What’s your Lee Enfield Holy Grail?

[Faulkner]

I was fortunate enough to acquire an unfired still in the wrap No4 MKII, one of the Irish finds from the early 1990's. This one has a manufacturer date of 1954 and came with bayonet.

[dances with gophers]

there is a never ending list of peoples holy grail. like a the (T)
i was fortunate to find this recently , , the grail is still the (T) but
this comes close

[Seaspriter]

I was fortunate enough to acquire an unfired still in the wrap No4 MKII, one of the Irish finds from the early 1990's. This one has a manufacturer date of 1954 and came with bayonet.

What a beautiful gun -- pristine and untouched on the battlefield. Like one of the Savage-Stevens Enfields that was just taken out of its original box, these are the idealized beauties of the contest, like a Grecian Goddess, to be put on a pedestal and adored from afar -- the mythical Virgin Princess encased by the protective shield of her unchallengeable beauty -- forever chaste, preserved, and enslaved by purity; so eminently graceful but sadly never to be wrapped in the robes of glory. Forlorn in perpetuity for she will never experience the agony and ecstasy of war; nor the exhilaration of a the blast of powder from within her loins; nor the pulsing rising beat of being loaded then expelling her spent shells; nor the feeling of joy brought by the embrace of a true marksman with an eagle's aim squeezing her trigger ever so gently yet so firmly; nor the sense of safety and security her sisters brought to the lonely and shaking soldier who needed her so dearly to protect his life, his honor, and our freedom; nor the warm protective loving touch of a restoration gunsmith caressing her skin back to wholesomeness.

At the other end of the spectrum, and just as valid is this:

I already had my holy grail Enfield. Some years ago my father gave me his ex fullbore rifle. Its a 1942 Matby No4 Mk1. Its history of being my fathers fullbore rifle ...makes it for me. To purists it probably would be considered a bit of a pig, as some items would be considered more "wrong" than right (most work on it was done in late 60's, not by me) ....... I use it for service rifle shooting and think of my father and everything he has taught me each and every time I use it. I have several other No4's and a P14, all of which would probably all be considered in better condition or more orig than my Matby, but I couldn't ask for a finer Lee Enfield.

My Holy Grail would be more like brnom2, but with a twist. If I had a full, complete, and total history of any one of my Enfields including: who in the supply chain made the parts? who on the assembly line actually assembled it? who shipped it from the manufacturing plant to the chain of logistics that got it to the battlefield? how many German submarines tried to sink it on a Liberty ship? which soldier used it in what battles and the fear and courage that gave aim to the gun? and how did it get all its bumps and bruises and even brokenness? and then the whole chain of inspectors, armourers, importers, and former owners, before me -- the story of turbulence, courage, despair, heroism, trading, and restoration..... That's the "provenance" that I look for -- a quest for the grail that is seemingly unattainable -- missing and long forgotten.

For each gun I restore I write a history of the gun as best as I can fathom from its multitude of markings, repairs, and replacement parts. I then roll up the history tightly like a scroll, and put it in the butt stock hole so that another generation may continue the quest for the grail.

If only these rifles could speak -- like Gordon Lightfoot wrote: "If I could read your mind love, what a tale your thoughts could tell......." but alas I dream...... the quest, the quest .... like Don Quixote's impossible dream.

[A square 10]

today mine would be a no1 mkVI , and as long as i am wishing a nice HAK

[englishman_ca]

This story spans about ten years and I am pretty excited about it.

I have a small collection of Lee Metford/Enfield carbines. I spent many happy hours in my workshop tinkering at the bench and on line sourcing parts so that I could rework sporters to bring them back up to original. This is what I do as ahobby. I had a representative example of each configuration, but there was one rare version that seemed unlikely to be added to my collection, a trails carbine. Only 100 were made, none ever seen for sale, but I remained hopeful and ever vigilant, cos ya never know.......

Then a buddy from Newfoundland asked me if I wanted yet another sportered carbine. He had found another one for me by chance at a yard sale driving around on a Sunday afternoon in the country with the wife and kids. Missing woodwork, mag and bolt. He had an idea as to what he had found so he took pics and sent them to me. I instantly recognised it as what was left of a trails carbine. I explained to him what it was, so he took the day off work and went back the next morning to see if he could find the place and see if it was still there. It was, so he picked it up for me. No sign of the bolt or mag though, they looked. The carbine was from the estate of an old boy, the house was up for sale his grand kids were yard selling all of grandad's junk in the shed and basement. Probably the bolt would turn up at a later date as they cleared out the estate, however, my buddy has since passed away and any chance of contact with the vendor is lost.

So I had found my holy grail and now I was on a quest to find information on the original form to restore this puppy. Not got too far with the project in this time, I found a random rifle bolt and mag (correct for this model) and did put a sportered forearm on it to get it shooting, that was about it. I use it as a deer rifle every fall.

1893 Lee Metford trials carbine, serial No.4

There are only a few examples of these known to survive. Coggansfield sent me some pics of the one that he has in his collection so that I could try to make a forearm of the correct form. But otherwise not too much info on them to be found, and no complete example to use as a reference.

