Need Info on a rare Lee Enfield No4 Mk1 POL OLD

[Kohr Varik]

I try to get the most information on a unusual rifle I just bought from someone that didn't have a clue regarding the marking " POL OLD "

So far, thank to a very knowledgeable person who is also member of this site, I gather this info regarding the rifle.

POL OLD would be POLIZEI OLDENBURG, meaning a British-made rifle supplied to German police in the immediate post-War period.

" The grooved upper handguard, the ROUND cocking-piece and the actual Bolt-head Release all are pointers toward a very early rifle. All of these features disappeared in the rush in WW2. They were part of the design, but these parts were done away with because they took time and money. The grooves in the handguard just were not cut: faster and cheaper and easier to finish. The ROUND Cocking-piece was replaced by the faster-to-make and cheaper flat Cocking-piece. The right side of the Body (Receiver) got a CUT for releasing the Bolt-head and the Screw and Spring-catch were done away with, along with the time to machine them. Early rifles are SCARCE.

The Police markings, though, would have come from an even SMALLER batch of rifles. When the British armed the German Police after the War, they contributed any rifle they had which was useful and at hand. There was no effort to supply rifles of any particular make or model: just rifles.... and not very many of them, either. Police don't have a lot of use for full-power rifles.

The Americans tended to supply German Police with M-1 Carbines; I have seen one marked LP-WB: Landespolizei Wurttemberg: Wurttemberg State Police. I would think that the police in a place such as Oldenburg MIGHT have received as many as 50 or 100 rifles, but certainly no more.

It is entirely possible that your rifle is the only one of its exact type ever to have those markings.

Ian Skennerton is a member on that board (as am I) and I am sure that he would love to see the photos."
I shall keep my source anonymous unless he's OK with the fact I can mention is name

There a 640 under the POL OLD marking and a 619 on the Magazine ( same batch for Oldenburg, mixed magazine ? )

The serial even if it's small ( S37171), it looks like the S3 has been add later. Or maybe the first part " S3 " is electro-penciled and the " 7171 " is stamped. Can it really be a 1945 with that little serial # ? Or it was refurbished in 1945 ?

All pointed to a BSA rifle, except the Front sight blade is Longbranch and the Magazine appears the to be a Savage one, re-stamp B ( for BSA )

Any info on this will be greatly appreciated.

Andre

Information

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