went to a local pawnshop yesturday looking for dvd movies i happened to glance at his gun rack {this being the cheapest uglyest gun buying place open today} expecting to see some shot out remingtons or "other" name brand guns when i spied a milsuprers dream come true.

there in the rack looking like the day it left the factory was a 1942 no 4 mkI* longbranch enfield 303. the wood is perfect without a scratch or ding, the reciever and barrel look brand new, the buttplate and furniture looked like they never saw weather, all matching numbers including the reciever, safety band. stock mounts, and magazine.

i started to drool thinking where the sam hill did he get this, then i thought well id buy it but im sure hes asking a mint for it {it being mint}

i took it down and flipped over the price tag and almost passed out in shock. the asking price was 139 dollars tax included.

i didnt even try to talk him down in price i just looked at the wife and in a loud manly voice asked "how much money do we have in the checkbook"

she looked at me and at the rifle and asked in a wifely manner "WHY" i looked at the rifle and then at her and said "give me the checkbook "{i thnk i said please but milsurp fever had taken control}

now i need a no tap scopemount.

hmmmm i have a new BSA scope unopened in the box wonder how hard a trade would be to find.

8-O 8-O

You lucky son of a gun

Tell us how it shoots

Dimitri

wow, that was a nice find.

Sounds like you did OK. Surplus arms in that condition are indeed hard to find. All the best...
Gil

i now own 4 enfields.

my first deer rifle my gramps bought for me when i was 8 years old in 1965 is a no 5 factory copy based on a 1942 shirley {short wood} which ive killed 30 some deer with including 4 10 point bucks. {will kick your nose off}

a 1942 longbranch in short wood and D&T but otherwise complete which i have killed a 4 point a 6 point 3 does and a spike buck with. using the scope and a bipod this gun shoots half inch groups at 100 yards.

a 1942 lithgow cadet gun {barrel shot out} in very good wood and metal completely original.

and

this new no 4 i just bought in full wood and all parts matching numbered original.

for the price a old surplus 303 is very hard to beat for deer hunting.

there are many sporterized versions available and lots of sporterizing parts to be found fairly cheap.

they can be reloaded from the power range of a 30 30 or max loaded to a low 30 06 power {ie 100 fps under a 308 using factory loads} 2700-2800 fps. effective elk killing range to about 400 yards with 300 yards being optimum. as a rule they have less recoil than a 30 06 . you can load rounds from 100 grain up to 215 grains.

they are a touch heavy at about 8-9 pounds in full wood but i find the heft allows me to shoot better. they are almost impossible to destroy being "WAR" guns with replacement parts being very easy to find.

most people find them very ugly until they shoot one a few times then the milsurp fever hits and never ever goes away. they are a dream to shoot.

ive being looking to buy a 30 06 for the last few years but for the same price as a remington 06 i not only bought 2 enfields but also bought a lee hand press. a set of lee dies and factory crimper, 200 rounds of brass, 100 rounds of bullets, 2 pounds of powder and 500 primers.

yes they are 60 years old and you must buy a good one condition wise but a little looking will let you find just what your wanting.

i personally would never alter a original milsurp but i love buying them for the reason you can find them very cheap and most are very nice for hunting especially in brush where you might be afraid to scratch up your good modern rifle. { a terriffic first young hunters deer rifle}

i still want a 30 06 but a cheap good new one runs between 400 and 800 dollars and everytime i get a couple hundred saved anther enfield pops up screaming "take me home" oh well someday.

I bought a No 4-1 last year from a friend for a song , for my litl' Ozzie mate to use hunting up here .. It's got the plastic ATS ( ?? ) stock , fresh arsenal rebuilt , bolthead is a 0 .. I bought the scope mount and bases , dies , brass , bullets , put a spare scope on it , and is a sweet shooter ..
Jack

Spacedone - have you ANY idea what that thing is worth? I could almost guarantee you a 1000% profit on it over here! Those in that kind of condition fetch up to £700/900 in England! You jammy bu**er! Good luck with it mate.

i did a small research on the gun auctions. guns in half the condition cost 3 times as much.

ive got the enfield fever tho so it would be after the gun fight for you to get it from me.

it is the best deal i have ever seen on a firearm.


i went in and spoke to the shop owner asking some questions about it. apparently a old man brought it in saying his uncle bought it new at the end of WW2 in canada {how true this is is up for doubts} and it has sat in a closet for 60 years unfired. {i honestly doubt this}i am in the missouri ozarks tho so anything is possible.

ill try to post pics of it soon.

do i shoot it/hunt, do i put it in the gunsafe another 60 years {nooo}, do i put a no tap scope on it {it has the battle flip sights only}

we all know it will be shot shot shot.

Gidday Spacedone....that was a great pickup.

Now to tease you something chronic. I have a mate here in Oz who with his father has the FULL set of Lee Enfields bought out in .303 in Australia. It has taken them some years to get them all but they have achieved it.

When the Australian Army decided to dispose of their .303's they offered them to soldiers for $50AUD a piece. That included: the rifle with all matching numbers, a sling, a bayonet, a complete cleaning roll including brass oil bottle and the original canvas carry bag. Hows that for a deal. Like a fool I passed up on it. My brother got one and they let him go through hundreds to pick the one he wanted.

I have been through the Lithgow plant many years ago. When I was in the Army the unit I was posted to had a Depot in Lithgow and some of the staff from the factory were reservists with us. What an awesome factory and its still functioning.

If you are looking for a new barrel for your Cadet, they can still be found over here if you are prepared to look.

Cheers, Vince

id love a new lithgow barrel. mine is shot completely out but the gun is complete including the green paint cadet band on the stock and the yellow specks on the forearm showing the gun is rough.

here in missouri a enfield will just pop up in a shop time to time usually in fair to rough shape. there always at gunshows but priced like new remingtons.

i recieved my first enfield in 1965 when i was 8 to deer hunt with. everytime i would pull the trigger it would kick me down to the ground. that year i took my first deer the second day of season. { a spike buck} the last 40 years enfields are all i ever deer hunt with.

i now own 4 and i know thats 3 to many. for shooting i love the longbranches, for looks nothing beats a lithgow.

Spacedone,

It is possible that he did get it in Canada, there was a plant near Toronto that made them for the Canadian Forces in WW2. For all I know it might have been sold from the plant directly after the war when the massive amounts of arms the Canadian Forces wanted wernt needed anymore and they got sold as surplus. You might want to check if its a Canadian one and not a British one

Dimitri

it is a canadian longbranch made in the longbranch factory. they made over 1 million of them.

i just find it hard to believe it sat another 60 years unshot.

Spacedone,

Some people buy a mil-surplus or 2 and never use them. Its odd yes but I know/met plenty of people that do that.

Its actually kinda sad really. A good mil-surplus never being used after all it is what arms designers thought would be the best type of gun to bang around, throw around and be abused more then you can think someone can possibly abuse it to then having it sit in a safe without being touched for decades.

Dimitri