Any one else sick of the misinformation?

[Gil Boyd]

John,
Don't bite mate, they are all really BRITS anyway over there, bit like Australia too. Might as well stir the rest of the world up whilst we are at it

[mrclark303]

John,
Don't bite mate, they are all really BRITS anyway over there, bit like Australia too. Might as well stir the rest of the world up whilst we are at it

Very true Gil, as soon as we are clear of the EU we can set about rebuilding the Empire .... We will bring our wayward American colonies back into the fold and start a strict series of Enfield indoctrination classes.....

[Roger Payne]

Or, 'How to Make friends & Influence People' (cringeing)..........

[Gil Boyd]

Brilliant Roger, that made I laugh, fellow Patriot

[Brian Dick]

When I was working the gun show circuit on a regular basis, I heard every story you could think of, good, bad and downright ugly about the trials and tribulations of the rear locking Lee Enfield design. It was almost always from folks who had never handled one in good shape on a range or had one bad experience with accuracy or some other issue. Yes, I always asked them. I also have owned, still own and shoot the Krag, Springfield, P'14, U.S. M1917 Enfield and Mauser so know a fair bit about them and their idiosyncrasies. When I was younger, I wanted to argue with them about the superiority of the LE design as a combat/sniper rifle but as time progressed, I just let them talk, smiled and looked on. This thread did make me think about the attitudes over here in the colonies where a good majority of rifles had been surplused starting in the 1950's onwards from many countries around the world. I think many of those rifles were culled from service for various reasons. The most common for failing one of the gauging standards. There were obsolete weapons, some in near new condition too that were only culled because they were obsolete. After 1986 when actual "reserve stores" rifles from the UK, South Africa and other Commonwealth and European nations were surplused, attitudes tended to change for the better because the majority of the rifles were in great shape. Look at the No.4Mk.2's in new condition. It doesn't get much better than that. Anyhow, a lot of people probably copped a bad attitude because the rifles were out of specification and needed servicing before going back on the ranges.

[M1 C FAN]

As soon as my US collection is more complete my first ally Rifle is going to be an #4 MK1. My brother had a Savage when I was a kid and it was my favorite rifle. He traded it for a Motorcycle.

[Brian Dick]

It's apples and oranges but I see you're an M1 collector too. My favorite semi-auto service rifle. I have an M1C that was restored from an SA52 rebuild with plugged holes. Some of the hardcore collectors understandably thumb their noses at it but since it was restored by a senior NCO at Anniston who was working there before CMP took over, it's good enough for me. He needed money to marry off a daughter at the time and I grabbed it. It's a very nice rifle and shoots well but I wouldn't trade a No.4T for it! My two favorite rifles of all time: The No.4 and M1.

[mrclark303]

We have to agree, two of the very best service rifles Brian and it's important to remember on the anniversary of VE day, the two rifles that liberated Europe from the Nazi jackboot...

[M1 C FAN]

My M1 is by far my favorite Service Rifle it`s a 5.5M Springfield in unissued condition. I hope to find a nice M1C I can afford some day. My favorite Bolt rifle is my M1917 Winchester. As soon as I get a nice 1903A3 My basic US rifle collection will be complete starting with the 1896 30/40 KRAG rifle, 1903 springfield, 1917 winchester, M1 springfield, M1 Carbine IBM, semi-m14 NEW SPRINGFIELD and a Windham Weaponry AR15. Then I plan starting on our Allies with a nice NO4. then a P14, AND THEN A......... I always use Larry Potterfields quote when my wife asks how many I need???? "AT LEAST ONE MORE HONEY"

[mrclark303]

Sounds like an excellent collection M1!

The M1917 is a rather overlooked classic, they aren't too common this side of the pond, superb rifles....