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Looking for information on Enfield Enforcer 502. I am told it was a RUC Marksman rifle before being surpluses and imported into the US by John Appleton LTD some 20 years ago. It has some unusual features, like a set of pads for an IWS bracket as well as standard mounting for a Pecar. Also it came to in an L42a1 chest with full CES. the rifle was displayed for a time at the NRA museum in Fairfax Va.
Quote:
Originally Posted by snipershot1944
The Enfield sales ledgers show that rifle 502 was one of 31 Enforcers purchased by the Northern Ireland Police Force.
No502 was shipped on the 24th March 1977 under advice/inspection note number 430396/1
(It appears to have been a 'standard' Enforcer when it left Enfield).
I wonder if it had been 'played with by a civilian owner making a 'wannabe L42A1' - or, did the local Police Armourer 'acquire' a load of L42 parts (How ?) and make himself an L42A1 'look alike' ?
If you are looking to buy - buy it for what it is, not what it is alleged to be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield
Understood. I am told two rifles were set up for night work by RUC with IWS. Appleton bought several Enforcers to the US including 007 which I used to own This rifle came to him with L42 pads, in an L42 chest.
Thanks for the intel.
Quote:
Originally Posted by snipershot1944
#007 was purchased by Anglia Police (Eastern England) and was shipped to them 3rd April 1974 on Advice / Inspection Note #444151/16 It is seemingly the only Enforcer purchased by them, although, 2 further Enforcers were purchased by "Mid Anglia Police" (#005 and #172)
007 is one sale I regret. But 502 fills in nicely.
I’d post pics if someone tells me how.
hit 'go advanced', then add the attachment and post.Quote:
Originally Posted by snipershot1944
Its easier on a desktop PC, bit of a fiddle on a phone, but still doable.
I would be interested to see the pics...
I collected the lot and brought them to Police HQ Huntingdon. Still have them recorded. Cambridge City had the most consecutive rifles at 15 mostly bought in 1974 at amalgamation from various Force titles..........Mid Anglia/Ely City/Peterborough City/Soke of Peterborough/Cambridge City/Cambridge County. One Force Cambridgeshire Constabulary.;)
Let’s try this
Enforcer 502 - Album on Imgur
Cheers Snipershot, very interesting, I'm trying to get my head around why someone would add the No32 bracket pads to an Enforcer. Curious thing to so to one of the rarest of the scoped Enfield's...
Is it possible it was set up this way at Enfield as a special police order??
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrclark303
My records show it was a 'standard' Enforcer when it left Parker Hale / Enfield & was supplied without a scope or a bipod.
From what has been said above, assuming it to be correct, I would think the pads were fitted so as to permit an IWS bracket (& hence night vision equipment) to be attached.
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Originally Posted by Roger Payne
It just makes me wonder how a Police force got hold of a full L42A1 CES
The mystery deepens chaps..
It's possibly worth having a close look at the pads to see if they are genuine and fitted by Enfied?
I'll bet they were fitted locally in Northern Ireland. They may be new made or at least the rear pad is likely to have been modified to fit the angled 'shelf' immediately above the wood line on the late No4 bodies. Only the later Long Branch 4T's were set up on similar rifle bodies.
Perhaps this will help shed some light on the questions. Note both pads show that they were previously staked.
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
So the scope and the CES ARE a "civilian put together" and not part of the Enforcers life in the Police force.
The fact that the Police required a night-use marksmans rifle makes sense and I can see that the addition of the pads to allow the use of the L42 night sight bracket could well have been done by the Police Armourer.
It was the rest of the bits and pieces that made the story unlikely, but from your 'provinence letter' it is obvious that they were not related directly to the rifle.
Did you get the IWS scope mount with it ?
This is very interesting, wouldn't an armourer have re staked the pads?
It's amazing that after all the thousands of threads and vast amounts of information we've seen here over the years, we can throw up new and very interesting oddities!
It did come with an original IWS Mount.
My understanding is that the rifle was sold by the importer with just the Pecar and Pecar Mounts, and chest. The chest is not marked with the customary military markings one would expect to see.
I saw several of the Enforcers imported by Appleton as his shop was nearby. Most were in civilian chests. This was the only one in a military chest.
I'm sure if the user wanted one badly enough a way would have been found to acquire one (transit chest), either officially or otherwise, from within the system. When my friend & I were invited along to Charnwood ordnance when they purchased a substantial number of the surviving L42's in the mid 1990's there was a small number of surplus transit chests amongst the rifles & other bits & pieces. IIRC most of the surplus chests were unissued & had larger than the norm finger joints at the corners. I think I still have one in the attic somewhere.
I know (regrettably not well) an ex British Army & RUC armourer. Unfortunately I only meet up with him four times a year at arms fairs, but if I can remember when I next see him (& remembering is a tough one!) I will ask about Enforcers with pads fitted, just in case he has any knowledge.
In addition to the three Enforcers I’ve owned, I’ve had 5-6 L42 a1 rifles. Some had a few accessories in the chest. Most did not. It was always an effort to fill the chest.
In addition to the three Enforcers I’ve owned, I’ve had 5-6 L42 a1 rifles over time. Some had a few accessories in the chest. Most did not. It was always an effort to fill the chest. The IWS bracket was missing except for one rifle I bought from a Navy Arms sales executive who hand selected the rifle when their lot came into the country.
The one in my collection now came from a dealer who was a friend of Val Forgett Sr who owned Navy Arms snd imported the largest lot of L42 rifles. It had a few accessories, and I finally completed the CES several years ago.
There were advantages to living only 35 miles from the Navy Arms warehouse, and John Appleton Ltd back in the good old days.
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Originally Posted by snipershot1944
As you probably know the L42A1 was originally not allowed to be disposed of /sold into the UK civilian gun-market, mine was actually imported in to the US by Val and was then re-exported back to the UK with a complete CES. (I added the watch).
That's a fine bit of kit you have there Alan de Enfield!!