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Holy Grail....Really???

Printed From: Enfield-Rifles.com
Category: Enfields
Forum Name: Enfield Rifles
Forum Description: Anything that has to do with the great Enfield rifles!
URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10236
Printed Date: March 28 2024 at 8:54am
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Topic: Holy Grail....Really???
Posted By: philtno
Subject: Holy Grail....Really???
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 1:45pm
Hi Guys, 
just came across this today 
https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hunting-shooting/rifles/centrefire/listing-2493734393.htm?rsqid=625145257d3e44b5817629e787d745da-001" rel="nofollow - https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hunting-shooting/rifles/centrefire/listing-2493734393.htm?rsqid=625145257d3e44b5817629e787d745da-001
Is it really THAT rare?? 
I would really appreciate your expertise on this Smile
Cheers

Philtno



Replies:
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 2:10pm
No!
Savage made more .303 No4 Mk1* than all the British ROFs combined.
Unfired condition (if its truly unfired) would make it rare but not THAT special. The one image that would support that is missing, a close up of the bolt face.
Most of the rest of the write up is bogus as well.
"U.S. PROPERTY" was only engraved on guns that were earmarked for Lend Lease & although some have been found without it its by no means "commonly ground off"

There's an old saying in the gun buying biz. "Buy the gun, not the story"!
It applies here.


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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)


Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 2:51pm
I see a fair bit of marking of the bolt from rotation.  It doesn't look that different from my own Savage.  I'd be suspicious that this is a "unfired" "unissued" rifle.  Maybe just had a NOS stock put on. 


Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 2:51pm
Anybody who buys that story and spends that kind of money deserves to be burned on the deal. AT MOST I would think that rifle is worth about 1K on a good day with no wind blowing and clear skies. Quite the sales job IMHO. Notice it has an early 'low wall' fore end, indicative of an early made rifle. The date of 1942 has been lined out.

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Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually


Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 2:57pm
Sham, I believe only Long Branch and Savage made the No. 4 Mk I*.  I think Long Branch made appox 900,000 rifles.  Savage over 1M. 
 
The obvious difference is the Mk I* does not have the bolt release catch on the right side of the receiver, it has a slot in the bolt head track just aft of the breach. 
 
 


Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 4:02pm
The serial number has another number stamped over it,with a third number stamped vertical. Savage would not have made those marks from the factory. The magazine and bolt were not issued to that rifle originally as well. 


Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 4:27pm
its a nice savage rifle , i do not know how rare they might be on your side of the pond but quite common here and $500-700 would buy the nicest , they quit producing in 44 at about a million and a quarter pieces , 

others have pointed out the other items that would negate spending that much - you can find a nice rifle at a better price , is there any issue with your owning it in 303 ? i thought i recalled hearing most to be converted from "military" to "hunting" calibers- i may be wrong and not at all certain why that would make any sense to anyone including liberal[commies] 


Posted By: philtno
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 6:06pm
Yep, thank you all for your comments.....that's what I thought.  This guy seems to be selling more a story  than a rifle worth that price...Thumbs Up


Posted By: SW28fan
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 6:09pm
Whenever I see "rare U.S. property Mark" I tune out. The only unissued Lee Enfield came in a Mummy Wrap.

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Have a Nice Day
If already having a nice day please disregard


Posted By: philtno
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 6:12pm
Originally posted by A square 10 A square 10 wrote:

its a nice savage rifle , i do not know how rare they might be on your side of the pond but quite common here and $500-700 would buy the nicest , .....is there any issue with your owning it in 303 ? i thought i recalled hearing most to be converted from "military" to "hunting" calibers- i may be wrong and not at all certain why that would make any sense to anyone including liberal[commies] 

A Square 10: Not too sure to understand your question...about having issues with owning 303's???
I bought mine for NZ$800....1943 Longbranch with plenty of history carved into the woodwork Big smile but still shooting very well, I reckon.  Not that difficult to find 303s here in NZ but the good ones are kind of rare as many have been butchered to "sporterize" them....and some are in very very very poor conditions......almost walking sticks!! Cry



Posted By: philtno
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 6:14pm
Originally posted by SW28fan SW28fan wrote:

The only unissued Lee Enfield came in a Mummy Wrap.
Like this one???
https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=2486680670" rel="nofollow - https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=2486680670
Even though.....I guess that there absolutely no guarantee that it's been unfired?? 


Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 6:27pm
The collectability of that weapon has been greatly compromised due mainly to the mummy wrap being cut open to view the receiver. It is no longer in its original condition. 


Posted By: philtno
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 6:36pm
Originally posted by Goosic Goosic wrote:

The collectability of that weapon has been greatly compromised due mainly to the mummy wrap being cut open to view the receiver. It is no longer in its original condition. 
I understand what you mean but, isn't that a bit OTT as the only way to know what you have in front of you, I mean having evidence, is to "unveil" a bit of it which will let the "collectioneur" what they are buying? Would you buy a rifle in a mummy state without opening a minimum of its wrapping??


Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: January 16 2020 at 6:55pm
If I was an actual collector of unissued weapons still in the wax wrapper and it was tampered with,such as this one,allowing air to contact once sealed metal starting the oxidation process? I would pass on it. Those mummy wrapped Enfields usually have a paper tab with the serial number on it to indicate what is in the wrap. 


Posted By: Poohbah
Date Posted: January 17 2020 at 4:06am
I think its only worth $1200 tops.
The seller is trying to get the Jacinda bux out of shooters who are cashed up with after handing in their semi autos.


Posted By: Pukka Bundook
Date Posted: January 17 2020 at 6:42am
he!! Goosic, I think some of us could make a nice sideline, selling any old iron "Mummified!  :-)
Sounds like a plan!  :-)
 
I can't think of a more frustrating "curse"  (Curse of the mummy??)...Owning something you can't even Look at, never mind take out and use.
We get the same with folks buying toys new in the box,     I bet they all have nasty tempers (The owners, not the toys!) brought on by frustration...


Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: January 17 2020 at 6:44am
Every one of the mummy rifles has that cut, it was required by law to verify the actual number. so the  serial could be recorded.
Most also have one at the muzzle so the origin marks could be applied too.
Yes thats a genuine fresh from the factory No4 Mk2. It may (or may not) also have no civvy Brit (BNP) proof marks. If so it went to Ireland & was sold to CAI from there for export to the U S.
I don't know NZ values but for the U.S. It would be about correct for US$1100.oo.
That was & is my Holy Grail Rifle.



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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)


Posted By: Honkytonk
Date Posted: January 17 2020 at 6:49am
That is one sweet rifle.


Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: January 17 2020 at 6:51am
& it is not unfired!
When I unwrapped it & cleaned out the cosmo I also got GSR out of the bore!Evil Smile! I assume for proofing or function testing at the factory?


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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)


Posted By: philtno
Date Posted: January 19 2020 at 1:56pm
UPDATE
The wrapped one I sent the link for was sold for......NZ$3010 !!!
Holy Cr@p!!


Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: January 19 2020 at 3:27pm
I think most of us missed out on the plentiful Mk 2’s that were made surplus back in the ‘60s and ‘70’s, many were never issued.  If I had one in the wrapping, it wouldn’t stay that way for very long.  Not sure I would pay $3000 for one.  


Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: January 19 2020 at 5:12pm
i once had a charnwood 308 conversion that looked like that mk2 - i should have kept it , beautiful rifle shamu and congrats to all that have the wrapped ones that used to be available - have not seen one of those advertised for quite a while but then ive not been looking , i do have a nice FAZ mk2 and two mkI/2 and a mkI*/3 all in 303 though more than i can shoot regularly , 


Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: January 19 2020 at 6:02pm
My Holy Grail Enfield will always be an original No4Mk1 T.  I will always be envious of those who have the L39A1/L42A1 rifles and a bit more so of those who have an original T. I would love to find a mummy wrapped  No4Mk1 Enfield but they do not hold an appeal to me like the sniper rifle.  Unless something falls into my lap in the not too distant future I will still be happy and content with my homegrown No4 T. 



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