Palma Match Enfield Envoy

[Valleysniper]

Can anybody confirm what was the correct aperture sight model used on the rifles supplied for the 1970 Palma Match competition?

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[Thunderbox]

You'd have to call Fultons and ask - I'm sure when I asked that the spec was described as "either a PH5C or a TZ 4/47".

I've had four Palma Match at one time or another, and still retain one. Two had 1/4 minute PH5Cs, the other two had 1/4 minute TZ 4/47s. Of course there is no way of knowing if the sights have been switched at any time....

[Valleysniper]

Rang Fulton's and they confirmed the competition rifles could have had either PH5C's or AJP TZ 4/47's fitted, it was the individual competitors decision.

[FlightRN]

Greetings All,
I returned to the US a few months ago after a three year tour in the UK. While there I was able to secure and bring back two Envoy rifles. One of them is marked [B]PALMA MATCH BISLEY 1970[B]. A few things I have noticed and have some questions about.

The rifle is proofed at both 19T and 20T. Was this common? The L42A1, Enforcer and L39A1 rifles I own are proofed at 19T.

I also noticed what I believe in the "sold of of service" (>S<) marking on the right rear butt stock socket. Were the rifles considered military issued pieces or was this done for pieces that were shot in the match? It's my understanding that the competitor who used rifle could purchase it after the match. I'm hoping that Fulton's might still have the records as to who shot this rifle during the match.

This particular rifle is fitted with a PH5C rear sight and a John Wilkes front sight.

This is a great rifle and I look forward to shooting it on this side of the pond

Best Regards,

Michael

[Thunderbox]

I also noticed what I believe in the "sold of of service" (>S<) marking on the right rear butt stock socket. Were the rifles considered military issued pieces or was this done for pieces that were shot in the match? It's my understanding that the competitor who used rifle could purchase it after the match. I'm hoping that Fulton's might still have the records as to who shot this rifle during the match.

The "sold out of service" mark was applied to military Enfields sold into the civilian gun trade, but it generally stopped in about 1949 - probably because by then there were hundreds of thousands of rifles entering the civilian trade.

I think Enfield simply went through the motions of applying the SooS mark to its commercial rifles - the Enforcer and Envoy - as a formal way of accounting for those rifles. Enfield was a state-owned factory with only very rudimentary commercial arrangements in place, so the SooS mark was probably someone's way of covering their arrse...

The 20T mark means that the rifle has been recently (since the 1980s) reproofed. That doesn't necessarily imply a changed barrel - its very common to find Enfields where the bolthead was never stamped when they originally proofed the rifle, or (Birmingham especially) where a blunt stamp was used and the marks are illegible. With many UK Police forces these days happy to carry out malicious prosecutions against RFDs, many dealers take the belt-and-braces approach and automatically reproof anything doubtful....

[maxim]

I presume they were chambered in .308. A little different from what yo see now as a Palma rifle with hand stops, adjustable butt plate, slightly heavier barrel. I learn something new every day.