Article: 1955 No.4 Mk2 Enfield Rifle (Still Wrapped)

[Badger]

You can view the page at https://www.milsurps.com/content.php...Still-Wrapped)

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Charon]

I want one.

[Basharnets]

Do u consider selling this baby? I will pay u good money

[WooDoggie]

I want one.

Have one!
I have the Long Butt version C.R. 17 GA. Manufactured in June 1955. Mine also came in the "onion paper" and cosmoline. Took awhile to clean, but the gun is a real beauty! I've shot 21 rounds thru it. I debated about keeping it without firing it, but come on..... who buys a toy and doesn't use it?? It came with a really cool bayonet. I believe I paid $200 for it back in 1995.

Badger- what is the overall length of your rifle? Mine is 44 7/8". I'm wondering what the length difference is between the two.

[rrengineer]

I have one of these I bought back in 1998. I too had a hard time deciding to leave it in the wrapping to preserve the value or shoot it. In the end I unwrapped it and shot it. They are absolutely beautiful rifles when new like this. If you have shot older Enfields that have been around and much used, it is a completely different experience shooting a brand new gun. My gun is dead nuts accurate at almost any distance. If you can see it, you can hit it. The blond wood contrasted against the black parkerizing and accented with the almost chrome like metal "in the white" makes this the prettiest gun I have by far. By the way, I paid $169 for mine back then here in Southern California. There has been less than 100 rounds through it and it still looks like I just unwrapped it.
Mike

[Gaffee]

Looking for one

[mikero]

I bought one earlier this year, already opened but not cleaned. I shot it because I believe that its disrespectful to the craftsmen who built it to leave it unfired. Anyone who wants to shoot a new Lee Enfield is welcome, I'm in SLC Utah, drop me a line, Mike

[cheddarbob]

Mine is still wrapped and I've been considering the unwrap process. The stamp on it says CR. 18GA, Normal Butt, FAZ June 1955, NEW. Would there be a difference physically or any other, in the May or June editions?

[Woogyeman]

I remember when I got mine home. I looked at the packaging, Thought about other items I got that were sealed in Cosmo, carefully slid it onto the bed thought about it for the night and when I woke up in the morning started picking cosmo lol. By noon I was home with my deer, and it is the only shot ever been fired with it. I wound up paying $115.00 for mine in '95. Got plenty of Ammo for it, just felt it needed to be shot at least once to honour those craftsmen that built it as Mikero said.

[ssgross]

I know it's been 6 years since the last comment...but I just one. They are way more expensive now that $115 in 1995, especially in todays pandemic market. I did at least pay far less than pandemic price. I am debating unwrapping as well, and my gut agrees with Badger - do I want to die like the last guy, never having enjoyed this rifle, or ever really seeing or handling it? It's like buying a new car...I know the value drops as soon as I drive it off the lot, but that is not why we buy new cars. Single owner cars are likely to fetch higher prices on the used market than multiple owner. If I unwrap it, I will put a letter in the buttstock "I am the original owner...my kids are...and they are the next owners. I don't yet know who my grandkids are, but they will hopefully be next..."
Besides, how many of these are sitting in somebody's safe or closet and already turned into rust buckets? The wrapper on mine was torn enough to get confirm serial no. at some point, and the the muzzle wore the paper at that end. My scope shows light surface rust (distinct from cosmoline) forming at the crown. I'm leaning towards unwrapping. I've done my due diligence, reading all sides of the argument for and against...there are many threads. I'm only posting here because I don't really want to relive all those arguments or discussions. I've decided to sleep on it a week, shoot my other well worn enfield, then make a decisive decision allowing my kids to weigh in.
Yes, Woogyeman, there is honor in sitting in a chair made a hundred years ago too. There is honor in yelling at your kids to not rock in it so hard. We honor these rifles by using and preserving, as well as by leaving some of them wrapped up. To each their own, no no fault or ill feelings from me either way towards anyone who decides for themselves what to do.