anyone seen this? Wonder what it will go for?
Extremely Rare Prototype British Lee-Enfield Rifle - Bolt Action Rifles at GunBroker.com : 793001239
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anyone seen this? Wonder what it will go for?
Extremely Rare Prototype British Lee-Enfield Rifle - Bolt Action Rifles at GunBroker.com : 793001239
I'd like to shoot it but wouldn't want one on issue. Should go high...
There was one in the last Rock Island Auction. Ended up going for $5,500 before buyer's premium.
I am very sure this IS the rifle from RIA, note the identical light bottom of the butt stock: World War II British Enfield Bolt Action Prototype Light-Rifle Firearms Auction Lot-2626
Judging by the staining on the left side of the front band, and the damage to the right side of the forend and handguard, you are correct, it is the same gun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Promo
the one which I examined (sorry for the crappy photos, all I had was my phone and poor light)in 2013 is a different gun - this one in Canada:
Attachment 97656
you can clearly see one of the rivets holding the barrel extension into place.
It seems they used a similar system to the Sten Mk2 barrel trunnion (riveted into place on early and British guns).
Attachment 97657[
So the barrel screws into the collar which is riveted to the receiver, and the bolt locks to that?
Huh, I think you're right about it being the same one. It'll be curious to see if they make their money back...
What a bleedin' waste of time that was for 1942. Still, the planning was probably done in 1940 or 41, and so they carried merrily on regardless. Somehow I can't see a third (fourth if you include the P14s and M17s) rifle being put into the production, supply and maintenance streams actually being of much use in any scenario!
But then they were amusing themselves with the Ainley instead of a practical sniper rifle while Hitler annexed Czechoslovakia, when what was really needed was something like the scope Dr. Common proposed forty years earlier and which finally arrived in obviously updated form as the SUSAT of the 1970s?
Perhaps they should have put the experimental chaps to work converting No4(T)s since they had thousands of No32s sitting in store waiting to be fitted, and divisions waiting and waiting to receive them. (Why they didn't just ship them over to Long Branch in some of the many empty ships sailing west is another mystery)
Meanwhile the Soviets fielded tens of thousands of well-trained and well-equipped snipers and must have extinguished the equivalent of a dozen German divisions of their most valuable personnel. Good thing someone did.
One of the surprising things about war, even wars in which a country is threatened with invasion and dissolution, is how most of those who are sluggards in peace time continue to be sluggards in war time, and sadly many of them are in leadership positions.
More than five were made as my rifle has bayonet No. 7.
It originally sold for $ 5750 at RIA and again at $ 5825 via gunbroker. So he didn‘t win much on this rifle.
Especially when you tack on the ~$900 in buyer's premium on top of that $5750...Quote:
Originally Posted by Promo