No.4 Enfields...consecutive serial numbers.
- Thread starter Calfed
- Start date
RAfiringline
New member
Nice. What did you pay?
kilimanjaro
New member
I have a couple of these, but certainly not consecutive, I wasn't smart enough to do that. They shoot perfectly fine, very nice rifles.
Whatever you do, DO NOT break up the set !
I paid $165 and $180 for mine at a couple of shows. They go for a lot more now.
These came out of Northern Ireland, if I recall, a few thousand were located in a 'storage castle' somewhere. The wrapping included a matching numbered bayonet, the good No. 9 bayonet, but BATFE had them removed, it met the definition of 'assault rifle' under the new Clinton ban.
Whatever you do, DO NOT break up the set !
I paid $165 and $180 for mine at a couple of shows. They go for a lot more now.
These came out of Northern Ireland, if I recall, a few thousand were located in a 'storage castle' somewhere. The wrapping included a matching numbered bayonet, the good No. 9 bayonet, but BATFE had them removed, it met the definition of 'assault rifle' under the new Clinton ban.
Thanks, guys!
I got the pair at an online auction for $765, plus a 10% "buyer's premium"...call it $840.
Dennis Kroh, from Empire Arms, advised:
EMPIRE ARMS once (in the mid-1990's) had over 200 of these "in wrap" No.4 Mk.2 Enfields, includes TWENTY-SIX (26) with consecutive serial numbers.
We made a decision not to capitalize on that aspect, and if you ordered two (or ten, or whatever) we would offer consecutive-numbered rifles at no premium whatsoever, but very few took advantage of this opportunity.
Didn't take very long for us to sell them all (of course) and, although we have repurchased many of them since (at considerably what we paid for them) we have only had one set of consecutive numbered rifles come back to us.
The set that did come back to them sold for $1650 in January of 2010, when Empire sold them again.
I haven't shot these, Ripon.
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I
Thanks, kili...I'll never break these up. I've got two sons who are both shooters...they will go to them.
I believe the "UF A" series rifles were made for the RAF. The Irish contract Enfields were "PF" serial numbers.
I've got several of these No4 MKII's, including an Irish Contact with the matching bayo. They do shoot well.
I also have another 1955 "UF A" series that is unfired and an interesting 1957 dated "A" series that is marked FTR, but may be one of the last newly built No.4's.
Thanks, kili...I'll never break these up. I've got two sons who are both shooters...they will go to them.
I believe the "UF A" series rifles were made for the RAF. The Irish contract Enfields were "PF" serial numbers.
I've got several of these No4 MKII's, including an Irish Contact with the matching bayo. They do shoot well.
I also have another 1955 "UF A" series that is unfired and an interesting 1957 dated "A" series that is marked FTR, but may be one of the last newly built No.4's.
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It shoots as good as it looks BTW. I got it as a mummy & committed unpardonable sins by unwrapping it, but I got what I wanted MY No4Mk2, not "Tommy Atkins hand me downs"
It was worth every penny of the price I paid, especially after it loosened up a little. Initially it was not the smooth, slick, fast action of my old Savage, but we sorted that out.
It was worth every penny of the price I paid, especially after it loosened up a little. Initially it was not the smooth, slick, fast action of my old Savage, but we sorted that out.
deerslayer303
New member
WOW, I'm truly green with envy!! I would give up a pretty large sum of dough to own a 303 like that! They are my favorite rifle of all time. Hence my user name. 
kilimanjaro
New member
Shame on you, Wogpotter, for disparagement of the beloved Tommies. 'It's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and 'Chuck 'im out, the brute', but it's Saviour of our Country when the guns begin to shoot.'
No Tommies, no Tommy guns.
No Tommies, no Tommy guns.
kilimanjaro
New member
Won't speak about the Tommies, but if it's American GIs, there is no such thing as 'soldier proof'. 
We had a guy on a 25 yd range situated on an airfield, once being "type qualified" on the No 4. He couldn't put it on paper, not the target, the paper! & no-one could mark his misses either. (The rifle was zeroed correctly & others had fired it successfully that day.)
Suddenly we get a "Cease Fire" ordered by phone from the Control Tower.
An engine fitter on the opposite side of the airfield had been narrowly missed by a bullet while standing on a service platform to work on a C-130 engine. The bullet (& 2 others) had struck the engine.
Investigation found out the shooter was lining the adjustment screw knob up with the front sight blade to aim.
Suddenly we get a "Cease Fire" ordered by phone from the Control Tower.
An engine fitter on the opposite side of the airfield had been narrowly missed by a bullet while standing on a service platform to work on a C-130 engine. The bullet (& 2 others) had struck the engine.
Investigation found out the shooter was lining the adjustment screw knob up with the front sight blade to aim.
kilimanjaro
New member
Obviously grew up with guns as a youngster.
Reminds me of a situation at my range last week.
I took a couple of Ljungmans to the range to check that they were zeroed, in preparation for an upcoming vintage military semi-auto silhouette match. I noticed a guy a few benches over shooting a very nice looking Springfield 1903 MKI. He had a target set up at 50 yards. I also noted that he had the ladder sight up and the cross bar about half way up the ladder...in other words, the sight was set for about 1000 yards.
I told him he had a nice looking rifle and he mentioned that he had inherited it from his recently deceased father. Said he knew nothing about bolt action rifles and didn't have any hits on paper yet. I asked him if I could try and he readily agreed.
I then folded the ladder down and used the battle sight. I noticed that he was using 30.06 rounds with a "60A" headstamp, which I have never seen. I fired 3 rounds into a nice little group of about 1" at the 50 yard target. I explained his problem to him and he fired 10 or 15 rounds himself, with similar results.
He asked me if I was interested in buying the rifle (I already have several 1903's) and I told him that it was nice, but that I wouldn't be able to offer him what it was worth. He said that a gun store owner told him it was worth $2-3000. It was in good condition, with an appropriately dated barrel, but with a heavily sanded stock. It was nice, but not $2-3000 nice.
I also recommended that he clean it thoroughly when he got home, lest the "60A" ammo be corrosive. I also showed him how to remove the bolt.
I was called up, National Service, in the Royal Signals. 1954 to 1956.
The issue Rifle I got in Catterick Camp in Yorkshire, was all gunked up.
The armorer gave me a hand to clean it up, it was bran new!
At 19 years of age, I had only ever fired an air rifle, .177.
The Sgt. was pulling his hair out! Most of these English/Scottish/Irish/Welch teens, were terrified of these Rifles. I loved it. The first shots, as instructed, battle sight, 50 yds. 5 rounds.
I got a kick on my boot "You had better have hit that target, you are shooting way too fast" The sights were spot on, made in Canada. Deep stained rose wood color.
One big hole, center of the target! I was hooked!
The issue Rifle I got in Catterick Camp in Yorkshire, was all gunked up.
The armorer gave me a hand to clean it up, it was bran new!
At 19 years of age, I had only ever fired an air rifle, .177.
The Sgt. was pulling his hair out! Most of these English/Scottish/Irish/Welch teens, were terrified of these Rifles. I loved it. The first shots, as instructed, battle sight, 50 yds. 5 rounds.
I got a kick on my boot "You had better have hit that target, you are shooting way too fast" The sights were spot on, made in Canada. Deep stained rose wood color.
One big hole, center of the target! I was hooked!