Italian Navy Enfields

[Simon P]

Just got this one come in this afternoon, Ex-Italian Navy SMLE with Italian FAT (Terni arsenal) Marks.

I have had quite a few of these Italian Naval Enfield's and this is the first I have seen with an actual Italian Arsenal stamp

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Information

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[limpetmine]

Lots of nice Enfields tucked away over there. From what I've to understand, we'll never see them on this side of the pond.

[Simon P]

A lot are being restricted to 5 shot because of a change in Italian gun laws

[browningautorifle]

Is that beech on the front end of that one?

[Colonel Enfield]

Lots of nice Enfields tucked away over there. From what I've to understand, we'll never see them on this side of the pond.

How come?

[limpetmine]

What I was told was their asking price, the cost of shipment, fees, governmental noisemaking, makes the end cost much more than the market will bear.

[Simon P]

Is that beech on the front end of that one?

I think it is, I have had around 50 or so of these Italian Navy rifles and they all come in absolutely caked in cosmoline type of preserver. It can take days to clean a batch of these rifles.

[browningautorifle]

I don't recall seeing a #1Mk3 dressed in Beech...before. I'm aware the Aussies used virtually all wood from white to black, but this is the first one of these I've seen.

[Brian Dick]

Beech was used quite a bit during WWII or post WWII FTR. A good portion of all SMLE production were restocked at some point over they're long carriers.

Limpetmine has the answer why they haven't been imported in quantity to the USA. If I was rich I'd buy up a bunch and sit on them until reality struck the collecting public here in the USA. Unfortunately, it ain't the case! I looked at a bunch of wartime No.4's a few years ago, all original, British WWII issue that had never seen full blown FTR. Some had mismatch bolts but all were in spec and in nice shape. I left them alone for the same reason. Checked on them a year or so later and the prices had increased some more!

---------- Post added at 10:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:30 AM ----------

Oops, typo. Should read "their".

[Simon P]

What I like about the Italian ones is the fact they are genuine military surplus and are in original military condition, free from any DIY gunsmith who has tinkered with them, they all have dents & bruises but are honest.

I sold a really nice one to a club member who immediately stripped it polished the brass butt plate and sanded the wood removing all the originality & inspectors marks then varnished it.........then brought it to the next shoot to show of his restored rifle.