I Used To Be Undecided But Now I'm Not Sure !

[Alan de Enfield]

The Enfield 'collection' currently consists of :
No1 Mk3*
No2 Mk4* (.22rf Calibre
No4 Mk1*
No4 Mk1* (410 calibre)
No5 Mk1
No7 Mk1 (.22rf calibre)
Enforcer 'Clone' (7.62 calibre)

Which gap do I fill in next An early 'Long Lee'. A No3 or develop the 'trainers' and get a CNo7, No8 or No9


Its Pushing The Budget (after just buying the No7 and the No4 in 410) But Is This Worth Buying ?
Comments welcome on condition, value, anything missing etc ?
UK Price £750 with shipping and RFD transfer
Sellers comments :
BSA MLE Mk1* Cal .303 circa 1900 Nice original condition, complete with volley sights. Good rifling, dark bore but will clean with a bit of TLC

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.

[RJW NZ]

Looks nice Alan, well done on the collection. Roger

[Bindi2]

Buy it. Buy what you can when you can when it appears. The one you pass on may never reappear. It looks good

[Rowdy]

Looks a bit altered around the pointy end.

[RJW NZ]

yaas, is that some kind of aperture/globe sight? or perhaps just a sun shade? still, its a small, ready fix thing.

[Badger]

I don't know English values very well, but it has been altered at the front sight. If you're looking at refurbishing this old girl should you buy it, here's a link to one on display in the Milsurp Knowledge Library - England Section, complete with a 137 picture virtual tour of an all correct example. It's a Mk1 with an original (not repro) cleaning rod, whereas the Mk1* had the cleaning rod removed.

1896 MLE (Magazine Lee-Enfield) No.1 "Long Lee" (click here)
(Mfg by BSA&M Co. - Birmingham Small Arms & Machine Co.)
"Issued to the 37th Haldimand Battalion of Rifles"

(Click PIC to Enlarge)

Hope this helps.....

Regards,
Badger

[PrinzEugen]

Blimey Alan - you're going enfield mad at the mo - I'm envious - how's it going with the FAC variations?

Looks nice - my .22 Long Lee is just a beautiful gun to look at in my opinion. An elegant weapon from a more civilised age!

There's a 303 long lee here: http://www.guntrader.co.uk/GunsForSale/ with a suggested price of £595 if it's any use...

[Alan de Enfield]

Ben - thanks for the tip - now I'm even more undecided. I've spoken to the guy and he's sending me some more close up pictures. (these pics are from his advert) Its a Mk1* and apart from the piece of chain missing on the magazine he reckons its all original.













I'd welcome any comments from more knowledgable forummers (if it pre-dates a Mk3* I'm lost)

NB - there is also one as Scotts auction tommorrow. What do I do ?

[Badger]

Hmmmm ...

Are you sure the second set of pics are supposed to be the same rifle as the one in the first set?

The magazine chain seems absent in second set of pics, but appears to be installed in the first set of pics in post number one. Also, many of the same wood markings in the latter pics aren't present in the first set? Finally, front sight has been restored in rifle shown in second set of pics?

I realize the camera flash can cause aberrations in markings and perhaps I'm wrong, but I'd check to make sure he hasn't sent the wrong set of pics representing the first rifle in post one?

Regards,
Badger

[PrinzEugen]

Badger - the second set is from the gun I linked to - not the first!

Alan - I suppose you don't lose anything by having a closer butcher's hook at the one at Scottarms - after all you may pick up a bargain. Getting the auctioneer to notice you is something else, though... Wear your best day-glo shooting outfit perhaps?