.22 Enfields

I have been waiting for close to a month for these rifles, so when my wife called and told me that FedEx delivered a big, heavy box this AM, I could not wait to get home.

First is a No7 MkI (BS202X) with a mismatched bolt (BS2514). According to The L-E, the standard backsight for this rifle is the Mk I backsight; however, the backsight on this rifle is ranged from 200 to 800 yards (No5 MkI backsight?).

Second is a No8 MkI (DA103X) with matching bolt and transit chest.

I have only seen a few of these on-line and have never held one until today, so I am looking for feedback from those of you that own, have own, or have handled these.

You are correct, the No. 7 does have a replacement rear sight. The original is about 1/3rd shorter, windage adjustable and has a 3/4 inch cup peep sight(see "The Lee-Enfield" pages 504 to 508, or "The Lee-Enfield Story" pages 438 to442).
The No. 8 was made by BSA specifically for New Zealand, and they only made around 2,000.

Great purchases. Your No 8 looks alot cleaner than mine and getting a transit case is such a bonus.:thup:

This appears to be a British 7, and should have the usual rifle sight. 3BA ejector screw is missing, not that it serves any purpose.

Nice rifles! I think the transit chest is actually for a C No.7.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Steve H. in N.Y.

Nice rifles! I think the transit chest is actually for a C No.7.

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Yep. A CNo.7 chest for sure. Odd markings though. Someone painted an "8" over the "7".

The Canadian supply catalogs back in the 80s (all on microfiche cards) lists the no8 rifle NSN as an active supply item. So there may have been some in Canadian service. Whether someone in the CF actually took the time to remark the model number on the chest is a big question. Most likely the chest was renumbered post service to match up with the rifle. The CGB number above it is still for the Cno7 rifle.

The No8 won't fit into the cradles positioned for the No7 rifle. It'd be interesting to see whether the chest was in fact chopped around internally to take a No8 rifle

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

The No8 won't fit into the cradles positioned for the No7 rifle. It'd be interesting to see whether the chest was in fact chopped around internally to take a No8 rifle

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I do not have another chest to make a comparison, so I hope these pictures will help out.

Your chest is a Canadian Cno7 modified for the No8. It's been neatly done with the cradles recut to the No 8 profile, then relined with felt. The position of the cradles and the cleaning jag is unchanged. These chests, at one time were in abundant supply and realitively inexpensive. How times have changed. Ron

The rear sight for the Brit No7 was the MkI st for the No4.

On the RAF No7 rear sights, the rifle was zeroed in at 25 yards using the Mk1 backsight which was then removed and a line engraved across the leaf and slide to align them in the future, with 25y engraved on the slide (where the 'M' is positioned on the L42 slide). I remember this because the Base workshops here occasionally had to replace a backsight on the old No7 rifles that the RAF Cadets still had. That was the official method according to the RAF version of the EMER's but it was simpler and quicker to saw a shallow line across and stamp 25y into the slide. Did the same job but by then the ranges had changed to 25 metres. Such is progress!

Anyway, that's what and how to do it if you need a new backsight for your No7 and presumably it's the same for the No9?

Very nice rifles mate. I have put an order in for a No 8 from a dealer down this way who has a couple coming from NZ later in the year. I have got in quick enough to secure one (but that is - sight unseen)... just hope they are half as good as yours.
Well done. :thup:

As an side note on the NZ No.8 rifles.
A huge quantity were bought buy a Canadian surplus dealer in the 60's and broken down into parts. I had approximately 50 plus receivers at one time, and sold most of them off in lots of a dozen and quite cheaply I might add. Some even to a few people here on the board.
Anyhow, of the 2000 NZ order made, I can give you the serial numbers (for what it is worth) of the numbers scrapped. Such is the life of a surplus firearm....
It was interesting to see the different receiver profiles in the lot and having a large sample to play with.

We certainly had No8's when I was in NZ, most, but not all, with DA prefix serial numbers. Was this the case with yours Warren? Although I didn't deal with many at the big Ordnance Depot at Ngaruawahia, I did deal with a small trickle that came through but spare parts were always at a premium so we did cannibalise. Keith (or Ken....?) Joseph the Ordnance Corps storeman told me that the NZ£ and $ was very weak at the time and overseas funds were very tight so imports of spares was highly restricted. Jock Annandale the Armourer Warrant Officer told me about the hoo-haa regarding the purchase of the No8 rifles by NZ from BSA whereby BSA, unknown (?) to the NZ Army, breeched the patents and IPRights. As a result of that, they couldn't get parts straight from BSA........... You wouldn't believe we were all on the same side would you?

I also saw No5 bodied No8's where you could still read the old No5 markings underneath and also some No5 bodied No8's where the No5 lightening didn't seem quite finished............. a sort of No4/5 interim body if you like........ I just thought that it was BSA off loading a load of unfinished parts

I used to send bags of small spare parts (including Bren locking shoulders and screws) to the Armourers shop there that controlled 1 Infantry Brigade. NZ and the rest of the Commonwealth found that it was cheaper by about a third to buy their L1A1 rifles and spare parts from Lithgow than Enfield

Peter:
All were the DA prefix and most with few exceptions had the NZ mark on left hand side of the butt socket.

---------- Post added at 09:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:39 AM ----------

Speaking of the old armourers, is Richard A. of Bury St. Ives still around ?? Seem to have lost track of him as well as Paul Varley.

Richard is still around. I 've heard of Varley but he wasn't an actual armourer as such

Very nice No8, and the wood looks pretty nice. My No8 is a very good shooter but the wood is a little rough and was not as good as described by the seller. The prices here in Canada are at a premium for these in my opinion and you have to pay it if you want one.

Cleaning up a huge pile of old documents and found a listing of some of the New Zealand No.8 receivers I had. The numbers are all DA prefix and run from a low of 13X to a high of 105X. Most ( a couple of dozen) are in the range of 750 to 1000.
There was a couple of receiver profiles in the lot, some with the cut ahead of the rear sight like a No.5 and also some with the ejector hole ala a no.4 receiver.