Help ID what I think is an enfield

[onefish]

Hello,
I am new to the group. I got lucky yesterday and found what I believe to be an Enfield. Could anyone help me ID this rifle and possibly give an idea of value?

The details are:
It is a sporter
on the right side of the gun it says "enfield 1892 II"
on the left side it just a an "N" stamped on it
It has the numbers 6445 stamped on the top in two places
The sight is a Redfield
The recoil pad has Ellwood Epps on it

Is there any other info needed to identify?
Sorry my camera is not so good.

Thanks for the help.
Dave

Information

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[Thunderbox]

Cripes! Did you find it during a scuba-diving trip....?!

It is a sporterised version of a military Lee Metford MkII. Looks like it was quite a nice rifle at one time.

[onefish]

Actually I found it in the ditch behind my house.

The police ran the number and said it was ok for me to keep.
It looks worse in the pics but it was underwater for some time.

Thanks

[onefish]

I was looking at pics of the Lee Metford and it doesn't have the same little safety latch on the back of the slide.

[Thunderbox]

Your rifle could be based on a Lee Metford MkII*, which first used the bolt safety. Is there a "*" somewhere under the gunk?

Alternatively, this type of safety was quite popular on sporting conversions and target rifles, so it was common for gunsmiths to fit this type of bolt to all types of Long Lee and renumber it to match the rifle.

[louthepou]

Onefish, that's one cool find!

There is definitely a bit of cleaning needed Fun project. If you're careful you could clean it, take it apart; I wonder if all the screws will move. Where are you located, on this planet? Elwood Epps is still open for business near Orillia, ON.

Lou

[bearhunter]

Epps is still in business, the fellow that started it though and is most likely the smith that did the conversion recently passed away.
Elwood was a great guy, sometimes a bit cantankerous, depending on his arthritis and a lover of anything that went bang or boom. His rifles are even mentioned in "Frank DeHaas, Bolt action Rifles".
Elwood had a real love affair with the 303 British and the rifles it was chambered in. He made up several wildcats on the cartridge, some were even his own design.
That rifle will be a very nice little sporter with approximately the same power range as a 308 Winchester.

Very nice find, I hope the bore is still good. I would also clean the grunge off it at first opportunity. Probably don't have to tell you that though.

When and if you decide to take the butt stock off, make sure you take the fore end stock off first. Unless the smith took care of the square ends on the stock bolt, you will split the fore end when turning the stock bolt.
Another little tip, after you run a few patches down the bore, soak a patch in your solvent, then sprinkle a little baking soda on the saturated patch and run it through the bore. It will really help to loosen up the crud that may be left behind. Baking soda is great stuff in bores, it isn't abrasive and will leave the finish shiney, if it isn't already pitted.