What gun to get next?

[Seaspriter]

What sort of things should i look for on a Lee-Enfield to ensure that i am not overpaying or being taken advantage of?

what sort of markings show that it is a WWII rifle, and how can i ensure that it will continue to be a good shooter for a few more decades?

All the Lee Enfields are marked with a date -- that will tell you if they were war issue. All Canadian and American Enfields were made only during the war. A few of the British models were made after the war, but are clearly marked with post war dates.

To be sure its a good shooter, be sure the barrel is not worn out, bent, or bulged. Either have a gunsmith check the wear, or you can use a bullet in the muzzle to see if at least 3/16ths of an inch is exposed (Captain Laidler is wincing, maybe screaming, and definitely chastising me for even thinking this way -- he says a barrel gauge is the ONLY way -- but most of us don't own barrel gauges -- sorry Peter, I don't mean to get your dander up, not really).

The reason I like the FR & FTR guns is because an Armourer, at the end (or close to the end) of the war, determined all the parts in the gun had 80% life span left. Some of these FR & FTR guns were used in the Korean and Middle Eastern conflicts and got pretty banged up, but many just sat in a warehouse; you can usually tell by the wear on the stocks and metalwork. Be selective -- wait, watch, and buy only when you see good quality first -- even if you have pay a little more. The cheapest gun is seldom the best value.

---------- Post added at 12:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 AM ----------

my next deployment overseas

Good luck on your deployment. (Did that a few times myself in a former life).