.22 Enfields, lots of .22's

[Lance]

.22’s the variations are endless. With COVID keeping us at home I have coped with the depression by hunting for rifles and over the last half-year, a bunch of interesting .22’s have appeared. My self-control has been weak and five have come to spend some time in my collection.

The first rifle is an uncommon .22 Short Mark II, converted most likely at the Naval Armour level as it is undated and without the “Enfield” identifier for the converter; the barrel is ’23 dated. Adding to its uniqueness is the fact it is now fitted with a Cooey Model 10 rear sight and it was originally a Commercial LSA MLM Mk II.

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[Lance]

The second rifle is common but not without a little uniqueness. Originally a 1918 SSA she ended up down under after The Great War and after serving through another world war it was rebuilt at Lithgow in 1947 to a Rifle No. 2 Mk IV*. The SSA stamp is light and has an “X” stamped over it. Unfortunately, the original butt was replaced during the rebuild and the Australian rack number assigned to it is barely readable on the body.

[Lance]

Rifle number three is another unusual variation, a Rifle No. 2 Mk IV* converted from a 1917 Enfield Mark III* it has a high-quality body-mounted Rifle No. 4 sight. The mount has no markings to hint at its origin: the present barrel is 1940 dated. A few other collectors have identical mounts, all fitted with early Savage or Long Branch sights making me think it was done professionally at the armour level to simulate the Rifle No. 4 sight system.

[Lance]

Rifle number four obviously is yet another unusual variation of the Rifle No. 2 Mk IV*. Converted from a 1915 BSA SMLE Mk III to a .22 Pattern ’14 No. 2 during The Great War it also traveled at the end of the war, this time to NZ. When it was first upgraded to a Rifle No. 2 Mk IV* is unknown (marking disc hole has been filled,, NZ did a huge .22 rebuild in the early-mid 1920’s when they upgraded many .22 Short Mk III’s to Mk IV* status). The current solid barrel is NZ ’27 dated but on the reverse side is “NB 2/41”, new barrel Feb. 1941? It appears that when it was rebarreled from the original tubed barrel the rear sight was transferred over as it still has the 25-yard line.

[Lance]

Final new girl to the stable another unusual variation of the Rifle No. 2 Mk IV*, the Cadet modification. Originally a 1909 Enfield SMLE Mark III it entered NZ service in 1911 and given the number 5283. Most likely she served as a battle rifle through both wars and was converted to a Rifle No. 2 Mk IV* during the 1920’s NZ .22 rebuild program. The barrel is ’27 dated with NZ marks. Later this rifle was converted for youth use in some cadet programs as there are other examples that are of similar design. Significantly lightened with the shortening of the fore-end, shortening the butt to bantam length, and thinning of the buttstock, the standard rear sight was removed, and a simple peep sight

[browningautorifle]

Love the full size .22 rifles. They shoot like a dream and look great too.

[Ovidio]

Lance, you might want to look for an Italian variant, made in the Terni arsenal.
It mounts the M1 Garand sights.
Very nice setup.
I’ll have one sooner or later.

[Lance]

Lance, you might want to look for an Italian variant, made in the Terni arsenal.
It mounts the M1 Garand sights.
Very nice setup.
I’ll have one sooner or later.

I would love to find one! Please find two I will take the one you do not like.

[Brian B]

Thanks for sharing the new finds with us Lance!! Beautiful rifles!!

[Singer B]

Glad you are only "hunting" rifles! At the rate you are going, if you were hunting animals, they would be extinct. Awesome finds and congrats!