Is This Magazine Genuine?

[IanS]

I came across this magazine advertised as a scarce 20 round magazine for a No4 rifle. Your comments would be very much appreciated.

Holt's Auctioneers

Information

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[ActionYobbo]

Looks like it could be a trench mag for the SMLE not the No4

[lithgow1918]

It's not one of the linley co ones. It clearly has a different style of floor plate. To me it looks like it's for a no4 based on the locking lug on the back. Been watching this one for a while, was hoping to pick it up, or for someone else to so it could be examined further.

[Daan Kemp]

Looks made from another magazine, straight to about halfway down, three nicks/dents about quarter way down. Like to have one for competitions.

[IanS]

Thanks for the feedback. I went online and it seems on the balance of opinion, to be for an SMLE. To see it in the flesh would be good, who's going to bid for it? If it's genuine, what's it likely to make, bet it's over £100. I see we're too late to bid anyway.

Thanks again for the feedback guys.
Ian

[Nigel]

I think it is for a No.4 - back in the day when Practical Rifle was popular in the UK, the post Hungerford ban of full bore semi-auto rifles resulted in many people using 7.62mm No.4 Enfields with ten round mags. They are not really designed for quick mag changes and many of the courses of fire needed 20-30 rounds on each stage. This led to some experiments to make 20 round mags. Because engagement of the mag is at the rear the extra weight of 20 rounds would encourage the front, non-engaged, part of the mag to drop fractionally - causing feed problems. Eventually we solved this by dropping a bit of weld and filing it square to fit the groove of the trigger guard. This effectively kept the front edge at its correct point because the mag couldn't drop backwards. The little loop on this .303 mag will serve the same purpose. Whoever made it has put some thought into it but I don't think it is an official item. Maybe someone made it for practical rifle comps in the UK in the early 1990's when .303 surplus ammo was still available at about £16/100.

[Roger Payne]

My thoughts entirely Nige. In fact some experimentation took place trying to perfect a 20 round equivalent of the Enfield 7.62mm mag as well. The late Pete Bloom got as far as some prototypes, two of which I still have somewhere.

[Strangely Brown]

Agree with Nigel and Roger, the person to ask about these would be Peter Sarony at Armalon!

[Buccaneer]

This is being offered for sale in a sealed bid auction and it is supposed to end on the 11th of June, however as it has already been pushed back twice from its original closure date in April because of the C19 lockdown it might or might not happen, fingers crossed.

[Alan de Enfield]

This is being offered for sale in a sealed bid auction and it is supposed to end on the 11th of June, however as it has already been pushed back twice from its original closure date in April because of the C19 lockdown it might or might not happen, fingers crossed.

I've had my 'sealed bid' in for some time, who knows when the 'auction' will actually happen.

A 25% + VAT buyers premium (adding 30%) when added to a £15 postage cost could make this a very expensive magazine.