Input on Lee Enfield No4 Mk1

[Ubet]

Hello everyone, I'm a new member to the forum. I bought a Lee Enfield No 4 Mk1 about 20 years ago. It is still full of cosmoline. I've been reading on the forum and decided to start researching to learn more about it.

The receiver is marked No 4 Mk1 (F), next line 2/49 PF80446, the top of the receiver has the U with an arrow in it, and the bolt has serial number 35C5687.

If I'm reading correctly this would be a Fazerkley built receiver, that was lend/lease to South Africa with a mismatched bolt made by Savage.

I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to clean it up and shoot it or just go ahead and sell it, since I already shoot a K31 Karbine.

As many of you are experienced with the Lee Enfield I would appreciate your input.

Regards,
Ubet

Information

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[303tom]

Pictures................Attachment 51670

[Ubet]

Working on how to post pictures on this site.

[Badger]

To learn more about about how to handle pics, please read this thread in the Q&A - Help Forums, which also appears as a "sticky" thread at the top of every forum on the site.

How do I upload pictures to my posts for storage on milsurps.com? (click here)

If you still have problems, email them to me at badger@milsurps.com and I'll resize them for you, then post them in the thread under your name

Regards,
Doug

[Ubet]

Here are some photos. Attachment 51674Attachment 51673Attachment 51675Attachment 51676Attachment 51677Attachment 51678Attachment 51679

[Beerhunter]

No surprises in the pix. It is just as you described it originally.

[Peter Laidler]

If it cost you cheap, 20 years ago I say just put it away for the next 20 or so years and forget about it. They ain't makin no more and prices are steadily rising. But when you do decide to use it, get rid of that varnish from the woodwork

[RobD]

V interesting point: Did the lend/lease programme send arms to South Africa?

Certainly, I have seen 1941-dated Harley Davidsons with South African markings, so perhaps this was also the case with rifles. If not, the rifle came to South Africa after its FTR in 1949, but before the Union of SA became the Republic in 1961.
From Wikipedia: "The Lend-Lease policy, formally titled An Act to Further Promote the Defense of the United States, (Pub.L. 77–11, H.R. 1776, 55 Stat. 3034, enacted March 11, 1941)[1] was a program under which the United States supplied Great Britain, the U.S., Free France, the Republic of China, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and August 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of World War II in Europe in September 1939 and nine months before the U.S. entered the war in December 1941."

TerryLee, who visits this forum, is the world expert on British arms in South Africa, I'm sure he will know.

[Brian Dick]

Rob, There were lots of Savage rifles shipped to South Africa. I had some that were near new condition except for handling marks in the wood. There were Mk.1 as well as Mk.1* in the first lot of Interarms rifles I bought back in the 90's. I still have one Mk.1. There were a few Long Branches in the mix too. All Mk.1* and dated 1942. Brian

[Ubet]

RobD, Where do I look to find an FTR marking on the rifle? I only saw the serial number for the 2/49 manufacture date.