First Post...Just one Lee Enfield in my accumulation

[vonfatman]

I came upon my first (and to date only) Lee Enfield a couple years back when a buddy decided he was going traveling with his bride and cleaned out his safe. He had a rather average (in my untrained eyes) 1942 Savage #4 Mk. s/n 21C5xxx.

He had given a guy that worked for him a loan of $80.00 on the the gun. The guy disappeared and never returned. His loss, my gain...at least at the time I figured about any gun was worth $80.00!!

It was caked/coated/filled/jammed with cosmoline. So...I took the gun apart and took it to work and put the metal parts in the parts washer (kind of a hot water parts "dishwasher").

When the door opened I laid on a generous coating of g96...to hold the line on the rust.

To my surprise, the barrel was absolutly perfect...shiny and clean. I would guess the gun had never done anything but hang around in a rack...traveling to Europe and back and who knows where else???

The stock is good, not great, but the darn thing shoots like a dream. I'm reloading for the gun and at 100yds, I'm grinin'

I live in the KC area, have a range on the farm I live on and enjoy lots of shooting in decent weather. My wife shoots with me. I have a C&R and reload a LOT...rifle with a single stage Hornady LNL and handgun ammo with a Dillon progressive.

Also deer and turkey hunt.

Looks like a great forum! Looking forward to learning about MILSURPS...I have a few, not many.

Bob

Information

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[Smead]

I came upon my first (and to date only) Lee Enfield a couple years back when a buddy decided he was going traveling with his bride and cleaned out his safe. He had a rather average (in my untrained eyes) 1942 Savage #4 Mk. s/n 21C5xxx.

He had given a guy that worked for him a loan of $80.00 on the the gun. The guy disappeared and never returned. His loss, my gain...at least at the time I figured about any gun was worth $80.00!!

It was caked/coated/filled/jammed with cosmoline. So...I took the gun apart and took it to work and put the metal parts in the parts washer (kind of a hot water parts "dishwasher").

When the door opened I laid on a generous coating of g96...to hold the line on the rust.

To my surprise, the barrel was absolutly perfect...shiny and clean. I would guess the gun had never done anything but hang around in a rack...traveling to Europe and back and who knows where else???

The stock is good, not great, but the darn thing shoots like a dream. I'm reloading for the gun and at 100yds, I'm grinin'

I live in the KC area, have a range on the farm I live on and enjoy lots of shooting in decent weather. My wife shoots with me. I have a C&R and reload a LOT...rifle with a single stage Hornady LNL and handgun ammo with a Dillon progressive.

Also deer and turkey hunt.

Looks like a great forum! Looking forward to learning about MILSURPS...I have a few, not many.

Bob

Sounds like a nice Savage...cosmo packed indicates that it probably went through some sort of refurbishment before being stored...that could have involved a barrel replacement.

This site has a lot of info...to include the markings found on the weapon.

http://enfieldrifles.profusehost.net/main.htm

[vonfatman]

Mr. Smead,

You may be right. The only "clue" I've gone by is the outward appearance of the overall gun seems uniform/consistent. Made me think the gun was as is....but the information on the cosmoline puts a different light on the gun. Thanks.

Bob

[Smead]

I have a 1944 Long Branch that was in cosmo...about as you described yours. I suspect that it was refurbushed...it seems that the Canadians did not have the practice of marking their re-works like The British did with theirs.

[bradtx]

Bob, Prior to a large cache of Turkish rifles that contained many Savage made Enfields, the only Savage No.4s the US recieved, due to import law wording, were those few accidentally mixed in a larger group.

It's quite possible the rifle is original. A clue would be the backsight. If a two fixed position Mk.II, it's likely original.

Brad

[vonfatman]

Brad,
Yes, it's the two-position flip type. I sure like shooting this gun...I just neck size when reloading since I have just one.

Bob

[stonewall56]

Do you have any photos you can post?

[bradtx]

Bob, I don't reload because I've just too many 'idle' time interests already, but a friend has reloaded some for me. Neck sizing only and segrating cases by rifle were his L-E recomendations and I've heard that advice echoed amoungst forum members who reload. (Just in case any more L-Es follow you home.)

Brad