Pressure bearing parts

[jss]

I recently checked with my firearms licensing office to see if I could hold spares for my rifles. Apparently the system does not cope with spares, so I wondered if any UK based person could clarify what Enfield parts are pressure bearing and thus illegal.

Information

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[Thunderbox]

Barrel, receiver, bolt and bolt head normally each require a variation to be held separately as spare.

Technically in Law, every single screw and pin is also a "component" and thus subject to licensing.....

[Alan de Enfield]

When I was looking to 'build' up a No1 I spoke with our local Police and was informed that to be able to buy the component (pressure) parts I would need to have a variation added to my FAC showing :
Authorised to purchase qty 1 .303" barrel
Authorised to purchase qty 1 .303" action
Authorised to purchase qty 1 .303" bolt
Authorised to purchase qty 1 .303" bolt head

(so pretty much as per Thunderbox's post)

They also told me that if I purchased a complete rifle - less woodwork - I would have to have it re-proofed when I put on the new woodwork. After some arguments, and me pointing out that the proof house requested woodwork removed on any firearms sent for proofing they 'backed down'.

Just as a side issue - An Enfield in 410 shotgun uses EXACTLY the same bolt & bolt head as a 303 rifle but you can keep spare bolts and bolt heads for a shotgun without it being on your FAC / SGC. Buy a 410 in the same 'model' to keep your 303 company but remember you must not use the bolts or bolt heads on the 303 !!!

[Thunderbox]

Just as a side issue - An Enfield in 410 shotgun uses EXACTLY the same bolt & bolt head as a 303 rifle but you can keep spare bolts and bolt heads for a shotgun without it being on your FAC / SGC. Buy a 410 in the same 'model' to keep your 303 company but remember you must not use the bolts or bolt heads on the 303 !!!

I think you'd be risking prosecution on that one; as the parts have no marks as identifying them as shotgun, they would clearly be seen as rifle parts....

[jss]

Just as a side issue - An Enfield in 410 shotgun uses EXACTLY the same bolt & bolt head as a 303 rifle but you can keep spare bolts and bolt heads for a shotgun without it being on your FAC / SGC. Buy a 410 in the same 'model' to keep your 303 company but remember you must not use the bolts or bolt heads on the 303 !!!

Interestingly I recently stumbled on a pair of No4 enfields for sale locally, one a 410 and one a 303. Looked outwardly identical until I was told one was a 410.
Can I get one on my shotgun certificate?. Do they feed from the magazine?.
Sorry question, questions...................

[Thunderbox]

Interestingly I recently stumbled on a pair of No4 enfields for sale locally, one a 410 and one a 303. Looked outwardly identical until I was told one was a 410.
Can I get one on my shotgun certificate?. Do they feed from the magazine?.
Sorry question, questions...................

You can only get one on your shotgun certificate if the magazine well has a steel plate welded into it - converting it into a single shot. Despite the fact that .410 Enfields will not feed from the magazine, they are classified as Section 1 firearms if the magazine is unmodified (ie a shotgun with more than a 3-shot capability)

[Alan de Enfield]

There seems to be various ways of "blocking off the magazine" - I've had several Enfield 410's which have varied from " a wooden plug" in place of the magazine, a plate fitted underneath the trigger guard to 'blank off' the magazine well (this was loose and fell out when the trigger guard was removed), a welded in plate and, finally my current one has the magazine 'pinned' so the follower can only move a couple of mm and the magazine welded to the trigger guard.

I think that the ways of complying with the shotgun requirements have changed over the years but these days (to be 'safe') go for the welded up option.

[jss]

Thanks for the help. I had not considered that rifle as a "Real Enfield" after finding it was a 410 but it now seems more acceptable.
It sounds as though this conversion was fairly commonplace. Was it to get around FAC requirements or just to have a nice Enfield bolt action 410 shotgun?. Or perhaps to save it from the scrap heap!.
Are there conversions to brass 9mm "garden gun" or other shotgun rounds?.

[Beerhunter]

The Indians (RFI) converted SMLEs to a single-shot .410 for Internal Security Duties. (I have seen them on the inventories of Indian Police Stations.) They fire special .410 cartridges (Ball, Shot & Blank.) and have been discussed here many times. Here's a pic of mine.


Attachment 24139


Additionally, prior to the 1988 Act, rifles were often simply smooth-bored in order to get around the Part One/Section One requirements for an FAC. Some were done to .410 others just had the rifling removed.

[jss]

Thanks BeerHunter. That's a nice looking "shotgun". Is anyone still doing these conversions?. Much better than deactivating a rifle and far more venues to use them. Even in a big garden!.
Pehaps when a visit to Bisley becomes too expensive, we can still shoot Enfields!.