Enfield No V ( Not for the faint Hearted)

[bigduke6]

I bought it last week, it was a £50 enfield sporter i hadnt seen it, but i wanted the action for my delisle project, i received it to today but when opening the parcel a slight grin apeared on the face as i was expecting a No 1 mk 111 sporter but what i had bought was a very badly sporterised No V.
All metal is original plus woodwork (but its sporterised!!!) the barrel i would say has been relaced at some point, it has had a few thou taken off the top front of the reciever and barrel, looks like something was under there? also loading bridge has had a file accross it ?
This will be a Restoration and not a Delisle, serial numbers match (action ,bolt) serial 5009, stamped Enfield ShtLE V, the action has the cutway for the mag cut off which i thought was only on the later Mk V1 (if only i had skenertons books, think its time)
Hardest parts to find i think will be the rear sight and hand gaurd as this was one long piece (all donations accepted) if anyone can shed any light on it plus any pics of the extra barrel band.
Days like today dont come anybetter, not just this, i bought a P17 .30 06 yesterday which the seller believes was never issued and this morning was up at 0630 to phone a dealer (he didnt open til 0900) about a springfield .30 06 which i,ve been looking for a long time it came from a collecter so, i bought it. (They say things come in three,s)
Only downside at present is i,m now skint!! (Have to sell my AR15 aswell as my Accuarcy AE ). (the accuracy was going anyway but didnt plan on the AR)

Tears and joy aside please remember this was someones Pride and joy as can be seen with the hand crafted sights and all over varnish finish, enjoy pics and any info appreciated.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Peter Laidler]

There were two variants of the Mk5. The conversion from the Mk3 which was scheduled to cost 18 shillings to convert. Then there was the 'new build' Mk5 that was scheduled to cost 21 or 22 shillings (£1/2/-) to convert. That's why some of the Mk5 rifles show signs of their previous Mk3 or 3* ancestry, especially in the stocks fore-end and body side markings.

[louthepou]

Looks like a rear sight from a.. P14 maybe?

At the very least the adapter bracket could have been blued and its corners rounded off. Geez.

Lou

[RJW NZ]

Nice score! You'll be building good karma with the enfield gods, they'll send more when you rescue a lost soul like this one.

Try EFD in the UK, they have remade sights, bands and wood for your rifle. These rear sights used to show on flee bay but not for some time now.

[louthepou]

Folks, what's the type of rear sight that would have been on that one?

Lou

[RJW NZ]

The original rear sight looks a bit like that one you have but wider.

[harry mac]

Nice score! You'll be building good karma with the enfield gods, they'll send more when you rescue a lost soul like this one.

Try EFD in the UK, they have remade sights, bands and wood for your rifle. These rear sights used to show on flee bay but not for some time now.

I'll second the recommendation for EFD. But be prepared for a case of "sticker shock". They make a full range of MkV parts, but that's the rub, they MAKE them. So, while you do get top quality, you also have to fork out for a certain amount of machine time. Still, money well spent.

[Peter Laidler]

You're right Harrymac. The notes from the time mention a large backlog of rifles awaiting backsights due to the complexities of production and '....this matter will have to be expedited in the shortest time'. I don't think that they ever speeded up the production of Mk5 backsights and as the Mk6/No4 was waiting in the wings in any case, the Mk5's went back into store, incomplete. And this is the reason why there are thousands of backsight-less Mk5's around. That WAS the case until EFD came to the rescue with their highly motivated 's--t or get off the pot' attitude.

As we say in England...... It's like shopping at Marks and Spencer. You get JUST what you pay for!

[louthepou]

Hmm, Peter, would this possibly mean that a rear-sightless MkV would be a correct restoration?

[RJW NZ]

Hmm, Peter, would this possibly mean that a rear-sightless MkV would be a correct restoration?

and if so, what sight was put in that place? 300/600?