First Enfield, need help!

[Randy A]

I'll pick it up since I should be able to get it together for reasonable $. Looks like I need a darker set of upper wood, a stacking swivel and the mid-forearm barrel band with swivel screw.

[RazorBurn]

I just finished restoring a 1945 Long Branch No 4 Mk 1* last week. The only reason I bought it was I thought I had a complete stock set at home. I was mistaken as I was missing a good forend so I ended up buying a complete stock set that I did get a very good deal on. Counting everything I have $350.00 in the rifle. Most SMLE's in my area go for $350.00 to $400.00 for a complete one so I ended up being ok on this one.

I'm like BurtonP. I like to restore old sporters but the milsurp parts market has fallen on it's face in the states. Those that do have the parts want an exorbitant amount for them now though. I enjoyed restoring the Long Branch. I have a line on a few more sportered No 4 Mk 1 Enfields but with the stock sets (especially No 4 Mk 1 forends) availability dried up it's just not worth it for me to have more project lying around hoping for parts to become available again.

[Bindi2]

I'll pick it up since I should be able to get it together for reasonable $. Looks like I need a darker set of upper wood, a stacking swivel and the mid-forearm barrel band with swivel screw.

A stacking swivel on a 1943 rifle is incorrect. The swivel in front of the Magazine is an addition for prone target rifle shooting. That rifle is an Indian built one.

[Alan de Enfield]

I was worried about the end result $$$ too but todays efforts produced a decent dark colored stock set with all hardware except for the upper wood and a barrel band. This rifle has a sling swivel right at the front of the magazine opening? I've seen them with a loop of sorts and thought the band midway up the barrel had a swivel and then a stacking swivel at the muzzle? The stock set I got has a swivel at the end not a stacking swivel. I assume the upper swivel goes on the mid-barrel band, stacking swivel at muzzle but whats up with the one at the front of the magazine, its two lugs threaded for a through bolt/screw?

Just be aware that these rifles are the last of the breed that were 'hand made' & 'hand fitted'.

'Fitting' new wood means exactly that - it will require some FITTING, they are not 'plug and play' so be prepared to do some minor surgery.

I spent hours and hours trying to fit a 'pre-used' forend to a barrelled action I had and just could not get it working, the bolt would not cock.
I removed the forend from another rifle and tried that on the Barrelled action and it worked OK, I then tried the original forend on the rifle from which I had just removed the forend to go onto the barrelled action, and, with a slight shaving it fitted and worked perfectly.

Every No1 MkIII is different.

[Bindi2]

^^^^ Wise words^^^^

[RazorBurn]

Just be aware that these rifles are the last of the breed that were 'hand made' & 'hand fitted'.

'Fitting' new wood means exactly that - it will require some FITTING, they are not 'plug and play' so be prepared to do some minor surgery.

I spent hours and hours trying to fit a 'pre-used' forend to a barrelled action I had and just could not get it working, the bolt would not cock.
I removed the forend from another rifle and tried that on the Barrelled action and it worked OK, I then tried the original forend on the rifle from which I had just removed the forend to go onto the barrelled action, and, with a slight shaving it fitted and worked perfectly.

Every No1 MkIII is different.

Alan de Enfield is correct. Fitting is slow and tedious work but the satisfaction of a job well done is worth it.

[RobD]

Also bear in mind that these days the cost of the rifle will likely be be less than a few hundred rounds of store-bought ammo.
303 British Ammo For Sale - 174 gr FMJBT Ammunition In Stock by Prvi Partizan
Even if you reload, the rifle will probably cost less than a thousand rounds of ammunition.
So if you shoot regularly, the cost of the rifle will soon be forgotten once the cost of feeding it begins to attract your attention...

[BurtonP]

I'll pick it up since I should be able to get it together for reasonable $. Looks like I need a darker set of upper wood, a stacking swivel and the mid-forearm barrel band with swivel screw.

I've had good success with leather dyes to match wood sets lately. Having said that, the dyes will cost you more than the wood uppers, so unless you intend to restore a few sporters...

[Surpmil]

Prices jumped when Dunkirk came out.

Funny how history repeats itself.

[Sunray]

"...(frosty)..." That's the beginning of rust. Isn't terminal though. Isn't unsafe for shooting either.
"...all wood and associated hardware..." That'll cost a big pile of money. And it can take years to find these days. There are no more stock sets, but it's mostly the small metal bits that cost a bunch.
Anyway, Elwood Epp's, in Orillia, Ontario, lists most No. 1 Mk III parts, but cheap they ain't. The front and rear hand guards will run you $108Cdn plus shipping. An outer band with its screw is $23.99. Adds up quickly. And you will never get that money back if you ever decide to sell it.
The advantage to Epp's is that they have stuff and they know what they're talking about.
Firearm Parts - Hunting
"...Prices jumped when Dunkirk came out...." Movies will do that. Sales of Smith M29's go up every time a Dirty Harry movies is run on TV too.