A pair of Lee Enfield; SMLE, and No4Mk2 sporter (Whitworth)
Finished a couple of refurb jobs recently. One is a 1917 SMLE; pretty typical refurb; slight colour difference between the butt / rear handguard and the forend / front handguard; I should work harder on this type of detail!
The second one is a sporterized No4Mk2, with the mention "Whitworth rifle company". Even with chipping varnish, I had to use a wood scraper to get the varnish off once soaked with wood stripper, so it took a bit longer than usual. I used tung oil for refinishing the wood, I had some good quality tung oil lying around so might as well use it. I also reblued the barrel, receiver and trigger guard.
I probably will keep this sporter, I like the way it looks. Now I hope it shoots well too...
Lou
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...hitworth-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...thNo4Mk2-1.jpg
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Give your sporter a fair trial!
louthepou, I hope the Enfield collectors aren't reading this, but in my experience, Enfields can sometimes shoot better in that state (which is basically similar to the Enforcers/Envoys etc). It avoids all that fretting about fore-end pressure, changes in the weather, phases of the moon etc.
In fact, I have an Enfield MkI NoV that shoots best with everything removed in front of the trigger guard (apart from the fore-end wood) - no handguard, nosecap, barrel bands, springs etc. But it just looks awful! So I reassembled it without the springs. And that was still better than with them.
I have a regular No. 8 that is a fine shooter. But about 6 weeks ago a dealer had a No. 8 that had been sporterized, like your No. 4. Sacrilege, of course, and I had intended to plunder it for parts. But I tried it out, and it is the most accurate shooter at 50 meters that I have ever had. 5 shots - one hole. As I thought that was a fluke, like a golfer's hole in one, I gave it to another club member to try. Once more - five shots - one hole. So it's a keeper.
I wanted to put it back in original condition, but a certain supplier of spares who is well known on the Enfield forum has not yet managed to reply to my inquiry, four weeks after 2 telephone calls and an e-mailed list.
So give the sporter a proper trial - it may surprise you!
Patrick
P.S. I scanned the target. Now I have to go and learn again how to post a picture!
Got it. Not bad for a 40 euro rifle?