Recent purchase - Lee Enfield Enforcer

[Amatikulu]

I'm not normally a person that will purchase a rifle without first picking it up and giving it a good look over but, I recently purchased a lot of five rifles from a well known auction house here in the USA simply on a "gut feel." Of the five rifles in the lot three were Lee Enfield models, two of which I have been looking for to add to my collection.

The prize was the Enforcer S/N 516.

Attachment 55490Attachment 55491

All numbers match, parker hale bases but I have never heard of a Sterling Scope? Can anyone shed any light on it as it looks to have been on the rifle for a long time and is a 3-9 x 40.Attachment 55492

Information

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[Brian B]

Nice catch!! Love the Enforcers!!

If I remember correctly they could be purchased without scopes and the department could put whatever scope they preferred or could afford. I believe most of them were set up with the Pecar scopes. Mine have the Pecars and they are nice scopes with clear optics.

Enjoy!!

Brian B

[Lee Enfield]

Sterling is an importer of medium end Japanese scopes.

[Amatikulu]

The rifle is also fitted with an unmarked bipod that I assume is a period Harris bipod.

Is Sterling a British importer of Japanese scopes?

I will take some more pictures tonight showing some of the features.

[Peter Laidler]

Sterling telescopes.......... That's interesting Amatikulu because when I wrote the Sterling SMG book, this subject cropped up but was deemed a bit academic to include.

I think Sterling was a make put onto a Japanese low-end market scope just(?) for the UK market. I don't know who imported them (was it BSA anyone.....) or from which Japanese Optical company they originated but someone here will no doubt know. The Sterling SMG company got into small time legalese discussion with the importers as they had already stated in some early advertising blurb that the word was already associated with the best of British gun makers implying a connection......., that being the Sterling Armaments Co!

It didn't get very far as at the time Sterling were already being taken to Court for another reason (the Police Carbine - they won with costs) so had bigger fish to fry. The irony was that later, Sterling used these telescopes on some of their shortie SMG's/pistols. Ironic really and that's why James Edmiston, David Howroyd and me best kept it out of the book

[Amatikulu]

With some help from Simon and Alan, I know rifle No 516 was dispatched to Northern Ireland Police on 24th March 1977. I'd like to think that the scope and bipod are the ones bought by the Police at the time they received it, and think that is a real possibility. The scope tube has a large "7" engraved onto it. Perhaps this is some sort of "rack no" to identify the scope. Just some idle speculation as it has no serial number. I removed the hand guard, it is relieved for the scope. Pencilled on the underside is the number "520" - I'm speculating that enforcer S/no 520 was also part of the Northern Ireland Police's inventory and it got mixed up. Anyone got enforcer 520?

[Alan de Enfield]

Towards the end of the 'budet year' (End March) the Police Forces would see how much cash they had left over to spend. (If they didnt spend it then whatever was left over was not only 'lost' but was deducted from the next years budget as they 'obviously didnt need that much)

Hence why this Enforcer was ordered/shipped 24th March (1 week before the end of the financial year)

The Enforcer could be purchased at any 'state of completion' (with or without, rear sights, telescopic sights. bipod etc).

Many Police Forces purchased the 'full kit' others purchased without a scope and would add a 'locally purchased' scope of the armourers preferred type once 'next years budget' was received.

Yes - No 520 was part of the 31 rifles owned by NI Police

[Amatikulu]

Here are some pictures of the bipod





I have never seen one with the naked Al legs. Is this circa the 1970's?

[Amatikulu]

I thought the unusual barrel step was also worth a picture



And does anyone have a spare arm or source where I could get the spare arm for this PH rear sight?

[FlightRN]

Good Day,
My Enforcer was part of the same shipment shipped in 1977 to the Northern Ireland Royal Ulster Constabulary. The rifle retains its Pecar scope but it does not have a provision for a Harris bipod. I found an older picture of it and you can just make out the barrel step noted. I happen to have a picture of the same area from one of my Envoys and the step is not present. It appears that the Envoys were hammer forged.
Regards,
Michael