Where can I find more info...
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Topic: Where can I find more info...
Posted By: ducaninfrance
Subject: Where can I find more info...
Date Posted: November 19 2017 at 9:28am
....on an SMLE I am currently buying? Yes, I KNOW my last visit was in November last year but I have been concentrating on Martini Rifles recently   So, here is the description posted by the seller. SMLE MkIII* Enfield 1918 Irish Fianna Fáil Marked Very Good Condition This is the standard MkIII* .303 SMLE rifle manufactured by
the RSAF Enfield in 1918 This rifle has been renumbered at some point, the original
numbers are barred out and has been re-numbered to I21168. As war was looming the large store of war reserve stocks were
being prepared, this example is typical of the programmes in 1938/39 where many
were rebarreled. This rifle was rebarreled in 1938 as marked on the left side
of the barrel. This is a nice standard MkIII* SMLE and the icing on the cake
is the FF marks denoting Irish ownership. A nice rifle that has an excellent bore. And here are the photo's......    Anyone got any ideas / suggestions as to where I can find more info on these rifles? ------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Replies:
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: November 19 2017 at 6:16pm
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it looks legit to my limmited knowledge - i believe its an honest wwi riflre that was refurbed to go to ireland for issue - i could be wrong here it may well have been issued in WWI there would hope some of our advanced collectors will chime in here , and perhaps a few from ireland that might have info might input ,
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Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 5:24am
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There's lots of info out there on them, but a lot of it is contradictory. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums/collectability-of-fianna-fail-enfields-t34415.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums/collectability-of-fianna-fail-enfields-t34415.html http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?322796-Fritz-s-FF-marked-Enfield-sticky" rel="nofollow - http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?322796-Fritz-s-FF-marked-Enfield-sticky https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=53207" rel="nofollow - https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=53207 http://forums.thecmp.org/archive/index.php/t-126867.html" rel="nofollow - http://forums.thecmp.org/archive/index.php/t-126867.html ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 11:51am
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Welcome back Duncan! It's been a while. That looks like a very nice example that you've found. Unfortunately I can't help with the details of your rifle. but I look forward to reading what you find out. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: ducaninfrance
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 12:31pm
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Main problem at the moment is getting the seller to reply to my requests for information. £ emails gone un-answered and 2 phone calls with action promised and nothing happening. Got a couple of others in the pipeline because......... .......I had an idea that it would be fitting to fire a 3 round volley at the Remembrance Service in Bordeaux next year to commemorate 100 year since the signing of the cease fire in The Great War at 11a.m. on 11th November in 1918. I have circulated my proposal to various people including the mayor of Talence in Bordeaux where the CWGC Cemetery is located.I had intended to use my No4 Mk:I because even though it was made in 1943 it is still an Enfield. Discussing this with Elaine she said " Wouldn't it be better if you used a rifle from the Great War?" Having explained the cost and quality of such items in France I said that the No4 would be a good substitute. A day later, while having our evening meal she said " I think you should use a rifle of the time - you can spend up to €1000 out of the 'savings' fund on buying one" That's why I am chasing one and this seemed a great buy - if only the bloke would get of his arse and sort it out.....  ------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 1:58pm
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The lack of cooperation is a bit of a red flag to me. Why not tell the prospective buyer what he wants to close the deal? ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: ducaninfrance
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 3:27pm
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I am buying and yest, it seems a red flag job to me too. Got 5 other irons in the fire though!! ------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 4:55pm
| good luck on whichever you choose to be successful with , this one certainly looks to be a creat choice - shame your communication is not being recipricated , |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: November 21 2017 at 11:59am
Great to have an intelligent partner who let's you spend your hard earned cash ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: ducaninfrance
Date Posted: November 21 2017 at 12:13pm
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Bloke came back to me this morning and said he would double check the rifle and if it was as he said he would let me have the payment details etc., Looking good  ------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: November 21 2017 at 2:05pm
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OK, good luck, fingers crossed for you. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: November 21 2017 at 7:48pm
| o, in your court , hope this works out well for you , |
Posted By: ducaninfrance
Date Posted: November 26 2017 at 12:50am
He sent me an email yesterday with all his details and so 'The cheques in the post'  ------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: November 26 2017 at 10:09am
| good for you , i for one am pleased to hear this is working out , its a great looking rifle , |
Posted By: ducaninfrance
Date Posted: December 12 2017 at 7:44am
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I have now had confirmation he has received my cheque and the rifle will soon be on it's way to a friend in Scotland via his local friendly RFD. To save paying another £300+ in export fees AND having to do my own paperwork my pal is bringing it with him when he comes over next July to stay in our Gîte. Meantime.......... I just received a scabbard for my 1907 pattern SMLE bayonet. It is covered in grease - not cosmolene as far as I can see, but there is a lot of it! I would really appreciate any guidance on cleaning this stuff off and then treating the leather so it doesn't deteriorate.
