New No.4 Rifle...

I took possession of a new Savage made Lee-Enfield No.4 MkI* today. There's some minor pitting in the receiver and the stock could have been fit better, but overall I'm pretty pleased. The barrel looks good and I was surprised to find the action is smoother than my Longbranch rifle. The trigger pull is lighter and smoother as well. Sadly it has the cheap Mk3 rear sight, but I have a milled micrometer ready to swap out. Im taking both rifles out to the range this weekend... I'm hoping one of them will prove suitable for a faux-(T) conversion.

On the receiver, over the 'S No4 MkI*', in lighter marking it reads 'No4 Mk I/3 (F) FTR... Can anyone tell me what this means?

Looking forward to a few pics...

No4 Mk I/3 (F) FTR ..... is a North American manufacture No4 converted to hung trigger No4 MK2 spec, (F) is for ROF Fazakerley and FTR is "Factory Though Repair"

It might have had a new Faz barrel fitted at the same time, though anything could have happened in the 60 odd years since it was FTR'ed

It would also have been fitted a Singer Mk1 back sight too when refurbished.

Hello amadeus76...

Those markings mean that your rifle, having the bolt head release milled in the bolt rail/guide, ( Originally a No.4 Mk.I* ) was upgraded to the Mk. 2 configuration, with the trigger being hung from the receiver rather then the trigger guard. Had the rifle had the "plunger" style bolt release at the right rear of the receiver ( originally a No.4 Mk.I ), The designation would have been No.4 Mk 1/2. North American rifle production was nearly all Mk.I* production with the exception of the very early produced Longbranch and Savage examples.

Your rifle was converted at the Fazakerley Arsenal ( F ), in Liverpool sometime after mid April 1949.

FTR stands for factory through repair. I believe that the /3 (F) stands for that it's been up graded to mk2 spec during a FTR at Fazakerley, but I stand to be corrected.

It means that your rifle has undergone refurbishment and your trigger no longer hinges from the trigger guard but off of a block that has been brazed to the receiver. A No4 Mk1 that has the bolt release plunger to remove the bolt that has been converted to this, will be remarked as a No4 1/2.
A No4 Mk1* that has the small gap in the bolt rail that you need to line the bolt head up with and rotate to remove the bolt is marked No4 Mk1/3. A No4 Mk2 was newly built from the factory to have a receiver mounted trigger and is not a conversion.
A fast way to tell all three versions is they all have the small cross bolt instead of the tie plate at the rear of the stock.

This just come up on used guns so you can get a jump start on the faux pas sniper you want given the USD/AUS $ exchange rate it could be a viable option. BDL may be able to give you some hints on importing a fire arm if you decide to go that way why not have 2 No.4's one as issued and the false one......

Calibre/Item: 303
Make: Enfield
Model: No.4T
Action: Bolt repeater
Scope: No.32 scope pads
Serial No: BJ11*** deleted by poster
Condition: Excellent
Price: $1950
Advertised: 7/06/2017
Licence number: deleted by poster
Phone: 0428 795 696
Comment: Enfield No.4T clone.
Bought this on the off chance it was genuine, it´s not, however it was a particularly well done copy.
Even more so now as it has been restored.
Too many builds/bills so it reluctantly has to go.
Transfering dealer: Calibre Country 4 Hawker Rd Tamworth NSW

Is anyone able to post some pictures of the action, with woodwork removed, of a No4 mk1/2 and or a No4 mk1/3 showing how the trigger has been hung from the receiver, following conversion, please?

So observations...

The magazine that came with the Savage doesn't feed very well. At least not with the dummy rounds I was using. However, after swapping the magazine from my Longbranch, the rifle feeds fine. The Savage magazine seems to work without issue in the Longbranch as well. Problem solved.

The bolt seems to occasionally come out of battery. The rail that the bolt rides on, the part right next the the chamber and forward of the cut out allowing you to remove the bolt is cut slightly different than my Longbranch, slightly at an angle. This seems to only be a problem when operating the bolt with an empty chamber and not with a (dummy) round. Has anyone else with a Savage rifle noticed anything similar?

Nope my 2 No.4's operate flawlessly no matter how fast the bolt is cycled with or without rounds or dummy ammo not that I do that every day only speed shoots

Not a huge deal. It runs without issue when ammo is present.

amadeus76.... That is a common problem with the Mk.I*. The corners of the bolt release slot get worn or broken allowing the obvious forces on the bolt head to rotate out of the now larger span. It is quite repairable with a spot of mig weld and very careful dremel grinding. You will also want to use a small file and put a chamfer on the forward and rear edges on the slot in the bolt head to help prevent further damage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by amadeus76

The bolt seems to occasionally come out of battery.

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That happens with most .303s that are dry fired. Or do you mean the bolt head comes out of the track when you open the bolt but not with live ammo? That would be the empty holding the bolt head from rotating up. The repair described will refurbish the running track.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

That happens with most .303s that are dry fired. Or do you mean the bolt head comes out of the track when you open the bolt but not with live ammo? That would be the empty holding the bolt head from rotating up. The repair described will refurbish the running track.

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Yes, that's what I meant... Looks like I have a meeting with a gunsmith in my future.

Thanks all.

When welding is not an available option, a bit of judicious peening can sometimes move enough metal on even a badly-worn rail for enough "bite" to solve the problem. The chamfer is important in any case.

http://www.milsurps.com/images/impor.../35hllsl-1.jpg

To us, a rifle damaged to that extend that would be at the end of the road. Totally beyond repair and down to the A&G section to meet the hot-axe. We might repair something UP TO half that.

I've scrapped several Savage and Long Branch Mk.1* rifles over the years because of that problem. They can be tig welded and with the barrel removed, filed back to spec and refinished but since I lost my tig welding guy, I don't bother with them anymore. I just part them out for the spares drawer.