Clone of a clone of a carbine!

[TCS-5]

As many here know back it the 1950s and '60s Golden State Arms of Pasadena, California imported a lot of milsurp guns.... One of the big sellers was the Lee Enfield No.5.



So much so that they had the Sante Fe Div. of Golden State Arms convert No.4 and No.1 Mk.3 to "Jungle Carbines". And as far as I can ascertain all such conversions had "Jungle Carbine" stamped on the barrel. This started in the '50s and I see no other reference of the time refering to a real No.5 as a "Jungle Carbine" so I'm convinced that GSA & SF coined the phrase for a marketing ploy.

Here is a good representation of of the Santa Fe No.1 Mk.3 conversions:




Now recently, with my aqusition of a Ishapore 2A at a very good price, I was intrigued by the Santa Fe No.1 Mk.3 conversions. My favorite Lee Enfield has always been the No.5 carbine but it would be nice to have one in 7.62x51 with out breaking the bank.

I decided to take this 2A mutt, (almost nothing on it was original ore even matched, date codes are all over the place) and make a version of the Santa Fe "Jungle Carbine". Tho, I just call the "2A Carbine".

Here are the before photos:
(the camera makes it look better than it really was)






The first thing I did when I got the 2A was to try and wash the stock with Murphy's Oil Soap. Just a light wash mind you... but it was a mistake.... The finish turned into a sticky mess. I let it dry for a couple week then proceeded to scrape the crud off the wood. I cut the fore stock down then applied a few coats of BLO. to all the wood. The had guard was purchased along with the flash hider, front sight & hand guard ring from Numrich.

I decided to leave the butt stock original.

I modified the charging bridge so as to mount a peep sight I fabricated. Actually made two rear sights, first was out of aluminum and second of steel. The steel peep is on it now.

I used balsa wood to mock up a rear peep that I attached with double back tape to the charging bridge then bore sighted at 25 yds to get windage and elevation data. Sighted 1" low at 25 yds. The data was then transfered to the aluminum and steel sights for aperture location.

Since the barrel and receiver was the typical paint over park, I stripped the paint off and any bare metal was cold blued x4. Then repainted with ceramic impregnated hi-temp paint which was baked at 400*F for an hour. All blued parts were cold blued x4 as well.

I didn't refinish the magazine since it had ~90% of the original paint and park still on it.

So here are the photos of the 2A Carbine I took this morning after I reassembled it. Still need to bore sight it again.







Before I stripped it all down to refinish I bore sight my home made peep to make sure everything was a go. This is what I was getting at 100 yd 5 shot groups pretty consistanly. I had to mke no adjustment to the sight once it was bore sighted. Just lucky I guess.


Here it is on my makeshift shooting bench that day. Cinder block not just a rest but weight to stabilize the wobbly table! I slung up and rested the back of my left hand on the towel and my right elbow on the table... Works for me.


This will be my basic utility rifle or Scout Rifle and Jeff Cooper would call it. He was quite fond of the No.5.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Well done. Good use for an otherwise average rifle.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

India actually made a few "trials" carbines.

See page 369 of Ian Skennerton's "The Lee Enfield" for a photo.

"Eclectic" collection of features:

2A "square" nosecap, conical flash "hider" in front of that on an 18 inch barrel

Weird "flag" rearsight attached via the LHS of the receiver behind the charger bridge.

Rear sling swivel on TOP of the butt and just forward of the buttplate; front swivel on the RHS, just behind the rear of the nosecap .

The Oz No6 series carbines are positively graceful in comparison.

[Mikesm44]

I like it. Cool. Thanks for sharing your endeavor.

[TCS-5]

Thanks guys for the kind comments.

Well done. Good use for an otherwise average rifle.

Jim,
Yes, making them into more interesting and useful tools is enjoyable and worthwhile. I think it could even increase the value too. I wouldn't do it to a better maintained matching rifle... not even an Ishapore... well mabey not.
I know where there's a No.4 action with a bubba'd up barrel, I think it was cut to 11" or something. If I could get it real cheap I'd consider a 7.62 conversion....
Now that would be cool.

[browningautorifle]

If I could get it real cheap I'd consider a 7.62 conversion....

With an FN mag on it...

[TCS-5]

With an FN mag on it...

Sure, got plenty... lets go for light weight and 'Hiduminium'!

[villiers]

Neat! Looks well worth the effort. And you were right about not changing the butt stock. Never understood why the sling on the No 5 is attached so that you get the bolt squarely in the small of your back (most likely it´s `cos staff officers never have to carry a rifle)

[stevebc]

The purists may wince, but I like it. You do great work, sir.

[TCS-5]

Thanks guys.

villiers,
Your probably right about the sling attachment... I have to deal with this at work, management is always telling maintance how to do their job. Management has a hard enogh time figuring out their own job.