No 8 .22 rifles coming out of service

[Alan de Enfield]

One question I do have is how much interest is there / was there in trying to save the remaining No.8’s? I know this was looked at a few years ago.

You probably know but the :

No7 Mk1 was ordered by the RAF. Apparently 2500 were ordered and some 2000 (ish) supplied with the remaining (un assembled) actions being sold off. A few went to the USA and Brian Dick acquired some and had the bolt head and ejectors manufactured locally.

No 9 is also marked as N9 Some 3,000 were ordered from PH for the Navy

Production commenced in 1956, although we have yet to see a rifle dated prior to 1957, (i.e. P-H 57 as above). Of the 3,000 or so rifles apparently manufactured for the Royal Navy contract between 1956 and 1960, the serial numbers did not attain four figures until during 1958, and were marked as the Pattern Room example and the example shown above. The highest "A" prefixed number of which we are aware is A2828 - a rifle sold at Bonhams London auction in 2004. Later rifles produced by Parker-Hale had the markings engraved, as on the rifle shown higher up this page, and the serial numbers became five-figured with the prefix "PH". We have no information regarding the quantity of these rifles marketed, there being no information readily available relating to serial numbering. It is known that later 'reproductions' of the No.9 were produced by a well-known gunsmith in Birmingham in the late 1990s, using various spares. These too were produced with the usual beechwood furniture, and are very difficult to tell apart from rifles of original commercial manufacture.; indeed, even the PARKERIFLING marking was included on the barrel's crown. Whether or not the barrel carries modern proof, normally under the front section of the barrel ahead of the fore-end nose piece, could be a give-away here. Original rifles should also be fitted with the alloy butt-plate.

The Pattern Room collection's rifle is presumed to be a mid-production example marked "N." for Navy, whilst those later production rifles with the PH serial number prefix had this transposed to "No." and the markings, as shown on the rifle on this page, were engraved rather than stamped. That these rifles were notated "9" is something on which the reader may muse, particularly with regard to discussion above about British or Enfield Rifle numbering.

https://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_Rifle_No.9.html

[DaveWales]

I do think Ben Wallace MP given his background would understand the heritage aspects of the No.8. He is a former captain in the Scots Guards and also worked for the defence contractor QinetiQ as their overseas Director.

[Brian Dick]

Alan,

A small correction. The 20 I bought from Springfield Sporters in the early 90's were complete except for the small parts in the bolt head, ejector and screws. I ordered the parts sets to fit and complete them from Edna Parker of AJP. It took a year to get them. I still have one with a matching bolt that I love to shoot. The rest are out there in collections in the USA.

---------- Post added at 02:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:40 PM ----------

I should add that I tried several times to have them manufactured over here and even loaned out the parts from mine for reverse engineering. I couldn't get a machine shop to do the job for less than a small fortune so abandoned the project.

Brian

[22SqnRAE]

These beauties are very rare in the Antipodes and I was fortunate enough to pick one up last year for a small fortune. It is built on a Savage No 4 Mk 1* body. The added attraction, to me, is that so few managed to find their way down here. As usual with Parker work, it's rugged, precise and highly reliable.

[Alan de Enfield]

These beauties are very rare in the Antipodes and I was fortunate enough to pick one up last year for a small fortune. It is built on a Savage No 4 Mk 1* body. The added attraction, to me, is that so few managed to find their way down here. As usual with Parker work, it's rugged, precise and highly reliable.

Which ones are you referring to (the thread has drifted a little)

No7 Mk1
CNo7 Mk1
No8 Mk1
N9

2000 No8's were manufactured specifically for NZ by BSA, I seem to remember that these were sold off in a big auction in NZ a couple of years ago.

Never say never, but, I'm pretty sure that Savage bodies were not involved with any of these trainers.

[David TS]

So out of curiosity, I wonder how many No 8's are already/still in private hands in the UK?

I have one, acquired it in 2018.

I first shot one around 1967/8 whilst in the Army and Air Cadets, so it has sentimental attachment, it will only be sold when I fall off my perch

[22SqnRAE]

Which ones are you referring to (the thread has drifted a little)...

Never say never, but, I'm pretty sure that Savage bodies were not involved with any of these trainers.

Alan, a good point and I recognise my comment was potentially obscure.

I've and example of both No 8 and No 9. The 8 was specifically chosen as a UK sourced version and not a Kiwi one. There's enough connection across the ditch... The No 8 I have is made on a No 5 body.

I recall, having consulted the safe, that I was offered a selection of 4 different No 9's. I was intrigued by the No 4 Mk 1* body of the one of the No 9's on offer. However, on inspection (noting it's been a while since I've had a good look at this very valuable addition!) I selected a better condition No 9 built most likely on a M47C body. Most likely, as all the details on the left wrist were ground off by Parker Hale in rebuild.

I'll pull it out both and take some photos. Like you say (and any Lee Enfield tragic has already had it beaten into them) "Two words you shall remove from your (matter Lee Enfield...) vocabulary are: 'always' and 'never'!"

[Gingercat]

So out of curiosity, I wonder how many No 8's are already/still in private hands in the UK?

I have one, acquired it in 2018.

I first shot one around 1967/8 whilst in the Army and Air Cadets, so it has sentimental attachment, it will only be sold when I fall off my perch

Hi David

I have one here in Cambridgeshire, also purchased in 2018 and I think it was brought back to the UK from Germany.
I first shot them in the CCF (air cadet) back in the early 1980s and as you say, they are full of memories!
Regards Mike

[5thBatt]

Which ones are you referring to (the thread has drifted a little)

No7 Mk1
CNo7 Mk1
No8 Mk1
N9

2000 No8's were manufactured specifically for NZ by BSA, I seem to remember that these were sold off in a big auction in NZ a couple of years ago.

Never say never, but, I'm pretty sure that Savage bodies were not involved with any of these trainers.

I was at that auction & there was at least one N9 that was built on Savage (or Long Branch) but in saying that, it might have been a NZ rebuild of a N9, NZ did that sort of thing many times.