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.
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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!
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What does the “N” mean?
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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.
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.
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?
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.
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......!