New child adopted today. Lithgow No2 Mk IV. .22 Trainer.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Any of the Ennfield experts care to offer opinions on my newest child?
Numbers seem to match. No apparent import markings.
Any input on the history, markings, correctness and value would be appreciated.
Seems to be in nice condition with beautiful figuring on the wood. Is this coach wood?

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Information

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[Bruce_in_Oz]

I learned to shoot PROPERLY with one of those, courtesy of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Somewhere in a folder, I still have some of the special "miniature" targets we used for grouping practice at 25yards.

Great trainer; proper weight and sight picture, not much recoil. I was mystified about the lack of a working magazine; (the empty mag box caught the fired cases and kept the range tidy). The instructor simply told me that the idea was to learn to shoot properly, not quickly. Point taken! Once you did what he said, some of these beasties would produce ragged, one-hole groups. The ammo was standard velocity lubed lead stuff, if I remember correctly. (It was the early 1970s).

[paulseamus]

Interesting SMLE.

Looks to me that the receiver was manufactured in 1943 as per the stamping on reciever base.

The 12 44 on the butt indicates that it was assembled into a rifle in 1944.

This is also supported by the E serial number. My No1 Mk III* is E1325 has a 1942 receiver but was assembled in 1943. Assembly was at the Orange Factory (MAO) rather than at Lithgow.

The 9/48 on the butt reflects when the rifle went through FTR and conversion to .22. Which is supported by the stamping of the No2 MkIV.

The HV stamp indicates that it was sighted orinially for high velocity ammunition.

Back in the early 70's my father was the OIC of the RAAF Air Cadets in WA. I remember the boot of his car being loaded with lots of these rifles when he was taking the cadets down to the local sports oval for training.

Funny how things have changed. Back then it was normal to see cadets firing through terracotta pipes at targets on the local oval.

Unfortunately the whitlam Government scapped the whole Cadet program just prior to me being old enough to join. At the time i was so pis__d off. Had to join the Scouts instead!

Hope this helps.

Paul

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Thanks for the helpful backstory and biography. I will print this post and add to my file on this weapon. Shot her a few times today. Nice!
Any opinions on the type of wood and the value would be helpful. I do not buy for resale but it is nice to know how you did and establish a baseline for my records.

[A square 10]

beautiful example , these are some of my favorite enfeilds and they shoot so cheaply too

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

An additional question. The magizine to this rifle is coded 22. I am not familiar with the magazine (release ?) lever in the photo. Is this specific to the .22 conversions? Purpose?
Attachment 30692

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Another sorry!

---------- Post added at 07:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:40 PM ----------

An additional question. The magizine to this rifle is coded 22. I am not familiar with the magazine (release ?) lever in the photo. Is this specific to the .22 conversions? Purpose?
Attachment 30692

[Bruce_in_Oz]

The magazine case appears to be a "No.3" pattern introduced as the first magazine specifically for the Mk7 .303 ball ammo There was originally a number "3" stamped into the back rib. Many of these magazine cases are themselves converted from earlier No1 and No2 cases.

It was superseded by the more familiar "No4" case which did away with the riveted stop clip at the front right and spring lip on the LHS. All of this magazine fiddling was a result of the introduction of the "pointy" Mk7 ammo, which would not feed properly from a magazine set up for the old Mk6 and earlier round-nosed stuff. Another example of the rifle being built / adapted to the ammo, not the other way round.

On a No.2, being a single shot, none of this matters as the (empty) magazine case is just there to catch the fired .22 brass and keep rubbish out of the action.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I understand the mag is a "brass repository" on this rifle but curious about the purpose of the hindged bit in the right of the mag .Just curious.

[muffett.2008]

Just an early method of removing the floorplate and spring, later floorplates were cut away to allow them to slip past the front lips when the rear was depressed.