Enfield Safety
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=13385
Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 2:51pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Enfield Safety
Posted By: RangerJohn
Subject: Enfield Safety
Date Posted: June 09 2024 at 3:58am
Greetings Forum members. I am in the Scottish American Military Society in Tampa, FL. Our Post has two No.4 Mark III’s for ceremonial use. Actually, I have had both checked out by a local gunsmith, and both rifles are fully operational; checked headspace, bore-scoped, etc. I will post pics of them later. My question has to do with LE Blank ammunition. I ran across this posting (see attached) from the American Legion which highlighted the danger of “Granada Launcher” ammunition vs. “Blank” ammunition. I see that the Enfield did have a grenade launcher capability like the M1 Garand. Does anyone know if there is a specific Enfield grenade ammunition which should not be used as ceremonial blank ammo?   ------------- John S. Campbell |
Replies:
Posted By: Mayhem
Date Posted: June 09 2024 at 4:22pm
|
Commonwealth issued ammunition will include a L in the headstamp if it is blank and a H if it is grenade/line throwing. However, a large number of rejected cases were turned into blanks during the war, so you will find blanks made from ball, trace, AP and incendiary rounds. The grenade/line throwing blanks generally (but not always) have open case mouths, with a cardboard disc and are stained. https://sites.google.com/site/britmilammo/-303-inch/-303-inch-rifle-grenade" rel="nofollow - https://sites.google.com/site/britmilammo/-303-inch/-303-inch-rifle-grenade Non-commonwealth cartridges sometimes followed the case staining (FN is one manufacturer that comes to mind). However, unless they are marked in such a way, there is no way to distinguish unmarked crimped blanks without seeing the box they came out of. The easiest way to ensure that you are using safe blanks is to make them yourself (or have a reloader make them for you). ------------- .303 - Helping Englishmen express their feelings since 1889 |
Posted By: RangerJohn
Date Posted: June 09 2024 at 4:34pm
|
Thanks for the valuable information. I did find these at blankammo.com…..very expensive. My organization is forming a funeral rifle honor guard and we will need to find some. Might reach out to some reloaders in the area. Once I take the No. 4s to the range to zero, I’ll save the brass for reloading. http://https://blankammo.com/products/military-ammo-blanks-303-british" rel="nofollow - http://https://blankammo.com/products/military-ammo-blanks-303-british ------------- John S. Campbell |
Posted By: SW28fan
Date Posted: June 09 2024 at 4:50pm
|
The issue can be resolved by using New Commercial Privi Blanks made for Reenactors; instead of ancient sometimes mystery surplus ------------- Have a Nice Day If already having a nice day please disregard |
Posted By: RangerJohn
Date Posted: June 09 2024 at 4:51pm
|
Concur. Lots of “sketchy” stuff out there indeed. ------------- John S. Campbell |
Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: June 09 2024 at 5:31pm
| Never heard of a No. 4 Mk III, that’s a new one to me! |
Posted By: RangerJohn
Date Posted: June 09 2024 at 5:39pm
|
Ooops….brain cramp you are correct. We have two Enfield rifles, a No. 4 Mk I and a No. 4 Mk I* both 1942. One is stamped U.K on the front barrel, and the other is marked Canada. ------------- John S. Campbell |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: June 10 2024 at 3:51am
|
Interesting post. I am surprised that a grenade launcher cartridge would destroy a rifle! Do you know if the parade rifles concerned have been modified to partially block the barrel? To prevent live rounds being fired! Seems odd that an unobstructed barrel would allow enough pressure to blow the rifle apart. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: June 10 2024 at 4:06am
|
Rhino has a couple grenade t**sers..he could probobly offer some insight. ------------- Loose wimmen tightened here |
Posted By: RangerJohn
Date Posted: June 10 2024 at 4:23am
I thought the same thing. I can only surmise that the M1 blank firing adapters they used, coupled with the pressure generated from the grenade launcher rounds, created too much back pressure. I have no data on pressure measurements between a normal blank round and grenade launcher round. In any case, I thought it was an interesting safety tip to pass along. Cheers.  ------------- John S. Campbell |
Posted By: Sapper740
Date Posted: June 10 2024 at 4:57am
I was just about to say that.
|
britrifles wrote:Posted By: Sapper740
Date Posted: June 10 2024 at 5:03am
|
Reenactors in Texas have been using Atlantic Wall .303 British blanks for decades with good results. The long blank cycles perfectly through the magazine while the short blank sometimes hangs up. https://www.atlanticwallblanks.com/303-BRITISH-FULL-LENGTH-BLANK_p_28.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.atlanticwallblanks.com/303-BRITISH-FULL-LENGTH-BLANK_p_28.html
|
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: June 10 2024 at 1:47pm
|
I think it was a case of using "salute" (noisemaker) blanks with rifle grenades, not the other way round. The salute blanks are designed with a really fast powder so they will go bang, rather than phut. If you put a couple of pounds of grenade in front of that & fire it its like a bore obstruction/powder overload. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: paddyofurniture
Date Posted: June 10 2024 at 3:55pm
|
Back years ago in the 60's on Canada Day one of my Uncles would use a grenade on a SMLE and shoot tennis ball soaked in lighter fluid over the farm pond. Looked like a mini comet flying by. ------------- Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts. |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: June 11 2024 at 1:21pm
|
Good times! ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: paddyofurniture
Date Posted: June 11 2024 at 1:38pm
|
I would try it in North Carolina but my pond is not big enough. If I miss I would set the woods on fire and with that the North Carolina Zoo How do you want your elephant? ------------- Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts. |
Posted By: Moosm14
Date Posted: June 12 2024 at 5:30am
|
Paddy, Tennis balls soaked in lighter fluid is a new one on me! When it comes to homemade pyrotechnics in the states there always applies the infamous ‘last’ words, “Hold my beer and watch this”😹 ------------- There is room for all of gods creatures ... right next to the mashed potatoes |
Posted By: paddyofurniture
Date Posted: June 12 2024 at 7:35am
|
This was in New Brunswick Canada. ------------- Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts. |