no 8 or no9 enfield?

[RJW NZ]

Nice new place we have here, very smart...

If one had the choice, if you could keep only one, which one would be top dog, either as a collectible gaining value, or as a shooter, no8 or no9?

For those unfamiliar with the numbers as I was all too recently, the no8 is a .22 enfield that resembles a stocky jungle carbine and was purpose built to be a .22 trainer/shooter, while the no9 .22 enfield is a no4 enfield with a .22 conversion.

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.

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

I have yet to see a No9 anywhere.

[Alan de Enfield]

Well purely from a collectors / value point of view I'd go for the No9.

The supposed production figures (no doubt will be questioned by someone) are :

No8 = 76000
No9 = 3000

With only 3000 No9s made, some lost, some destroyed and some in museums etc there cannot be a lot of them left on the market.

If you dont want it send it to me - as to market price who knows ?

[scout7]

I would keep both, but the No. 9 would be No. 1.

[Yakster]

Hi Everyone. Had to change my username when the forum switched. Been lurking a lot because my new job keeps me very busy (happy to have one, so no complaints!). I own a N09 I picked up about 5 years ago at a very good price. Nice piece. Have no idea as to current value, but they do exist, at least in NE Florida.

Yakster aka Viking Guy

[Patrick Chadwick]

Alan, what is the source for the quantity of 76000 No. 8s? I have read several times that "about 20-25000 were made", but I never saw a source quoted for that figure either.

As to which one I would keep - the chance would be a fine thing. I have never seen a No. 9 for sale in Germany, but several number 8s.

No doubt collectors would value a No. 9 highly, because of the scarcity. But as a shooter, the No. 8 is a beautiful little rifle. I have not yet found a trainer that shoots better than my No. 8. Shot by a regional/national level smallbore expert (not me!) it made one ragged hole at 50 meters and a sub-MOA group at 100 meters. Even this grandpa can manage 1-1/2 MOA on a good day with steady light etc.

Patrick

[Alan de Enfield]

Alan, what is the source for the quantity of 76000 No. 8s? I have read several times that "about 20-25000 were made", but I never saw a source quoted for that figure either.

As to which one I would keep - the chance would be a fine thing. I have never seen a No. 9 for sale in Germany, but several number 8s.

No doubt collectors would value a No. 9 highly, because of the scarcity. But as a shooter, the No. 8 is a beautiful little rifle. I have not yet found a trainer that shoots better than my No. 8. Shot by a regional/national level smallbore expert (not me!) it made one ragged hole at 50 meters and a sub-MOA group at 100 meters. Even this grandpa can manage 1-1/2 MOA on a good day with steady light etc.

Patrick

Click on the links :

Lee-Enfield Rifle No.8 for the British Forces
Lee-Enfield Rifle No.8 for the British Forces

[Patrick Chadwick]

Thanks Alan, I looked that up , and found the following:

"Of Ian Skennerton's quoted figure for the initial requirement of 76,000 rifles, we have not for certain ascertained either whether all were manufactured, or the exact date of cessation of production. The highest serial number we have presently experienced is A 22571, on the rifle above. As a guide, that rifle has a base-plate dated 1950, and butt wood dated 1951. Significantly lower serial numbered rifles are therefore likely to have been manufactured between 1950 and 1951."

I.e. 76000 was theory. Practice was more likely in the region up to 25000.

Patrick

[Peter Laidler]

The 'trouble' with the No9 rifle, if 'trouble' is the right word, is that it's a doddle to make one up from a suitable No4, Have it sleeved, engrave it properly, and end up with an exact replica. And who would know, 2 owners down the line?

That's the difference between an LB No7/BSA No7 and a No8. They're not so simple to replicate. I suppose you could do it relatively simply with a No8 given a ........, er, yes ..., where is my lathe!

[smle-man]

I have yet to see a No9 anywhere.

I saw a rack of them for sale at Waffen-Frankonia in Wurzburg in 1980 (funny what I remember). Tried to figure out how to get one home to the U.S. but the ATF wasn't allowing importation of military arms back then. They also had unfired K31s but that was another matter.