Enfield Rifles: Your Opinions Please

carguy · Post by **carguy** » January 24th, 2008, 7:12 pm

I have had this stuck in my mind for a while that I'd like to buy an Enfield rifle. I would like to buy a Savage US enfield (not the P-14 or P-17 but an enfield made in the US) but haven't seen any that are decent and affordable.

So I have a few possibilities and want some more experienced opinions of the better buy!

There are 3 Number 1 Mark IIIs available (top 2 in 303)

Lithgow 1917 not matching/a shooter/good bore $200

Lithgow 1920 not matching/stock repair (butt)/ FTR / AC on shield / cosmo in bore so no knowledge of bore $150

Isapore 1964 in 308 good bore / all matching $275

There are 2 Number 4 Mark I s available (in 303)

Longbranch 1942 all matching/No FTR / 55% finish/ bore dirty w/cosmo $200

Longbranch 1944 beech stock / all matching/excellent bore $300

Help! So many choices and so little money. Obviously the beech stock Longbranch sounds the best but $300 is alot...I think. Am leaning toward the $200 Longbranch but no pics.

#1 MK3 in 303 for $200

#1 MK3 in 308 for #275

#4 MK I in 303 for $300 in Beech

By the way what is an Isapore screw? A couple have it (the Isapore obviously and one other I forget)!?!

Thanks

diehard · Post by **diehard** » January 24th, 2008, 7:54 pm

As with all surplus guns timing is everything....and when I looked at the prices you listed I surely flinched. Last year the last of the surplus Enfield's were selling at AIM, SOG, J&G, and elsewhere for $79 ! I checked some of these places online, and the only good buys listed were for cracked stock models for $99 and $119 at J&G. The rest are in the ballpark of the $200 Longbranch you listed.

That said, I think the $200 Longbranch is a good buy if you are talking about a rifle you can inspect for yourself before shelling out the cash. I've had No, 4 Longbranches before and they all shot well, as I suspect most Enfield's do. The no.4 Mk I is said to be the epitome of the design, and I would go with that one if you are only going to buy one to use as a shooter.

I have no experience with the Ishapore so I can't comment on that one. However, I will tell you that I sold all my Enfield's recently to fund other gun interests. I chose to sell those rifles because of all the surplus guns I own I could never afford to keep those in ammo. .303 British is crazy expensive, and Pakistani and Indian surplus ammo stocks can be of such poor qulaity that one of every two rounds fails to go off. Honest. I regret not keeping one for my collections, but it seemed a good move at the time.

Post by **normsutton** » January 24th, 2008, 7:54 pm

carguy

Isapore screw is a screw that strengthens the stock mostly found on the 308's

try to get all matching #'s because of head spacing problems with Enfield's

NORM

volfandan · Post by **volfandan** » January 24th, 2008, 11:43 pm

Carguy,

If it were me, I'd get the 1942 LB. I agree with Norm on the headspacing issues with matching numbers. However, I'd have a gunsmith check the headspace on ANY SMLE. I have a No. 4 Mk.1 LB, and it FTF. My gunsmith found that it was just bad ammo, but told me to always check the HS on any SMLE's so I don't get my face blown off.

I guess the other good thing about the 1942 LB is that it seems to be in the middle of the pack price-wise. Also, most every LB that I've seen is parkerized. I'm assuming that the Canadians parkerized, while the Brits used that shiney black paint. So, if you do want a shooter to refinish.....you could get some home parkerizing advice from our very own Trent! His Llama turned out AMAZING!

carguy · Post by **carguy** » January 25th, 2008, 12:10 am

Thanks guys that is what I needed to hear. I'm just not sure...maybe I'll wait for that US Savage Enfield to pop up. Maybe I'll pick up a second MAS 36 (hopefully tomorrow) or maybe a ??? at the gunshow on Saturday... ::)

I suddenly have these Enfields available around me and I thought it might be interesting to cross one off my wish list as I understand they are great shooters!

coaster · Post by **coaster** » January 25th, 2008, 2:45 am

Question about the MAS 36.

Is it 7.5 or 308?

How does it shoot?

volfandan · Post by **volfandan** » January 25th, 2008, 11:42 am

coaster,

I believe most of the MAS 36's were chambered to fire a white flag out of the muzzle.....but I think carguy's is a 7.5

:-/

Post by **papabear** » January 25th, 2008, 12:19 pm

+1 with volfandan, the French MAS 36 is a 7.5 x54 French rd, however, there is other 7.5 ammo out there too, ie., the Swiss 7.5x55, you don't want to use the 7.5x55 in the Mas 36.

papabear

Post by **normsutton** » January 25th, 2008, 4:00 pm

carguy

look at prices and quality of ammo for 303 and 7.62x 51 that might help you chose

NORM

carguy · Post by **carguy** » January 25th, 2008, 6:59 pm

I may just wait for the MAS project to finish and see what funds are left from the trip to the show tomorrow.

Coaster..."pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"...I've been getting crap since I mentioned that I liked the look of the MAS 36 never mind the loving attention that has been lavished on me sice I bought one and started to rebuild.

To answer your question, it is extremely accurate and is in the original 7.5x54 caliber. If you get one...stay with the modern ammo so you won't have to be concerned with the corrosive primers and the questionable surplus ammo. I picked up a batch of Syrian ammo hoping to be able to shoot cheaply and about 15% of the rounds have gone off, the rest...duds. So much for economics... :'( But I do love this rifle!!!

butch50 · Post by **butch50** » January 26th, 2008, 1:47 pm

If you are getting one as a shooter, and will shoot it a lot, then the .308 is going to serve you better in long term costs. If you are collecting but not shooting, or only shooting occasionally, then pick the one that suits your eye the best and go with it.

Cost should be considered as an investment - any well cared for firearm is going to maintain it's value at worst case, but most likely will increase in value. At the moment guns look to be a better investment than stocks and bonds too.

blinddog · Post by **blinddog** » January 26th, 2008, 7:38 pm

Get a MAS 36, 99% of them have never been fired. (Hope I didn't offend anyone..PC ya know.)

volfandan · Post by **volfandan** » January 26th, 2008, 11:11 pm

Coaster..."pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"...I've been getting crap since I mentioned that I liked the look of the MAS 36 never mind the loving attention that has been lavished on me sice I bought one and started to rebuild.

toche carguy,

We've been pretty rough on you....but just b/c we love you like a brother, man!

trent · Post by **trent** » January 27th, 2008, 12:45 am

or in some cases a mildly intoxicated uncle ;D

carguy · Post by **carguy** » January 27th, 2008, 12:59 am

Okay no Enfield...the Mas is costing me a little more than I wanted as the smith spoke to me today and had to mill it a little to fit it perfectly.

And besides I started a new thread as to what I did with th erest of my spare change at a gunshow today... ::)

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