Buy the rifle not the story!!!!!

[Roger Payne]

I agree with you Jim. I have been rebuilding Enfields to return them to serviceable condition for 35 years now (yes, frightening how time passes by, isn't it?!), & I have no argument with that at all. Indeed, as mentioned before Dave T & I bought about 140 partly stripped No4 T's back in the 1990's & we had a little cottage industry going of rebuilding them one at a time for about ten years, & still being able to move on the rebuilt rifles at a reasonable price by the standards of the time. We did get some tyre kickers moaning about parts not being 'as the rifle left the factory', & 'yeah, but you've rebuilt it!', but what the XXXX did they expect me to do with them, buy them to scrap them (as you alluded to)? A rebuilt but genuine rifle is less desirable to many collectors than one in pristine condition, but it is far better than not having one at all, especially when it is priced commensurately.

I think where criticism may be justified (& I'm speaking generally now, & not about any current outfit in particular), is the unnecessary replacement of parts just to make a rifle look 'better'. The late Ma Parker was a terror for doing this (bless her soul). I think perhaps she could justify her astronomical prices by stating that a rifle had had various new parts fitted & had been re-blued to new condition. Many a good honest rifle was ruined that way.

In short, my view is 'If you don't NEED to then don't. If you NEED to then do'. I don't think any fair minded person can then reasonably criticise you - at least not with any validity.