------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: December 12 2017 at 8:41am
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My first choice would be WD-40 & disposable fabric like J-Cloths, or the equivalent for cleaning & grease removal, as its been used as both a grease remover & a leather protector. Then some kind of neutral shoe wax or dubbin to preserve the leather without harming it. Is there a stables or tack shop there? Most of the products for horse leathers should do. Do't use neatsfoot as it softens excessively. http://jcloth.com/" rel="nofollow - http://jcloth.com/ ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: ducaninfrance
Date Posted: December 12 2017 at 11:23am
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I had thought of using Ballistol then perhaps saddle soap.. ------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: December 12 2017 at 11:37am
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Duncan; I will send you a PM regarding importation to France; as I've now had 3 personal imports from the UK. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: December 12 2017 at 2:46pm
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That should work too. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: December 12 2017 at 6:47pm
| just be careful - although preserved it has still aged , you will be very happy with it i think , |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: December 13 2017 at 1:25pm
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A friend that is expert in these things suggest if it is Cosmolene try a heat gun backed off. A hair dryer isn't enough, but don't roast it. Wiping with a fabric (the J-Cloth again) as the "oil" melts will remove all the surface & its dirt, but will leave enough inside to protect it fully. Once it quits sweating oil, buff with clean cloth for finish. I've used a variation on this. Take one of those big card shipping tubes a good bit longer than the object. close of about 1/2 of both ends. Now attach the hair dryer on HOT & LOW so that it blows into the tube. You want heat, not volume. Now wrap the object in paper towels & place it in the end furthest from the hair dryer. Let it cook for 10 minutes or so, remove, wipe off excess add new towels & repeat till it doesn't ooze any more. Then buff it. Its basically a low temp hot air oven. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: ducaninfrance
Date Posted: December 13 2017 at 1:57pm
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Thanks guys,. will keep you posted with the results... ------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: December 13 2017 at 4:46pm
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that has the round frog stud instead of the almond shaped so it makes it a later version sacabbard , the chape and locket edges are also straight rather than curved , these were approved in late 1915 as a war economy so it is still a WWI compatible example , once you get it cleaned it may be date marked as well as mfgr marked ,
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Posted By: ducaninfrance
Date Posted: January 22 2018 at 1:45am
Well, it has arrived with my 'designated shipper' and is in good order.Will have to wait till July to get my hands on it  The scabbard is finished.   The 'Finished' article! I kept heating it with the paint stripping electric blower and eventually the grease stopped oozing out and the leather stopped going hard when left. The first time that I inserted the bayonet it stuck in the scabbard and the only way to release it was to remove the woos and place it in a vice so I could get enough purchase on the scabbard to pull it off! A considerable amount of Ballistol and vigorous working of the scabbard on and off the bayonet seems to have sorted this problem and I can now withdraw the bayonet from the scabbard with ease. Coats of Renaissance Wax have been applied to the leather and the metal and so we will see if it does what it says on the tin! ------------- Duncan. Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading. |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: January 22 2018 at 5:30am
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I think there's meant to be a fair amount of tension, not that much though. My No9 is a bear to pull from the scabbard & just as tough to reinsert. There's some kind of blade grabbing spring inside. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |