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I recently checked with my firearms licensing office to see if I could hold spares for my rifles. Apparently the system does not cope with spares, so I wondered if any UK based person could clarify what Enfield parts are pressure bearing and thus illegal.
Barrel, receiver, bolt and bolt head normally each require a variation to be held separately as spare.
Technically in Law, every single screw and pin is also a "component" and thus subject to licensing.....
When I was looking to 'build' up a No1 I spoke with our local Police and was informed that to be able to buy the component (pressure) parts I would need to have a variation added to my FAC showing :
Authorised to purchase qty 1 .303" barrel
Authorised to purchase qty 1 .303" action
Authorised to purchase qty 1 .303" bolt
Authorised to purchase qty 1 .303" bolt head
(so pretty much as per Thunderbox's post)
They also told me that if I purchased a complete rifle - less woodwork - I would have to have it re-proofed when I put on the new woodwork. After some arguments, and me pointing out that the proof house requested woodwork removed on any firearms sent for proofing they 'backed down'.
Just as a side issue - An Enfield in 410 shotgun uses EXACTLY the same bolt & bolt head as a 303 rifle but you can keep spare bolts and bolt heads for a shotgun without it being on your FAC / SGC. Buy a 410 in the same 'model' to keep your 303 company but remember you must not use the bolts or bolt heads on the 303 !!!
I think you'd be risking prosecution on that one; as the parts have no marks as identifying them as shotgun, they would clearly be seen as rifle parts....Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield
Interestingly I recently stumbled on a pair of No4 enfields for sale locally, one a 410 and one a 303. Looked outwardly identical until I was told one was a 410.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield
Can I get one on my shotgun certificate?. Do they feed from the magazine?.
Sorry question, questions...................
You can only get one on your shotgun certificate if the magazine well has a steel plate welded into it - converting it into a single shot. Despite the fact that .410 Enfields will not feed from the magazine, they are classified as Section 1 firearms if the magazine is unmodified (ie a shotgun with more than a 3-shot capability)Quote:
Originally Posted by jss
There seems to be various ways of "blocking off the magazine" - I've had several Enfield 410's which have varied from " a wooden plug" in place of the magazine, a plate fitted underneath the trigger guard to 'blank off' the magazine well (this was loose and fell out when the trigger guard was removed), a welded in plate and, finally my current one has the magazine 'pinned' so the follower can only move a couple of mm and the magazine welded to the trigger guard.
I think that the ways of complying with the shotgun requirements have changed over the years but these days (to be 'safe') go for the welded up option.
Thanks for the help. I had not considered that rifle as a "Real Enfield" after finding it was a 410 but it now seems more acceptable.
It sounds as though this conversion was fairly commonplace. Was it to get around FAC requirements or just to have a nice Enfield bolt action 410 shotgun?. Or perhaps to save it from the scrap heap!.
Are there conversions to brass 9mm "garden gun" or other shotgun rounds?.
The Indians (RFI) converted SMLEs to a single-shot .410 for Internal Security Duties. (I have seen them on the inventories of Indian Police Stations.) They fire special .410 cartridges (Ball, Shot & Blank.) and have been discussed here many times. Here's a pic of mine.
Attachment 24139
Additionally, prior to the 1988 Act, rifles were often simply smooth-bored in order to get around the Part One/Section One requirements for an FAC. Some were done to .410 others just had the rifling removed.
Thanks BeerHunter. That's a nice looking "shotgun". Is anyone still doing these conversions?. Much better than deactivating a rifle and far more venues to use them. Even in a big garden!.
Pehaps when a visit to Bisley becomes too expensive, we can still shoot Enfields!.
I beleve it is now no longer legal to change the classification of a weapon (from section 1 to shotgun (whatever number that is ...))
the only exception is to "convert" them to a deactivated firearm (still covered by firearms law)
so the 410 shotgun conversations that are out there are the only ones.....
Many firearms were so altered. .303s were the easiest to do because there was no change to the breechface or extractor. Although the .410 brass head would sometimes swell on discharge, required the empty to be knocked out or prised out. I doubt there is any demand for such alterations these days.
Between you and me JSS, some of the legalities in this thread aren't quite cosher.....................
Yes, wrong place for such a question. I'll check with the relevant authorities on current legislation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Case Closed!!!.