Wrapped Enfield (Before and After)

[mack]

I noticed the post on pre-68 rifles in the wrap.

I have been actively purchasing Enfields since 1964 and I don't think I ever saw a mummified Enfield in this country prior to the release of the so-called Irish Contract rifles in the 90's.

The rifles sold before in this country were released milsurp stuff, often in excellent shape, but no where near the quality of the mummified rifles. Even the best of them were FTR'd rifles with no sign of storage wrappings.

My point is that I am not sure that the surplus Enfields were all THAT new prior to the Irish rifles.

BTW, I bought two of the wrapped rifles and both were outstanding. I would hesitate to buy a wrapped rifle today as all have had their wrappers breached for serial number inspections and, once the moisture is inside the wrapper, there is the potential for corrosion.

If you are saving a rifle for the potential of monetary return, sell it now and take your best price. Then put the money in savings (even at 1-2%) and make some real money. Firearms are a poor investment for making money, even collectible ones in fairly scarce supply. I can tell you that from my perspective with over 50 years of buying and selling, I would have been better off to have put the $14 I paid for my first Enfield in the bank and drawn simple interest over the decades. No money in guns. Maybe in accessories, but firearms are a losing proposition.

[enfield303t]

Gee I think of a couple of guys I know that bought No4 T's and made a bucket of money off them. If you buy right you can always make good money selling guns. Think of Kleins who had No4 T's for $59.95 in the early 60's and today you could get a easy $4,000.00 for them. They way I see it if you took that $59.95 and put it in a 401 K today you might have $500.00 if you are lucky, or alot less if you invested in Enron. I'll take buying and selling guns any day over investing at low interest rates. I have too many friends that have made some very serious coin in the hobby gun business.

[sniper3]

In reply to PrinzEugen, I had No 1.No 4. and No 5 rifles all wrapped in their grease proof wrapping stored away, then Hungerford happened. The law was hastily changed, I was then told to unwrap them and shoot them or loose them( I cried when that happened ). Only to be told 5 years down line that I could have put them on a collectors certificate. Now they are as collectors ticket.

[PrinzEugen]

Bit agonising that I'm sure. Do you have a shooting cert as well? I only ask as I was under the impression it was normally one or the other.

[Alan de Enfield]

In reply to PrinzEugen, I had No 1.No 4. and No 5 rifles all wrapped in their grease proof wrapping stored away, then Hungerford happened. The law was hastily changed, I was then told to unwrap them and shoot them or loose them( I cried when that happened ). Only to be told 5 years down line that I could have put them on a collectors certificate. Now they are as collectors ticket.

I have no personal experience on this, but, I have been told you can have a collectors ticket with "occasional" use variation which allows use and authority to buy ammunition.

Define 'occasional' !!!!

A collectors (only) ticket, I assume, would not allow ammunition purchases.

[Peter Laidler]

I have overseen the unwrapping of hundreds of Fazakerley FTR 50's era No4's (not 'new' but new as in FTR) of all marks but mostly Mk1/2's and 3's prior to issue and never found rust on any of them.

I don't know how you can have them wrapped AND proof fired in the UK. Can anyne explain? Do they unwrap them 'a little bit'?

Contrary to what the books say, if you have a UF55A xxxxx serial number, then that is a UK MoD contract batch and nothing to do with an Irish contract. They might have purchased them later and sold them off

[madcratebuilder]

I have overseen the unwrapping of hundreds of Fazakerley FTR 50's era No4's (not 'new' but new as in FTR) of all marks but mostly Mk1/2's and 3's prior to issue and never found rust on any of them.

I don't know how you can have them wrapped AND proof fired in the UK. Can anyne explain? Do they unwrap them 'a little bit'?

Contrary to what the books say, if you have a UF55A xxxxx serial number, then that is a UK MoD contract batch and nothing to do with an Irish contract. They might have purchased them later and sold them off

Wrapped No4's don't all have British proof marks. I have unwrapped two, a UF and a PF series. Both had the wrap cut to allow import marks on the end of the barrel(CAI) and cut open to verify serial number at receiver. There are NO PROOF MARKS on the rifle in any location.

How many others are like that?

Is there a book that claims the UF rifles are Irish Contract??? I thought it was the PF309348-PF359347, made in 54 and 55.

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, yes madcrate, I think you misunderstood. In the UK, before the rifles are sold on by a dealer, they have to be proofed by the commercial proof house. But only if they're sold in the UK. If they are exported, then they don't have to be UK proofed. In the UK, the 'authorities' don't/won't accept the tough and stringent military proof. Don't ask me why, I don't think anyone knows.

The UF serial number prefix was a specific UK Military requirement and many people seem to think that the wrapped No4's are all Irish contract.

[bearhunter]

I guess Canadian inspectors were a lot more trusting. Back when the wrapped No4 MkII rifles were available, the wrappers were left intact and the serial numbers recorded from the ID tag.

[sniper3]

In answer to Peters' comment would it not have been possible to fire proof the rifles to be sure they shot straight and then wrapped and proofed before shipping. Thus haaving british proof marks.