Unsporterize an Enfield No.4 Mk.1

[Seaspriter]

There is still another option for a Parker Hale Sporterized Enfield. The following pic is from my collection. My father (WWII Vet and avid antique gun collector) referred to it as an "Officer's Target Rifle" because it had a understock forend, like his muskets crafted one or two centuries before.

Parker Hale started with a 1943 Maltby that had been FTR'd at Fazakerley shortly after the war. It has a replacement bolt (with the No.5 hollow ball) with a new Armourer's stamp that is exactly 11 numbers advanced from the receiver serial number (BG 13264 on the receiver & butt ring, and BG 13275 on the bolt -- perhaps the FTR Armourer was a little careless, as Capt. Laidler has inferred on other posts).

P/H removed the original backsight, adding a variable aperture target sight. The muzzle was nipped to remove the bayonet lugs, recrowned, foresight removed, and the signature P/H foresight was mounted (just like yours). They took a birch forend (apparently one of the Savage replacements shipped to the UK during the war -- has the "Square S" stamp on the forend nose cap) and shaved it down to make it more delicate, while also reducing the size of the forend cap from 2.3 inches (normal) to 1.9 inches. It was rebedded inside the forend from breech to muzzle in some form of brown "plastic-type" material.


It has a 5-round magazine stamped "Made in England" and the magazine follower is stamped with the "broad arrow."

Weight, unloaded with sling is exactly 8 pounds.

I'd estimate the changes were done about 1947-51, although there is no date of the P/H rework. It does carry the "England" country of origin stamp and the "BNP" (Birmingham Nitro Proof) stamp, but no importer's stamp.

I've not seen one of these in the old P/H catalogues (but I'm sure one of our forum members knows more about it than I).

Once the gun arrived in the US, someone added a Boyt sling (no date).