New to me Lee Enfield MK4 no1* (Savage lend/lease). Pics and a few questions

[steveTA1983]

Hey all! New memeber but not new to milsurp rifles at all (just lee enfields).

I picked this up for $450 last week. It's a savage MK4 no1*. All matching (reciever, magazine, and assuming barrel) except for the bolt. Overall the rifle is is pretty nice shape. Barrel is correct for Savage wartime production (2 groove), thus why I'm thinking its original, but I couldn't find any markings on it when I took the handguards off. As you can see from the pics, barrel is mint!





Stock is marked FTR, but none of the metal parts have it stamped (still a possible factory refurb?).

Now, the problems I found during disassembly and cleaning:

Extractor spring was missing. Had a spare so no big deal. Installed it and tested ejection with rounds. Ejects fine. Problem solved

Lower portion of stockis missing the metal (see below)



Will this affect anything? Band still secures tight but have to clamp it all the way back instead of in the metal grove

Front sight guard is loose. Able to wobbble it back and forth a little, but not forward or backwards. Screw is there and tightened all the way. I'm thinking this is no big deal, am I correct?

Those are the only issues I've found. Bolt looks in nice and secure, as well. Sony guess is this rifle went through refurb and a few corners were cut (just the lower handguard metal on the stock really), but it shouldn't be an issue (luckily I noticed extractor spring). So how'd I do for $450??? Can't wait to shoot it!!!

---------- Post added at 08:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:55 PM ----------

Not thread related, but my other milsurp rifles (enfield in this pic is a POF)

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.

[nijalninja]

I remember the first time I saw a No4 with twin groove rifling: I was certain it was a fake. I know better now haha.

About the metal piece on the front hand guard, I suppose as long as it is still clamping the barrel as intended it wouldn't cause issues. The front sight protectors could cause issues if they buzz around and contact the front sights while shooting, maybe giving a similar issue to what happens when the top hand guard slips forward and contacts the sight.

I may be completely wrong. Its a nice looking rifle. I love the dark stock.

[steveTA1983]

I remember the first time I saw a No4 with twin groove rifling: I was certain it was a fake. I know better now haha.

About the metal piece on the front hand guard, I suppose as long as it is still clamping the barrel as intended it wouldn't cause issues. The front sight protectors could cause issues if they buzz around and contact the front sights while shooting, maybe giving a similar issue to what happens when the top hand guard slips forward and contacts the sight.

I may be completely wrong. Its a nice looking rifle. I love the dark stock.

So two grove rifling is more rare??

The sight guard doesn't contact the front sight post at all (or the protruding parts used to adjust it). It wobbles; but there is no way it can come off since the scew used to secure it goes right through the sight block. I guess it won't be an issue.

The main reason I bought it is because it's a wartime (1943) and it's stamped US property (which I knew meant lend/lease due to it being a British pattern rifle made during the war). I didn't know anything else unitl I researched it a bit more after putting a deposit down. The store where I got it from sells milsurps super cheap (picked up my pictured K98, Romanian contract VZ24 and 1938 Tula 91/30 from them a few months at $250 a piece, all in very good to excellent condition). I'll post some more pics of the Enfieldin a few minutes.

[steveTA1983]

More pics. Still need to do a better job removing cosmoline

[nijalninja]

Not sure if twin rifling is any rare or anything, but it seemed odd when I first heard about it.

Idk if it would apply to all rifles in every part of the barrel, but there is a thing called "buzzing" which is where something metallic and somewhat loose is in contact with the barrel when it fires; the vibrations down the barrel cause the 'buzz' on the other metallic thing, and as far as I know this can mess with the harmonics of a standard issue enfield what with its up pressures to tune the harmonics. It may or may not apply to the sight protector, but I would wait for someone more experienced to have a say.

If there is nothing else wrong with it you might as well go take some shots and see if it is alright or all over the place. If it shoots wild then you start fiddling.

[steveTA1983]

Not sure if twin rifling is any rare or anything, but it seemed odd when I first heard about it.

Idk if it would apply to all rifles in every part of the barrel, but there is a thing called "buzzing" which is where something metallic and somewhat loose is in contact with the barrel when it fires; the vibrations down the barrel cause the 'buzz' on the other metallic thing, and as far as I know this can mess with the harmonics of a standard issue enfield what with its up pressures to tune the harmonics. It may or may not apply to the sight protector, but I would wait for someone more experienced to have a say.

If there is nothing else wrong with it you might as well go take some shots and see if it is alright or all over the place. If it shoots wild then you start fiddling.

I plan on shooting it maybe Wednesday. My hopes arn't high though, as the only .303 I have stocked it PPU boat tailed rounds, which I've read don't do well at all in 2 grove rifled barrels

[Stanforth]

I plan on shooting it maybe Wednesday. My hopes arn't high though, as the only .303 I have stocked it PPU boat tailed rounds, which I've read don't do well at all in 2 grove rifled barrels

My Savage No.4 Mk1* has 2 groove rifling and it worried me for a while as I only had a few rounds of MK7 to shoot and could not find any flat based ammo or bullets to reload. I need not have worried as it turned out that with PPU boat tail reloads it is my second most accurate rifle, after my Enfield Envoy, out to 600 yards. I believe it all to do with the condition of bore in particular close to the chamber where gasses can escape round the tail of the bullet (boat tail) and destabilise it.

[Jsne]

Hi
Picture 3
Yout frontsight protector is pointing the wrong way
Turn 180 degree and i think your problem is fixt

Jsne

[browningautorifle]

What's been done to the rear sight? Looks like heat has been applied, has the rear sight been welded? That's a Mk 3 so shouldn't it have a pressed steel sight loop? Looks like something different. I thought Savage rifles were stocked in Beech or Birch? The butt looks from the small bit I can see to be different from the forend. I wonder if this one was restored? The loose upper handguard and front band would never pass FTR...never...finish on the sight protector doesn't match the rest either, and as pointed out is reversed. Still, at least you have one, some of us don't. Let us know how it shoots...

[Roger Payne]

If you want to pm me I'll send you a 'nose cap' that you have missing. Can't bear to see a nice rifle improperly dressed like that. I'll enclose the two transverse pins that hold it correctly in position too. Can't guarantee a Savage made example but I'll see what I can do.