No4 MkI Recovery / Refurbish

[JBS]

Well I don’t want to call it a restoration because a badly butchered MkI stock had to be replaced with a MkII so this is a recovery, refurbish. Months ago a good customer asked me to help him repair a Lee Enfield he inherited from his father in-law. Due to restrictions on his time and a couple of things he was not comfortable doing I took over the recovery of the rifle. It was first thought that it was a bring back by his father in-law. After close examination the British Government sale proofing stamp was found. It is now believed that his father in-law purchased it sometime in the 1950s or early 1960s as it has no import stamp. The rifle is a No4 MkI Ser. 12C14XX, it has no *. I did not know when this started that I would end up doing more than assisting so I have no photos of the condition when things started. I have provided a photo of the “adjusted” original stock that was on it, you can use your imagination for the rest. The metal had the original Suncorite paint job, plus another one on top of that with bad runs. Over that was a couple coats of spray paint. Everything was painted, thick, including the rear micrometer sight. Moisture had been trapped under some of the paint as when I finally got it all stripped off I found rust which I removed. All parts were inspected and I found them to all be original Savage with the exception of a circle F barrel two land two grove, and the circle F rear micrometer sight. The recovery started with dressing and repairing most of the dents, dinks, and damage in the metal after stripping but leaving some of the witness of history marks. The front sight guard and assembly was repaired from being somewhat crushed. The metal parts were covered with Aluma Hyde II in place of Suncorite. On the rear sight all paint and rust was removed and I dressed and restored the face with a machinist slate covered with 600 garnet paper, I will make and install a target insert of .060 later, this insert type peep is covered in an earlier post. The customer had years earlier acquired a replacement stock set marked ( FR ) forestock, ( S.L ) handguard, and a separate grooved rear hand guard broad arrow mark only, these stock parts had never been fitted to a rifle and were oversized in all respects. The stock set was for a No4 MkII and was filthy, greased up, covered in dirt, black in color, and smelled of insecticide. I had to completely deep strip it before starting. The customer requested I back date this stock to No4 MkI in appearance. After inletting, and hand fitting the forestock and draws, butt stock ( L ) long, and handguards I recovered the reinforcing bar from the old stock and fitted it to the new forestock. I made a hard wood ( oak ) spacer block and glued it into the open back of the No4 MkII. I then applied stain and finish to the wood. Before anyone gets unhappy I did this in a manner that clearly allows any collector to see that this is a refurbish / altered and not a humped stock. I set the forestock to about 6 pounds upset at the muzzle. So, to make a long story come to an end here is the recovered, refurbished Lend Lease No4 MkI 1942, two trips across the ocean. Hopefully it will last another 67 years.

Information

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[SpikeDD]

Beautiful work. The barrel is actually the original 2 grove Savage barrel, the flaming bomb can be easily see in the photo of the knox form. The rear sight is indeed a fazakerly replacement. Although the painted finish looks fantastic, Suncorite was never a original Savage finish, generally applied during a FTR or similar.

Nice recovery to a "pretty" rifle.

[JBS]

Thank you David, I figured the barrel to be a replacement as it is marked with the circle F. Did not the Savage's in this Ser range come with 6 land barrels ?

[SpikeDD]

I'm not thinking so, but I can't remember for sure. I am in Florida till after the New Year and have no books here. I know for sure that before the 12C range, the Mk.I* was being produced and a 2 grove becoming the standard barrel. Many of the FTR's to 1/3 had 4 and 5 grove replacement barrels but I'm thinking the 5 or 6 groove Savage barrels were on the very early production Mk.I's. As a collector, I would consider a 12C Mk.I more interesting as it is mixed in with the MKI* production.

[Edward Horton]

A+ Enfield restoration or FTR, you deserve a Masters Degree in workmanship.

Your restored Enfield looks so good I'm not even going to tell any “Texican” jokes.

[louthepou]

That's a really nicely done modification on the forend JBS, good job!!!

Lou

[Peter Laidler]

A credit to you and a pleasure to see..............

[JBS]

Does anyone else have a theory about the 2 land 2 groove barrel being original or a replacement? It is marked Circle F 1 and the US ordinance insignia. Can it be a US supplied replacements for an earlier 4 or 6 land barrel.

[Surpmil]

Nice work indeed. Nice face on the bolt head too! Glad no one has accused you of "fakery" either; with endorsements like these they haven't the nads of course!

[gunner]

JBS,

congrats to such an good job! That is great to see !!! Both of my No4 MkI* from Savage have these 2-groove barrels, so i think its original.

Best Regards

Gunner