No4 7.62mm Sterling Conversion (1959)

[bigduke6]

I've a friend who is thinking of making a L42 replica from a No4 7.62mm Sterling Conversion, this has the sterling magazine and ejector fitted.

I've advised him not to convert this and look for a converted target rifle etc, just wondering about a price guide for the Sterling Converted No4 ?? in the UK.

Rifle is in excellent condition.

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[Alan de Enfield]

I've a friend who is thinking of making a L42 replica from a No4 7.62mm Sterling Conversion, this has the sterling magazine and ejector fitted.

I've advised him not to convert this and look for a converted target rifle etc, just wondering about a price guide for the Sterling Converted No4 ?? in the UK.

Rifle is in excellent condition.

Not sure if they have been sterling conversions but 7.62 No4's with Magazine at Newark tend to be getting around £200 + 25%
Some have been selling for less than the value of the magazine, I have bought a couple and left them for the auction house to scrap and just taken the mags. Its not a problem for 'you RFD's', just buy and scrap yourself stripping all parts you want to keep.

[bigduke6]

Thanks Alan, there were Sterling conversions and were marked Sterling, Regarding newark all depends what 7.62mm magazines are on the rifles, if its an L8 mag then price reflects it, although even on one of my last visits a No4 with a charnwood mag went for a considerable fee, not far off what I paid for my No4T.....

[Surpmil]

Not sure if they have been sterling conversions but 7.62 No4's with Magazine at Newark tend to be getting around £200 + 25%
Some have been selling for less than the value of the magazine, I have bought a couple and left them for the auction house to scrap and just taken the mags. Its not a problem for 'you RFD's', just buy and scrap yourself stripping all parts you want to keep.

Surely the barrels would be worth taking as well?

[Alan de Enfield]

Surely the barrels would be worth taking as well?

Not allowed in the UK unless you are a Registered Firearms Dealer (RFD) 'normal' firearms licence holders cannot 'just buy' pressure bearing components, without permission from the Police and an 'endorsement' added to your licence with "Authority to buy qty 1 303 barrel" but unless you are an RFD you are not allowed to take fireams apart and change things anyway. Once an RFD has applied a "new" barrel (or pressure bearing part) to an action it must be sent to the Proof House for testing.

DIY firearms building results in a Prison sentence.

[30Three]

slightly off topic Alan; but would you be able to replace a bolt head yourself? for head space etc. Would it officially require a new proof in the UK?
Is the Sterling conversion similar to the L39 from technical point of view? Barrel etc.

[Buccaneer]

slightly off topic Alan; but would you be able to replace a bolt head yourself? for head space etc. Would it officially require a new proof in the UK?

The simple answer is yes, if any pressure bearing part is replaced then the rifle should in theory go back for reproof as the replacement part will not have a proof mark on it. What happens in the real world though is anyone's guess.

[Alan de Enfield]

slightly off topic Alan; but would you be able to replace a bolt head yourself? for head space etc. Would it officially require a new proof in the UK?

I believe so (officially) it would need re-proof, but the question would arise "where did you get the bolt / bolt head from ?"

BigDuke is an RFD so probably knows the answer.

The strange thing is that as a private individual with a Shotgun Certificate (licence) I can have spare barrels etc without requiring permission, or, having them listed on my licence, traditionally shotguns have often been manufactured and sold with a 'spare set' of barrels.

Coincidentally I had a Lee Enfield No1 Mk3 in 410 shotgun AND still have a Lee Enfield No4 Mk1 in 410 shotgun, this means I can quite legally have a box of bolts and boltheads for adjusting headspace in them, but of course it would be illegal for me to possess them for use in the 303 rifle.

[browningautorifle]

it would be illegal for me to possess them for use in the 303 rifle.

Because they're so different. Interesting loophole.

[Alan de Enfield]

Because they're so different. Interesting loophole.

It was actually Peter Laidler that pointed it out to me after he had been in court as an 'expert witness' for the defence when the owner was accused of illegally holding rifle components without 'authority'.