Enfield Magazines and Questions

Nightcrawler

New member
There's a .303 No. 5 Jungle Carbine in the local sporting goods store for $250 or so that I have my eye on. I only has the 5 round magazine instead of the 10 round one. I want Enfields, despite being a lefty.

-Where can I get extra magazines?

-Where can I get .303 stripper clips?

-What should I look for when deciding if the rifle is in good enough condition to purchase?

-Is it a good idea to put a rubber recoil pad on it (the aftermarket kind, cutting a slot for the sling loop on the right side of the stock)?
 
Springfield Sporters should have both the magazine and the stripper clips.

I never got into the "Jungle" Enfields because of the fabled wandering zero. I pretty much prefer the No4Mk2.

Obviously, examine the bore as best you can and try to get the thing's headspace checked. Failing that, the lower the number on the bolt head, the better (assuming it's not completely mismatched).
 
Is it authentic, or it is one of the cutdowns that was done in the past several years?

Authentic No. 5s are bringing a lot more than $250.
 
"Authentic No. 5s are bringing a lot more than $250."

They shouldn't be. SOG International is selling them for $209, last I checked.
 
Look for overall condition. If it's an original Jungle Carbine, the model (#5 Mark 1) and place of manufacture and date, should be marked on the left side of the receiver. These marking are usually written with some kind of electric pencil so don't get too concerened.

Check if the serial numbers on the receiver and bolt match. Some late issue carbines also have the numbers on the stock and forearm.

Look on the front of the barrel for importers marks. An unmarked rifle will be more collectable.

Check the rear top of the butt for marks: S, M, or L. These were marks indicating the length of the stock. A number of carbines were intended for issue to smaller Asian troops, and had short stocks.

Shoot it first, then decide if you need a slip-on recoil pad.
 
A large source was found? Hehe and what ever,lol. The large source is No.4 or even a Mark-III SMLE and the cut saw with the new buttplate and flash cone. Yes indeed a "large source" was found.
 
When prices drop 50% or more on a C&R gun, and every supplier now has them on special (as the #5's were last year, and still at some places). You can bet the reason is that a large number were just brought in from overseas.

I seriously doubt respectable companies like Ellisons and SOG would be taking a hacksaw to Mk4's and selling them as 5's as thier clients tend to be knowlegeble collectors and would catch on real quick and put them out of business.

Best wishes, Blue Duck

PS, Gibbs rifle company does make some reproductions by cutting down other gun's but these are clearly advertised as such. They had planned on making a Jungle Carbine repro, but the real ones became so cheap they delayed the project.

Edited for Gibbs info
 
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Century Arms is apparently the fundamental source of this new wave of No.5s; they have supplied them to other dealers as well.
They are said to have come from Fiji or Malaysia depending on who you listen to.
The most obvious check for a genuine one is the lightening cuts in the receiver on both sides under the (folded-down) rear sight.
Some were altered from No.4s by Santa Fe/Golden State Arms in the 1960s.
You should view the images at http://www.geocities.com/lee_enfield_rifles/No5MkI.html
to see the genuine receiver
 
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