Enfield Gunsmithing - #4/MK2 fore end fitment

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#4/MK2 fore end fitment

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Topic: #4/MK2 fore end fitment

Posted By: Canuck
Subject: #4/MK2 fore end fitment
Date Posted: November 23 2017 at 4:10pm

A question to the board....I am trying to fit a #4/MK2 fore end that has never been on a rifle, yes it is NOS, the whole set matching color. Anyway, do you fellows ever come across an issue where the draws need to be trimmed to help the stock fit? This may sound rudimentary to some of you I am sure but this is the first time I have encountered this scenario. The barreled action being dressed with new clothing is an F52 marked action and barrel with a #4/MK1 action with the catch release button. Sounds odd doesn't it? No welding was done to the action/hung trigger assembly at the factory, it appears to have been made that way. The action body has electro penciled #4/MK2 9/52, so Sept. of that year. The barrel is roll marked 'SURREY' with no import stamp from England. My worry is that this fore end may not have been meant to fit? I'll stop here to elicit any remarks from you learned Enfielders!

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

Replies:

Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: November 23 2017 at 5:54pm

I'v seen many "SURREY" stamped barrels in the past.(None of late, tho)
I could never get any info on the SURREY stamp.

Used to be quite common on sporters, here abouts

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Loose wimmen tightened here

Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: November 23 2017 at 6:01pm

Hoadie, from what I have read Surrey was a company that took new barreled actions and turned them into sporting rifles minus some of the wood. I read they were sold at stores like Army & Navy here in our country. I have a few of them and they are all pristine rifling 5 groove barrels.

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

Posted By: Bear43
Date Posted: November 24 2017 at 3:29am

New foreends were left a bit undersized internally so they do require a bit of internal filing and chiseling to fit them. This is nothing unusual and on the positive it means you will be getting a nice tight fit on the draws. I put an NOS stock set on my No 4 Mk 2 and the foreend fits so tight on the draws it requires a light tap from a mallet to remove it. Trim the draws to fit and enjoy it.

Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: November 24 2017 at 4:15am

If you've never fitted one up I suggest you read the articles by Captain Peter Laidler on the subject. