Wire Wrapped Mk.III*

Just got her in today and gave her a nice rubdown removing as much grease as I could. She's all-matching but looks like the Indians tried scrubbing the the markings off. Says 1913 but not sure.

While cleaning her up I noticed the faint stamping of "EY"(left of the GF stamp) on the right side of the buttstock. GF also appears in several palces in the wood as well as on top of the receiver, twice. Mechanically she is in excellent condition and the bore looks as though its never been fired.

What do I have here? Would she be safe to fire?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5_153727-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5_153915-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...922e8cd6-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9c10839d-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5235ceda-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...0e7b129a-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...41c1cb6e-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...d8fd3e9a-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5_195156-1.jpg

If it's marked EY, it's not going to be safe to fire. You'll do as you wish in the end and many have argued the point, there are a couple of armourers here that will explain that part far better than I can. Good looking piece for a grenade rifle though. I sure don't have one...

An EY rifle comes one step below the specs required for a SUB-STANDARD rifle. So it's pretty well well worn out. BUT it's still tough and strong enough to take the strain of launching grenades. I'd argue with BAR slightly and say that it's safe to fire, but don't expect to win any prizes - which is probably what he was aiming at..... if you'll excuse the pun!

There's quite a lot about them on this forum including how we used to re-wire wrap them and more to the point, re-mark them. I consider a GF and DP rifle an important addition to any Enfield collection

Is it possible that Brits marked the rifle EY and when sent to India they rebarreled and re-arsenaled the rifle? So far I have yet to see a EY stamped anywhere on the receiver.

One reason I bought the rifle was due to the action and bore being almost like new.

We called thjem EY rifles as 'emergency standard, suitable for grenade firing' whereas the Indians simply called them GF for Grenade Rifle. Same meat, different gravy so to speak.....

Thanks Peter. :)

Sure was hoping to take her shooting this weekend but looks like I might hold off on that.

Now all you need is a cup launcher, an a bag O tennis balls!!!

Or Coors cans. Allegedly.

Coors eh? Think I got a few of them lying around.

$135 for a launcher from Liberty Tree. Anywhere else one might find one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eneat1119

coors eh? Think i got a few of them lying around.

$135 for a launcher from liberty tree. Anywhere else one might find one.

---

springfield sporters $100 me thinks.

Off at a tangent a bit but has anyone on the forum actually fired a LIVE grenade from one, using a balastite cartridge?

Or failing that, what about firing off a drill/inert grenade using one with balastite? Nope....., me neither. No94 Energa but not No36!

Whole new meaning to the phrase " hey,,,,toss me a beer "..... Okayyy,,,,KA-PLOW...

Not that it matters but discovered the rifle has the mag cut-off slot but is blocked by the stock, which is obviously not original to the rifle. Sure would've been a nice feature nonetheless. :rolleyes:

Not so with yours. It has been modified from the early Mk3 spec to Mk3* spec, marked accordingly and had a higher sided fore-end fitted to 'prevent the ingress of foreign bodies' as the wording goes. Keep it as it is. It tells a great story and many people would die for a genuine 'as-is' EY rifle in their collection

1913 to boot (^_^)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Father Ted

1913 to boot (^_^)

---

Really the only reason I bought it. Plus its all-matching. Not many 100 yr old rifles that look that good. ;)

I'm trying to buy an all matching Indain wire wrap rifle with a cup now...

A truly worthwhile addition to any Enfield collection FTX.

I agree