's been nothing which broke the limits in any case as yet. If it did then we'd have to sort it out for the high velocity shooting, but no-one really has much more than the standard 303 7.62 etc in any case, although some homeloaded stuff's come close to the limits.

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Originally Posted by PrinzEugen

Doesn't sound like there's much of an outbreak of common sense up your way bigduke. At my ranges we've been doing tests but there's been nothing which broke the limits in any case as yet. If it did then we'd have to sort it out for the high velocity shooting, but no-one really has much more than the standard 303 7.62 etc in any case, although some homeloaded stuff's come close to the limits.

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There is always one!!! so the ban come into force the other day.(thats just our club)

We've got a couple of Boys rifles at work and I've got a space for one on my ticket, for the purposes of research in respect of writing a book. Which I'm in the throes of when the Bren book is published..............

There are only 7 ranges in the UK capable of taking Boys ammo as it has a danger area of 7 miles! That's only a danger if you miss the target though! My little boy fired one of ours and the Barratt. It just grunted as he fired it at a target tank on Salisbury Plain. I didn''t want him to be greedy so I limited his .55" ammo use to 20 rounds. When I did the sange safety detail I just used .50 Browning data

The 1939 Infantry Training Booklet says that it can be used on unit 25 yard ranges providing the sand is in good condition and regularly raked over. I can't see that it has ever been amended so there's a thought..................