What’s your Lee Enfield Holy Grail?

[tkarnes]

They're not that rare or anything but Ive always had a love affair with the no5 mk1 jungle carbine, ever since I read an article on them in a magazine. I had a chance to pick a couple up over the last few years but I never did. I finally got a 1946 BSA it should be arriving in the mail here shortly. Another life long dream realized check that one off the bucket list lol.

[Demo]

Hello all,

First post here. Interesting topic and I've enjoyed reading your responses. After much thought I would have to say my holy grail is a matching 1913 Lithgow in it's original form.

[hans slagter]

Actual i have 3 items i considder holy.
The first item is my No32 Mk2 REL telescope,The second item is a 8/53 Parker Hale sight insert.
And the 3rd is a litle tool made by Central that is a rim thicknes gauge.
This combination works excellent for me.

With friendly regards.
Hans.

[rbrittne]

Besides the #5 jungle carbine my daughters bought me, I have a #4 enfield that is unissued and unfired. mint condition made in ireland in 1954. Its beautiful. I love my #5 too but someone cut the sight protector off and i dont know how ot put another one on.

[Peter Laidler]

I appreciate that there are other problems with your sight protector/flash eliminator rbrit but we saw many broken foresight protectors on No5 rifles where they'd been battered about on the assault courses or laying and sliding around in the backs of our Bedford or Whites/Harvester trucks. But as we wanted serviceable rifles as opposed to concourse rifles, we'd wait until there was a batch of them and make up a load of 1/8" (?) round steel bar rings, about 3/4" (?) diameter or so as the missing foresight protector and get them welded on. Once they'd gone through the system it was a perfect repair.

We also used the same repair for our L1A1 rifles too otherwise it meant a complete barrel change for the L1A1's or FN's that we still used

If anyone has an ex Malaya era No5 or an L1A1 with a re-welded foresight protector, then it was one of ours

[Brian Dick]

Bob, There are the words of wisdom we spoke about on the phone yesterday from the wizard himself. That's exactly what I'd do with it. If you can get the ears welded on, send it down to me and I'll dress it up, touch up the phosphate and bake on a coat of Suncorite. Just to the flash hider with minimal muss, fuss and expense.

FYI: Your unissued No.4Mk.2 was built at the Royal Ordnance Factory Fazakerly which was in Liverpool, England. It may or may not be in the Irish serial number range. Most likey not but the importers who brought them to the USA in the early 1990's used the Irish thing as a marketing tool. ATB, Brian

[xa-coupe]

After months of pondering, my holy grail would be an unissued or 'excellent' condition No1 Mk3 that saw service in WW1 .. complete with volley sights.... all matching of course !

[8udr]

A LSA No 1 mk 3* all matching and in good condition
8UDR

[jona]

After months of pondering, my holy grail would be an unissued or 'excellent' condition No1 Mk3 that saw service in WW1 .. complete with volley sights.... all matching of course !

If it had actually been issued and used in WW I, it would NOT be unissued or excellent condition. Best hope for one that is in original condition and is still presentable. Besides, those battle scars would give it history and a true "pedigree."

[xa-coupe]

If it had actually been issued and used in WW I, it would NOT be unissued or excellent condition. Best hope for one that is in original condition and is still presentable. Besides, those battle scars would give it history and a true "pedigree."

Depends on 'used' I suppose. I don't necessarily mean combat but 'was there'. I have been spending time in front of the TV lately and saw a scene where an officer went through D-Day and past Bastogne without firing a shot but was technically there. That's what I was thinking. Having said that, what you say is correct, if it's mechanically excellent and the wood is really nice but not 100% 'as new' I would still be pretty happy with it.