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I just recently purchased my first No1 MkV. I made a post on gun boards and was informed that the front band and nose cap may not be original. I would really like to know what is original and what is not and I know you guys are much more knowledgeable about these rifles than I am so any help would be greatly appreciated. I can post pictures of whatever I need to. Thanks a lot!
I don't see a problem with the nose cap, but the band is not original-it's profile is flat rather than rounded. I wonder if a narrowed front band from a No.4 rifle was installed at some point. Don't worry about it too much.
Ditto. Nice, honest-use rifle. The nosecap looks like mine (and the numbering font matches the rest of the rifle). The band does look like a No4. I have had a few Mk 5's over the years, and for some reason, the upper reinforcing bands go missing. My current Mk 5 is all correct, and the upper band is rounded and has bevels where it meets the nosecap. Still a nice rifle and I second what Steve H says about not to worry. If it really bugs you, EFD rifles in the UK has high quality reproduction bands currently in stock. They have a US contact who can handle the order, if you place one. Otherwise, I say enjoy it as.
Oh I’m still very happy with it. I really like that it looks like it’s been in some kind of conflict somewhere (although I know the history of these rifles is unclear). Somehow, the bore looks brand new though. So I have a nice rifle that has some history and should also make a great shooter!Quote:
Originally Posted by smle addict
Are EFD rifles still trading ? I had heard that Geoffrey had passed away; maybe someone could confirm that or correct me if I'm wrong.
Their website was completely static for a while so I have not looked recently. Bought some stuff from them a few years ago though.
Yes, IIRC Geoffrey passed away last year from leukaemia, sadly. However, his colleague Paul Panagi has continued the business, but I think he may have changed the name to 'Enfield Guns' or similar. Try googling that & I suspect you'll find him. I've certainly done business with him within the last couple of months.
I don't think Paul Panagi stocks any Mk.V spares anymore but could be wrong.
I agree with the previous contributors (and I do actually have a Mk.V myself): all looks OK apart from the front band. This can be described as "pure unobtanium" and a reasonable job has been done with the replacement. So don't fret about getting an original.
As already posted: relax and enjoy! My Mk.V was functionally new, but well dinged from being shunted around for decades. Yours may well be the same, i.e. the internal condition will be a lot better than the surface of the wood leads to to expect.
A point to check: the foresight blade has a stake mark that no longer matches the mounting block. As the sights would have originally been set up quite carefully - with service ammo - before the mark was applied, this suggests that the backsight moved at some time and the blade was drifted to compensate.
On my "shunted" example, the rather flimsy backsight ladder had been knocked skewy, and it took a bit of patience to straighten it out. Check that the (rather fragile) arms of the ladder are still dead straight and parallel AND square to the front end (i.e. not a parallelogram shape). You need a proper engineer's square for this - unaided eyeballs are not good enough.
On your example the slider also seems to be skewy, which is an indication that it is loose. With GREAT care you can pinch the slider slots a gnat's whisker or two, so that it is a closer fit to the ladder, and this might put the aiming point back (or at least closer) to where it was originally.
We had pics here of one of these carried by some foreign individual once...NVA? Arab Emirate? I just forget...it was an interesting post...Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparkybond007
Yes, I remember that, Jim. It was NVA or Viet Cong.
I’ve seen a photo of a Home Guard sergeant carrying one on patrol, the two privates with him had No1s or P14s, I forget which.
Pic 6 you can just see the N on the butt socket....... Nice rifle, I'm a big fan of the MkV, I was going to concentrate on just MkV,s but once the No4T come along and Then L42, the collecting had a change of direction.
I really appreciate all the advice. I’ll have to check out what you’ve mentioned!Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Chadwick
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What does the “N” mean?Quote:
Originally Posted by bigduke6
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Yes, I have seen that picture. That just adds to the possibilities of where these rifles could have been. It’s very interesting.Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
Naval Service AFAIK, Its the first No1 MkV I've seen with the N that I can remember.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparkybond007
There is a business (Blackley & Son) in the UK that makes and sells raw castings of many different rare antique barrel bands. They do list one for the Mk.V
Some work involved to finish them but nothing that cant be done by hand at the bench. But yours looks so close and appears to be a nice fit and functional.
Quote:
Originally Posted by englishman_ca
The band I got from them was awful, not the correct width or fit, probably a bad casting and I waited for what seemed a lifetime for it, they do some good stuff but I'm afraid their MkV bands are only fit for the bin.........
In conjunction with the frequently missing top band, this makes me wonder if they were considered to be more or less No.1's for all intents and purposes and doled out as such? The "irregular" upper bands might have been removed as part of that process; informally or just on the initiative of officers or armourers?Quote:
Originally Posted by gsimmons
How else does one explain the Viet Cong, South Africa and the Home Guard? Every rifle was needed post-Dunkirk and if they were sitting about in stores...
I talked with Mark Thorp, the EFD U.S. associate just the other day. He gave me some interesting info. They are still "EFD", not Enfield Guns. He stated that they still have parts, and are still shipping approximately once per week - old orders being prioritized. The plan is to resume business in the next few months, as his UK associate had to go out of country for a while. According to Mark, he brought back samples of their stocks on his last UK trip, and he is going to try and source their manufacture here. Unless their fortunes change, it sounds like their products will be available again, on 2019.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Payne
I've had Geoffrey's son in contact with me on a few occasions, & judging by what has transacted, I suspect he may be intending to continue the EFD business himself. Not sure where Geoffrey's former partner now fits in though - perhaps he alone is 'Enfield Guns'?? I must ask......!
Paul Panagi and EFD parted company before Geoffrey died and I don't think it was on the best of terms, Paul now trades as Enfield Guns and he is at all of the Bisley shows his website is Enfieldguns.comQuote:
Originally Posted by Roger Payne