Collecting Enfields -How many?

[dieppe42]

I will certainly agree with the preceding comments about what constitutes a "complete collection"...... after collecting WW2 Nazi memoribilia for over 43 years, I finally realized how inadequate collecting can become. The moral of the story is simple: SPECIALIZE IN ONE PARTICULAR AREA, or you'll drive yourself crazy. I will also add at this point how grateful I am for the experience, data, and reference material this forum provides..........BUT, most of all I find it refreshing to be in the company of GENTLEMEN who treat one another with kindness and respect, and look forward to a continuity of those qualities in our field of interest that we can pass to the next generation of "gun-nuts".

[limpetmine]

I've been collecting for 39 years, starting with a beat up No1 Mk III. There have been decades of slow acquisitions, and a run of a few years of very good luck. It was not so many years ago that I held no hope of ever owning a No4Mk1(T). However, the Gods of Fate decided otherwise, and I've landed some really fine rifles. The tide is again out, but I know that one day, it will return and wet my feet. In the mean time; read, converse, travel to shows when able, and share what you know.

[smellie]

What is a COMPLETE collection?

I have no idea; I would suppose a COMPLETE collection should duplicate the Pattern Room collection, which was several hundred when I saw it.

The BOOKS say 24 variants of the LM/LE rifle. A friend collected just receivers (bodies) and had 31; I sent him 2 more he didn't have. I also have 2 rifles which are not represented in his collection.

In Canada you don't want to admit to being a "collector" for several reasons. (1) It opens the door to abrupt police inspections of your residence. (2) There was a movement, a number of years ago, to have "collections" DEWATted..... for the safety of the public, of course. This means that we are all shooters and hunters and wild-meat-eaters and target shooters and competitors. The authorities WERE keeping track of how often we shot (through the Book at the local range) but that seems to have gone by the boards, thankfully.

Just an SMLE Mark III/III* collection, by rights, should have one of each rifle from each factory of each year of production. I have been nearly 50 years at this and I have assembled all 7 factories...... and that much took 40 years, on my budget.

But I'm having fun.

You can have fun with your 'collection' even if it's just ONE rifle.... so that's where you start.

Where you finish is between you, your wife, your banker....... and what turns up at the next show.

Have fun!

That's what it's all about.
.

[Demo]

What is a complete collection???

I would think the easiest way to achieve this would be to define precisely what you want to collect and set parameters. If it doesn't fit into your collection, don't buy it. I'm trying to acquire SMLE rifles from every year of Lithgow production. So far I have all but two and one is on it's way, soon I hope. It's been very hard and I've passed on and sold off some fairly desirable rifles of different types that I would still love to have owned but with my wallet, you can't have them all. That's why I love these forums. You can see and examine and share information on virtually every type of rifle without owning one.
Good luck to all with your own collections.

[Bindi2]

Ok Demo which year is missing. Can reply on the quiet. I have picked up some more since i saw you last even a 13