Enfield Newbie - Unknowingly bought a JJCO Lithgow No1 Mk3*

[57Overlander]

I'm a budding milsurp rifle collector and I've been bitten by the Enfield bug. I've been looking for a Lithgow No. 1 Mk III* and I just purchased via gunbroker what I assumed was a nice one. The dealer selling the rifle is running an estate sale. He stated that he usually didn't sell milsurps and didn't know much about them. He also said the former owner bought the rifle in the 80s, shot it some , but mostly kept it as a safe queen.

I hate to admit this because I generally do my research but I discovered it was a JJCO import. I didn't know the significance of that until after some more reading.

That said, I think I lucked out and got a complete rifle and not a rebuilt parts gun. The receiver, bolt and end cap numbers are matching as well as fore-end. It's a 1942 D prefix, the furniture is SLAZ dated 1942. I'm not in possession of the rifle yet, but in one of the pics , it appears that the stock has the appropriate acceptance marks (can faintly be made out). Then again it I've read the company added marks in the past. I didn't assume it was unissued. I just want a nice shooter.

Anyway, I don't mean to post what probably is "I'm a newbie, look at my JJCO Enfield!" thread, but I would truly appreciate any information and opinions.

Information

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[Homer]

Looks like a nice one. The stock has a lovely reddish tone to it that I love.

[57Overlander]

Thanks! So do you think it's a clever forgery parts rifle, real or matching parts, new wood? I don't really care if it doesn't have any historical significance I just wanted a nice representative sample of a Lithgow Enfield. My biggest concern is whether it has the recoil plates. I wanted a shooter not a wall hanger.

[Homer]

From my phone it looks like a nice matching rifle. It should have the inserts.

[smle addict]

Looks like an honest rifle. Enjoy it; you got a nice one. Jovino did import honest rifles. I have 3 early Lithgow that are Jovino stamped. The issue with his rifles were the "unissued" lithgows, that were made up of re-numbered receivers with new (surplus) slaz wood. And welcome to the forum!

[Brian Dick]

Nice rifle!

[Father Ted]

I've never seen the stamp on the knox, was that on his earliest imports before he started lightly stamping them on receiver and charger bridge? Looks nice.
Cheers

[shoe303]

The vast majority of Jovino rifles were good, honest, as issued Lithgow made or refurbished SMLEs. When he bought these rifles he also got a lot of unissued spare parts that he then proceeded to turn into unissued rifles wtih serial numbers that usually do not fall into the normal Lithgow range for the year on the receiver. The assembly numbers on the bottom of the bolt handle and top of the action socket usually do not match on these rifles either. From the pictures, your rifle looks to be an original Lithgow, not one of the Jovino assembled rifles.