Help with No4 Mk1* Enfield

T

targetgeek

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I recently purchased this No4 Mk1* gun but am having a difficult time reconciling some of the markings. Photos are below, but the main issue is that it has a low Serial number with no prefix (0180) which indicates that it was made at BSA Shirley around 1942; however, it is also marked as a No4 Mk1* and most of the data I've found says the * guns were only made in Canada or the U.S.
This gun was apparently refurbished in India in 1963 and has import marks of 303-P-England. It also has an "S" on the stock.
Any ideas about what factory actually mfg. his Enfield?
Mike
 

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agreed with wog potter, if it has a spring loaded take down lever near the rear sight post then it is a MK1, if it has a slot cut out of the bolt guide near the front of the receiver then it is a MK1*. either way, the MK1*was only made by savage and longbranch. the * may be a fake as it appears to be much more uniform that clear than many of the other markings on this rifle.
 
I think it's a Mk1* as we should be able to see the top of the bolthead release in the 1st photo if it was a Mk1.

From a No1 MkVI but the same release as a No4 Mk1
firingline.jpg
 
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The S on the butt means different things dependent on the location, in this case it means that a spring washer is attached to the buttstock bolt, when the S is stamped on the heel of the butt then it means short length butt.
 
Bolt is mk1*

Thanks for the replies. The bolt is removed with the notch as with the * models. It has neither the Longbranch or US markings. The serial number is on the right side of receiver 00180.
 
During the FR process Ishapore would often remove all previous markings & restamp the rifle including a new serial number.
You will have to fully disassemble the rifle & look for any markings missed during the FR to find out the original manufacturer, as its a Mk1* it would either be Long Branch or Savage.
 
targetgeek said:
Thanks for the replies. The bolt is removed with the notch as with the * models. It has neither the Longbranch or US markings. The serial number is on the right side of receiver 00180.
Click to expand...

The "No4 MkI*" on the left side appears unmolested. Long Branch No4's would normally have "LONG BRANCH" just below the No4 MKI* marking. Some have the year under the Long Branch. I don't think this rifle is a LB

The Savage could have just a "No4 MkI*" on the left side. The US PROPERTY mark is on the top left side of the receiver and very easily removed. It's possible this rifle was/is a Savage with the serial number scrubbed from the left side of the wrist and the US Property mark milled off.

I've seen three or four RFI FR's, as I recall a lot of scrubbing of original markings.

I would completely disassemble this and photograph all parts that have any kind of marking. Some of the RFI work is very well done. I saw a No5 carbine that was a RFI FR and it was near presentation grade. Clearly made for someone of importance.





5THBATT said:
The S on the butt means different things dependent on the location, in this case it means that a spring washer is attached to the buttstock bolt, when the S is stamped on the heel of the butt then it means short length butt.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Any documentation for this? A link to a web site? I have never heard of this before. It does seem possible, but why would they want to know if it has a split lock or a spring washer.
 
madcratebuilder, it is listed as such in Skennerton's books, here it is in "The Broad Arrow".

0003898.jpg


And from "The Lee-Enfield"
0003899.jpg
 
Update

I took off the front fore grip and took a careful look at the smaller parts. Found several of the square S marks. Didn't see any savage marks on the barrel but there was the same number (00180) there as on the receiver... Left side of the barrel had a etched square. The left side of the receiver does look like it was milled down where the US PROPERTY would have been. Front sight has the adjustable screw.
As someone pointed out, the No4 Mk1* is odd.... I can't find another example of where the one is a "1" rather than "I" .... And the "o" and "k" are usually underlined superscript rather than low as with this rifle.
We may never know, but it appears to be a Savage that was refurbed in 1963.
 
Thanks 5THBATT, I like learning something new about LE's. Would you say this "S" would be on No1's or No4's or both? Another indication of Indian service.
 
I'd say the square S is a Savage mark on the smaller parts. The right hand grip has the data of Indian refurb in 1963. The real puzzle seems to be how the No4 Mk1* was done since it's not like others I've seen. Usually with a Savage, there is the square S before that line in addition to the other oddities mentioned above.
 
The real puzzle seems to be how the No4 Mk1* was done since it's not like others I've seen. Usually with a Savage, there is the square S before that line
Click to expand...

Not always. Here's my '42 Savage No4 Mk1*.
The data is in 2 different places as you can see, some on the receiver left sidewall, & some on the wrist left hand side. The "square S" is only on the wrist, not the receiver left sidewall.
I'm guessing either the RFI, or CAI re-stamped a normal Savage No4 Mk1* after it was scrubbed of original markings. Looking at the earlier pics I think you can see where the scrub was done on the sidewall. Compare the "lip" about 1/3 rd of the way back on his receiver & mine. It looks shallower on the RFI rifle.
actionleft_zps32658afe.jpg
 
The "303 - P -ENGLAND".. the P will be a miss struck B for "British" the calibre is .303British, and country of origin "England" which are some of the requirements for import marks. After a certain date (which I cannot recall, so won't guess) they had to have the name of the importing company as well, so if there is no importer marking, it has been in the US for quite a while.

As far as the S under the wrist of the butt goes, I don't have a book that says it doesn't appear on No1 butts that saw service in India, but I cannot recall seeing one marked such. As 5THBATT rightly said, there are lots of S marks... maybe it's time to step up from the beginners forums and get among the big boys, they don't bite. Some of the boards out there have developed very little in the way of their knowledge base for a long time. The two Mr BATT mentioned are the home of the keenest researchers and collectors out there who are only too happy to share their knowledge.
Don't be afraid to buy books either, and then read them, twice. Once again there are authors to avoid, but anything from Ian Skennerton will give you the right info. (He drops in over at milsurps.com too)
 
"Thanks 5THBATT, I like learning something new about LE's. Would you say this "S" would be on No1's or No4's or both? Another indication of Indian service."

It appears on both & i would say it would be a good indicator to Indian service but like all things Enfield never say "never" or "always".

As for the forums, yes those two i listed are good forums, beware of another forum that is run by a self claimed guru who in late 2006 did not even have a firearms license or had even handled a firearm in years, there has been an ongoing battle between this person & a few well knowledgeable & very well known collectors with large & extensive collections over the last 4 to 5 years resulting in many bannings (myself included) of good people including a current & practicing armorer.
 
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