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[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5VR4Ch__q8[/ame]
CL
CL
Enfields ?
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1,606 Posts
enfields
Nice video, thanks.
Have you noticed whats happened to the price of Enfields?
The guys with dollar signs in their eyes have ramped up the price of a plain vanilla Enfield into the $350+ range around here. I actually saw an ad asking $600. for one that was rebuilt and in paper wrap.
Thats the same thing that happened to the Luger, the SKS, and the US issue 1911's.
Whats sad is that there seems to be guys with more money than sense actually buying those Enfields at that price. And they expect to make a profit later.
Oh, and a CMP service grade M1 Garand for $1300. Thanks but no thanks.
Prices are getting looney out there.
And, nice avatar. I was an AW1 crewman on an H3D Seaking in HS75 out of Lakehurst, NJ. Really GREAT bird. Miss it a lot.
Nice video, thanks.
Have you noticed whats happened to the price of Enfields?
The guys with dollar signs in their eyes have ramped up the price of a plain vanilla Enfield into the $350+ range around here. I actually saw an ad asking $600. for one that was rebuilt and in paper wrap.
Thats the same thing that happened to the Luger, the SKS, and the US issue 1911's.
Whats sad is that there seems to be guys with more money than sense actually buying those Enfields at that price. And they expect to make a profit later.
Oh, and a CMP service grade M1 Garand for $1300. Thanks but no thanks.
Prices are getting looney out there.
And, nice avatar. I was an AW1 crewman on an H3D Seaking in HS75 out of Lakehurst, NJ. Really GREAT bird. Miss it a lot.
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I saw 3 in the local Cabelas gun room the other day, $550 each.
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6,529 Posts
The SKS is what blows my mind. I remember them at a chain store in the south called roses for 79.99. I'm talking new Russians. That was in the early 1990's now they are going for the same $ as a nice entry grade AR.
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1,606 Posts
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Well, there is a tipping point.
Yesterday I saw a Garand on a local site that obviously had it's stock sanded and gussied up to be shiny and other things NOT NORMAL and the guy was calling it a MINT CONDITION Garand.
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS !!!!!!!!!!
Have any idea what I could get with that kind of money?
A competition grade M1A for starters.
See, thats what happens when you make pot legal.
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2,161 Posts
Supply and demand, my Dad bought his first M1911A1 in 1960 for $38.95 and it was a mint WWII US Property Colt, he said the store he bought it from had a dozen just like it to choose from.
It's also the buyer and area where the sale is happening, beater M1 Garands are $800-900 here in the San Francisco Bay Area, mix masters with decent wood and Park start at $1000...Outside this bubble the same M1's are $700-800.
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Many decades ago now, but it could be said that the "sun never sets on the British Empire..." and much of that was due to the use of the Enfield and the British "stiff upper lip..." I have owned them over the years and to me bulky, but reported that the highest rate of fire for a bolt gun with well trained trooper. Volley fire across some distant valley with the enemy advancing into open areas(not a good plan) turned out badly for those doing so. The movie "Zulu" war in Africa depicts the ability of the British disciplined troops "doing it by the numbers."
G
Guest
·The rifles those guys are drilling with look to be Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk III, Not exactly correct for the period uniforms you ask me, around that time the newest thing out was the Lee-Metford that was used in the Boer Wars and successor of the Martini-Henry from the Zulu Wars (Love that movie BTW). Also got to remember it took years to rearm troops across the British Empire.
I remember the good ol' days of surplus in the early 1990's, outside of Ft. Bragg there was this store in Fayetteville, can't remember the name, but, it was like a Big Lots or Dollar Store and they sold surplus rifles, you could get an Enfield No.4 Mk I for around $69, I'd ask them to throw a few on the counter and they were a greasy mess, but, I could pick thru them and find one that looked almost new or rearsenaled, same for Mosin Nagant at $59, just had to get all the grease out of the stocks and they cleaned up nice. Surplus ammo was widely available and I could get cases of it from advertisers in Shotgun News, Brit .303 sealed cans with stripper clips & bandoleers! It was so dirt cheap then I can't even remember the cost.
Alas those days are gone and I lost interest after the surplus ammo dried up, had a hankering for one of those last production run of No.4 Mk 2's for Ireland that never got delivered and sat in storage mummy wrapped, but, even then $700 seemed a stiff price.
I remember the good ol' days of surplus in the early 1990's, outside of Ft. Bragg there was this store in Fayetteville, can't remember the name, but, it was like a Big Lots or Dollar Store and they sold surplus rifles, you could get an Enfield No.4 Mk I for around $69, I'd ask them to throw a few on the counter and they were a greasy mess, but, I could pick thru them and find one that looked almost new or rearsenaled, same for Mosin Nagant at $59, just had to get all the grease out of the stocks and they cleaned up nice. Surplus ammo was widely available and I could get cases of it from advertisers in Shotgun News, Brit .303 sealed cans with stripper clips & bandoleers! It was so dirt cheap then I can't even remember the cost.
