A royal NZ navy Enfield but with a difference.

[RJW NZ]

I've got a very nice Enfield target rifle, No1 mk3, BSA commercial with Fulton stamps, probably just post WW2, which has RNZN stamped on the butt stock disc. The only use it could have to my mind is that of a Navy backed shooting team.
I was wondering if anyone would know if this is a reasonable supposition, ie do or did the RNZN actually have a shooting team?
And, B, who could I contact in NZ to do research into the who, what , where, when of such a team? Is there a Navy historical site or records or serviceman's association for instance?
I'm in Auckland.
Thanks, rjwnz

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.

[nzl1a1collector]

Could it just be a simple case of someone replacing the original butt with another one, in this case it just happens to have a RNZN marked disk? Certainly the Butt doesn't match the rest of it. Maybe the Butt is an Long or Short length butt more suited to the firer

[RJW NZ]

If it turned out that the RNZN didn't have a shooting team or similar I will be inclined to agree with you. The rifle has other stamps that make it much more mysterious, the receiver is bsa commercial, it also has a military type serial number when it should have none, and it has an AGP stamp too.
Adding to the mix, the barrel has AGP ball burnished around the muzzle.
What takes it up a notch is that the flat on the barrel is stamped by Fulton, and the barrel bedding is by Fulton too, with three internal springs, plus that external brass strap over the handguard.

It looks like one of those accurized by AGP Parker Hale and sold as a target rifle.
My guess is that it was sent by a new owner to Fultons to get their magic treatment, an d that they kept the original barrel and added the spring damping system. I'm supposing that if Fulton were to have put a new forend on, that they would probably not also do the handguards, which currently all color match, so your idea that the butt is a replacement has a bit more weight. Perhaps a prank by some previous owner?

I'll post some more pics tomorrow.
I have a vague memory of asking here about this a while back, but perhaps some one will have new input. Amatikulu was here and suggested I ask further, he says that its a most interesting rifle,.

[oramac]

In answer to part of your question, the Navy did have shootings teams.
They use to hold inter-service shoots, my father was often in the Police team and shot against them in the 1950s & 1960s.

[RJW NZ]

Hi Oromac, Thanks, thats great news. I wonder how the comps were organized?

[oramac]

Hi RJW, I notice you are into old Planes.
If you happen to have any contacts with ex-Air Force personnel, they maybe able to put you in contact with older retired persnnel who might be able to answer that for you.
The Air Force was one of the services invovled in the inter service shoots.
I remember meeting one of the Navy guys once, he was a Commander (Sandy) Beach. He may still be around Auckland, if he is still alive he would be in his late seventies or early eighties.
If I come across any more info or can remember anything further I will get back to you here.

[Amatikulu]

Hi RJW, I notice you are into old Planes.
If you happen to have any contacts with ex-Air Force personnel, they maybe able to put you in contact with older retired persnnel who might be able to answer that for you.
The Air Force was one of the services invovled in the inter service shoots.
I remember meeting one of the Navy guys once, he was a Commander (Sandy) Beach. He may still be around Auckland, if he is still alive he would be in his late seventies or early eighties.
If I come across any more info or can remember anything further I will get back to you here.

I'm at the Auckland airport waiting for my flight home when I read this thread

Here is a link for you Roger that may turn up some leads


http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-bas...ubs/pistol.htm

http://www.queensmedal.net/files/peach.htm