The RFI No. 4 Mk.I* Enfield

[Promo]

Well, at least a bit of RFI. It is a FR, so Factory Repair (or Rebuild?) for what Roger told me. Still, this was the first time I've seen one of those which wasn't a sniper rifle. But it is serialized in the same fashion as the sniper rifles, with a 0 prefix serial. I wonder if they were all intended for the sniper program, but the higher serials actually never got converted?


It seems NOS condition (and was in grease when I got them), but lacks the stock and magazine guard. Having picked up two of them (the other one identically marked but with different serial; the other one though carries the simplifed flip rear sight) the other one a fellow member asked upon and I plan to drop it with him the next time I'm visiting him.

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[CINDERS]

Looks like they linished just about all the inspection stamps from the receiver. I saw from write ups those types of rear sight the adjusting catch was prone to being snapped got plans to put a Singer on it Promo!

[limpetmine]

I have one similar. Scrubbed of every above wood makers mark, re-stamped RFI as yours is. I've never heard these were to be sniper conversions. Mine is complete in wood, as I bought it.

[Roger Payne]

Interesting that it has had the full cosmetic refurb complete with the linishing of originalmmarkings & the addition of the new RFI markings on the RHS of the butt socket, SMLE style, yet has NOT been converted to a Mk1/3 hung trigger configuration & is not a T. I've seen quite a lot of 4T's that have been through Indian service now, but of those snipers ONLY those converted to the hung trigger were extensively refinished like the rifle in question here. From what I've noticed Indian issued 4T's still in Mk1 guise seem to retain all of their original WW2 era markings (though may have a few extra as well, down to the Indians).

[Lee Enfield]

Well, at least a bit of RFI. It is a FR, so Factory Repair (or Rebuild?) for what Roger told me. Still, this was the first time I've seen one of those which wasn't a sniper rifle. But it is serialized in the same fashion as the sniper rifles, with a 0 prefix serial. I wonder if they were all intended for the sniper program, but the higher serials actually never got converted?


It seems NOS condition (and was in grease when I got them), but lacks the stock and magazine guard. Having picked up two of them (the other one identically marked but with different serial; the other one though carries the simplifed flip rear sight) the other one a fellow member asked upon and I plan to drop it with him the next time I'm visiting him.

I've had at least 2 "standard No4MkI* rifles "linished and remarked by RFI.

Off the top of my head I cannot recall the date(s) engraved on the right butt socket(s), but I believe they were mid 1960s - both were originally Savage rifles (like yours).

[Roger Payne]

Interesting. I'd only come across 4T's that were so extensively reworked, & even then, only those they converted to Mk1/2 or Mk1/3. The date on Promo's barrelled action is in the same range as the others I've seen. All were dated either 1962 or 1963.

[Surpmil]

From all the non-standard bodgery on display, I have trouble believing this was not made in a workshop on the Northwest Frontier. Were it not for the apparently genuine stamps on the barrel, I would say it was!

"Rough" hardly begins to describe it - I guess there could be a receiver, from the darkest and sloppiest days of WWII in there, but what about the weird profiles and that incredible backsight!

At some point they seem to have eliminated letter suffixes from their serial numbers.

[Alan de Enfield]

Maybe I'm missing something, but what is wrong with the gas vent ?





My 1942 Savage has very similar, and, the Model marking fonts are not hugely dissimilar :

[Roger Payne]

I'm afraid to say that the workmanship looks pretty typical to me of these reworks. Many years ago Charnwood bought fifty of the Indian refurbished No4 Mk1/2 T's & they were much the same. They were at least reasonably priced, & I bought several just to get the Mk3 scopes off them! (Most if not all were mis-matched).

[Surpmil]

Maybe I'm missing something, but what is wrong with the gas vent ?

My 1942 Savage has very similar, and, the Model marking fonts are not hugely dissimilar :

I don't recall seeing such a burr around the edge on any No.4, but perhaps they reamed the hole out again for "good measure"?

Have certainly never noticed that concave profile under the backsight axis pin hole before either...