Alas those days are gone and I lost interest after the surplus ammo dried up, had a hankering for one of those last production run of No.4 Mk 2's for Ireland that never got delivered and sat in storage mummy wrapped, but, even then $700 seemed a stiff price.
Back in the early 1990's in NY, you could get Enfields from a LGS store called Edelman's for around $60.00 to $90.00 depending on condition. Some were in cosmoline. The price reflected the condition.
Some were in really great shape and some were not good for much more than wall hangers.
I am amazed at the high prices for all types of firearms these days, especially the surplus stuff.
Then again, who ever thought we would be saying that $ .50 a round for surplus 35 year old 7.62X51 ammo is a "good" deal?
Some were in really great shape and some were not good for much more than wall hangers.
I am amazed at the high prices for all types of firearms these days, especially the surplus stuff.
Then again, who ever thought we would be saying that $ .50 a round for surplus 35 year old 7.62X51 ammo is a "good" deal?
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355 Posts
IIRC, there was a Woolworths, in Costa Mesa, California in the mid 70s that had a wooden crate on the sales floor, full of Mausers, for like $29.99 each. That really wasn't the "Big Deal"... in the Weapon rack on the wall behind the counter, they had 6 M1 Garands, each was listed for $160 each. I carefully examined each and every one... I was drooling like crazy, but didn't have a credit card. My wife at the time had okayed a Mauser, but this was too much more. That evening when she got home from work, and gave me the okay, and I returned... they were all gone! I had to settle for a Mauser, which I no doubt destroyed its value by "sporterizing" it.
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Back in the 60s, up here in scenic Canuckistan, I bought my first center fire rifle for $11.99, Canuck bucks. It was a full wood military issue Lee Enfield # 4. The local Army & Navy store had them by the ton, displayed in 45 gal drums, half muzzle up, half down ... take your pick.
SPORTIFIED / Cut down models were selling for $20, so my very first PAID gunsmithing job was buying issue Enfields and "sporterising them". Crowning the barrel after cutting was the hard part, as well as getting a front sight replacement on there.
These days, fulll wood / as Issued Enfields sell for BIG $$$ ... like $600 or more, while nicely done Enfield sporters go for about $200, and beater/bubbafied versions go for about $100. A few years ago, at a local gun show, I was looking for an extra Lee Enfield # 4 magazine for a friend. The best I coukd do was $40 for a mag ... but at the end of the show, the vendor threw in a nicely sportified #4 * with the Magazine ...
for free.
If you are looking at Lee Enfields, be aware that the #4 * versions have the TRIGGER PINNED TO THE RECEIVER unlike the other models which have the trigger floating along with the removeable trigger guard. Doing a good CONSISTENT trigger job on the #4 * models was much easier, and these were the preferred midel for the DCRA 1000 yd matches.
I spent some time shooting DCRA matches, and had a 7.62 NATO conversion that was unbelievably accurate with military issue IVI 7.62 NATO BALL ammo, and the precision Parker Hale Target iron sights. There were several different 7.62 NATO conversions for the Lee Enfields, with different 7.62 dedicated magazines. The DCRA 7.62 target versions were built on MAGNAFLUXED receivers. Extraction of the smaller based 7.62 cartridges involved a new dedicated 7.62 extractor. Reliable ejection was often an issue in rapid fire with some conversions that relied on a ejector built into the magazines as a protruding "finger". A better ejection system involved cutting a slot into the bolt face for a spring loaded pin that popped in during the bolt travel to the rear.
All in all, the Lee Enfield was one of the most rugged, durable, and RELIABLE rifle designs ... EVER!
The Indian 7.62 NATO versions are not always of best quality, but the 7.62 NATO AUSTRALIAN Lee Enfields have re-designed bolts, ejectors, and use slightly modified M 14 magazines ( no hole in the front to accept the op rod guide). In Canada, where there is a 5 rd magazine limit for semi auto center fire rifles, these Australian Enfiekld 10 rd mags are LEGAL for use, and are seen in practical rife competitions ...
where they seem to feed fairly reliably ...even without the op rod guide hole.
As we say in the British Empire
TTFN
( Ta Ta For Now)
(;-)
LAZ 1
SPORTIFIED / Cut down models were selling for $20, so my very first PAID gunsmithing job was buying issue Enfields and "sporterising them". Crowning the barrel after cutting was the hard part, as well as getting a front sight replacement on there.
These days, fulll wood / as Issued Enfields sell for BIG $$$ ... like $600 or more, while nicely done Enfield sporters go for about $200, and beater/bubbafied versions go for about $100. A few years ago, at a local gun show, I was looking for an extra Lee Enfield # 4 magazine for a friend. The best I coukd do was $40 for a mag ... but at the end of the show, the vendor threw in a nicely sportified #4 * with the Magazine ...
for free.