Then by chance I came across a chap who had three carbines and was asking for info on them. He sent me some pics and I explained exactly what he had in his hands and not to sell them off too cheaply. So he hung onto them and would not budge. Eventually after about four years with me keeping contact and bugging him every six months, right after one Christmas he decided to sell his investment and and got back in touch with me. Because I was going to keep these carbines for my collection and not just flip them to make some money, he asked me to make him an offer. I gave him an honest appraisal and the deal was made. He did alright.

So lookit what came in the package of three!

This is after a cleaning and a little resto work, but it is all original, all matching.

1893 Lee Metford trials carbine, serial No.5

Hooda thunk it. I got not just my one holy grail, but two and they are sequentially numbered!

[bros]

What a beautiful gun -- pristine and untouched on the battlefield. Like one of the Savage-Stevens Enfields that was just taken out of its original box, these are the idealized beauties of the contest, like a Grecian Goddess, to be put on a pedestal and adored from afar -- the mythical Virgin Princess encased by the protective shield of her unchallengeable beauty -- forever chaste, preserved, and enslaved by purity; so eminently graceful but sadly never to be wrapped in the robes of glory. Forlorn in perpetuity for she will never experience the agony and ecstasy of war; nor the exhilaration of a the blast of powder from within her loins; nor the pulsing rising beat of being loaded then expelling her spent shells; nor the feeling of joy brought by the embrace of a true marksman with an eagle's aim squeezing her trigger ever so gently yet so firmly; nor the sense of safety and security her sisters brought to the lonely and shaking soldier who needed her so dearly to protect his life, his honor, and our freedom; nor the warm protective loving touch of a restoration gunsmith caressing her skin back to wholesomeness.

At the other end of the spectrum, and just as valid is this:


My Holy Grail would be more like brnom2, but with a twist. If I had a full, complete, and total history of any one of my Enfields including: who in the supply chain made the parts? who on the assembly line actually assembled it? who shipped it from the manufacturing plant to the chain of logistics that got it to the battlefield? how many German submarines tried to sink it on a Liberty ship? which soldier used it in what battles and the fear and courage that gave aim to the gun? and how did it get all its bumps and bruises and even brokenness? and then the whole chain of inspectors, armourers, importers, and former owners, before me -- the story of turbulence, courage, despair, heroism, trading, and restoration..... That's the "provenance" that I look for -- a quest for the grail that is seemingly unattainable -- missing and long forgotten.

For each gun I restore I write a history of the gun as best as I can fathom from its multitude of markings, repairs, and replacement parts. I then roll up the history tightly like a scroll, and put it in the butt stock hole so that another generation may continue the quest for the grail.

If only these rifles could speak -- like Gordon Lightfoot wrote: "If I could read your mind love, what a tale your thoughts could tell......." but alas I dream...... the quest, the quest .... like Don Quixote's impossible dream.

I have to admit SEASPRITER, that was a rather fine description of a cherished rifle!!!! I like the idea of the scroll in the butt stock hole too, not only for the next generation but also to keep details of it's personality when at the range, each Enfield has it's own. When at the range shooting the various ones you own....a little detailed reminder helps you to enjoy her even more. Seen Mr Lightfoot 3 times at Massey Hall...I hope he lives to be 150!!!!!!

[Miningengineer13]

I am fortunate to be the caretaker/owner of two exquisite No 1 MK IIIs, Regulated by Fulton, w/Parker Hale 5A sights. I would love to find the Lithgow equivalent with an H barrel and Climax sights ... set up on a first year production rifle ... serial #13. That's not asking for too much, is it? LOL. Great question that made me think a bit. Thanks!

[henry r]

my holy grail's are fairly simple:

no1: a '16 or earlier Lithgow, full matching colour wood with a H barrel, that is quite accurate. preferably with thinning blue and darkened wood that tells the story of it's life. wouldn't you know it, after months of watching the for sale sites, one that was nearly perfect came up for sale this week at a decent price, but i spent all my available toy money a few weeks ago...

no2: a late '44 BSA no4 T to go under my no.32 mk3 (the purchase that emptied my toy funds )

[AradoAR234]

No doubt in my mind, even after all the 303's I've owned.....the Lithgow target rifle that my father bought, and put a bridge mount and weaver scope on. Non original, non issue, although the numbers matched including the heavy barrel. I gave it away, as I could not attach a monetary value to it. In 1991, the world was turned upside down, and there was no place for a rifle in my life for a few years. I'd have it back tomorrow, but have no idea where to even start looking. I head shot a Water Buffalo at 600 paced yards with it, and also took the heads off ducks and magpie geese at first light, while they were still on the water. Some years ago now, but like it was yesterday.....

[30Three]

My Enfield Holy Grail would be to spend the day shooting my small collection of Lee Enfields with my Father. When I was a boy; he would spend time explaining bullet trajectories; and telling me about the Enfield Rifles and Bren guns that he had shot at the Curragh (Irish army). He taught me to shoot with an air rifle; but never had anything more than that at home.
Unfortunately by the time I started properly getting into shooting Enfields; he was already very ill with Altzeimers. He passed away last year. I always think of him when I shoot. I think he would approve of my small collection.
I currently have a No4Mk1/2 regulated by Fultons, a L39A1, a No1MIII*, 2x No8's and a No2MkIV* Lithgow.
On a brighter note, my daughter enjoys coming to the range some times and is helpful collecting the empty cases, she's only 4, so will probably get started on the No8 when she's 7 or 8; (if she's still interested)