If you are looking at Lee Enfields, be aware that the #4 * versions have the TRIGGER PINNED TO THE RECEIVER unlike the other models which have the trigger floating along with the removeable trigger guard. Doing a good CONSISTENT trigger job on the #4 * models was much easier, and these were the preferred midel for the DCRA 1000 yd matches.
I spent some time shooting DCRA matches, and had a 7.62 NATO conversion that was unbelievably accurate with military issue IVI 7.62 NATO BALL ammo, and the precision Parker Hale Target iron sights. There were several different 7.62 NATO conversions for the Lee Enfields, with different 7.62 dedicated magazines. The DCRA 7.62 target versions were built on MAGNAFLUXED receivers. Extraction of the smaller based 7.62 cartridges involved a new dedicated 7.62 extractor. Reliable ejection was often an issue in rapid fire with some conversions that relied on a ejector built into the magazines as a protruding "finger". A better ejection system involved cutting a slot into the bolt face for a spring loaded pin that popped in during the bolt travel to the rear.
All in all, the Lee Enfield was one of the most rugged, durable, and RELIABLE rifle designs ... EVER!
The Indian 7.62 NATO versions are not always of best quality, but the 7.62 NATO AUSTRALIAN Lee Enfields have re-designed bolts, ejectors, and use slightly modified M 14 magazines ( no hole in the front to accept the op rod guide). In Canada, where there is a 5 rd magazine limit for semi auto center fire rifles, these Australian Enfiekld 10 rd mags are LEGAL for use, and are seen in practical rife competitions ...
where they seem to feed fairly reliably ...even without the op rod guide hole.
As we say in the British Empire
TTFN
( Ta Ta For Now)
(;-)
LAZ 1
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The good old days
I live very near Philadelphia and in the "good old days" there was a DRMO government surplus depot that opened at 7:30 every morning and I would stop on my way to work.
How about barrels of 03a3's, your choice $50. I remember buying quite a few.
That was long before America became Amerika and the liberals decided that anyone that wants to own a gun must be insane.
Even before that in around 1964 I was getting USGI 1911's for the absurdly high price of $200. and Lugers were everywhere for about the same price.
In 1963 I used to go to Interarmco in Alexandria Virginina and when you walked in the front door there were 'Barrels of Lugers", Barrels of P38's" and barrels of other German military weapons. Your choice $89. each.
No paperwork necessary. Just pay and go.
Ahhhhh, to be able to go back to those days !!!!!!!!!!
I live very near Philadelphia and in the "good old days" there was a DRMO government surplus depot that opened at 7:30 every morning and I would stop on my way to work.
How about barrels of 03a3's, your choice $50. I remember buying quite a few.
That was long before America became Amerika and the liberals decided that anyone that wants to own a gun must be insane.
Even before that in around 1964 I was getting USGI 1911's for the absurdly high price of $200. and Lugers were everywhere for about the same price.
In 1963 I used to go to Interarmco in Alexandria Virginina and when you walked in the front door there were 'Barrels of Lugers", Barrels of P38's" and barrels of other German military weapons. Your choice $89. each.
No paperwork necessary. Just pay and go.
Ahhhhh, to be able to go back to those days !!!!!!!!!!
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Isn't it the No4 MK2 that has the trigger hung from the receiver? I think my Long Branch No4 MK1* has the trigger mounted on the guard, although I haven't had it apart in a while.
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Enfield you say? Well it aint mil but its a lot prettier! Snagged this out of the LGS a couple years ago for a song. LSA factory Long Lee sporter. About a hundred years old, shoots like a house a fire with express sights. If you have seen the movie Ghost and the Darkness, Val Kilmer uses one very similar to this in it. Probably a Lee Speed Sporter.
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These are much more appropriate for what they should be drilling with considering the uniforms.
G
Guest
·I was lucky enough to at least "See" one of these Canadian service rifle conversions you speak of down her in Florida at my local pawn shop, obviously he had just screwed someone out of it because he was smiling like a Cheshire cat playing with it, I asked him and he told me it was a 7.62 match rifle, it had a micrometer diopter sight on the rear that looked suspiciously like the Lyman, could've been Parker-Hale. Told the pawn guy I might be a player for it, but, he turned me down saying it was going into his collection, he said something about the value being North of $2000, he didn't even want to let me touch it, but, it looked like the real deal.
I did a little reading because I was curious after seeing it, seems some conversions have extraction issues and they just use 5 round mags designed to aid in getting the fired case out manually and folks just live with it(?) And some are full on modified with bolts & magazines to extract 7.62 as it should(?)
I'm a sucker for almost any milsurp 7.62 conversion. Thanks for sharing...
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2nd Boar War ?
CL
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They date from 1889 to 1901 so would have seen service then.
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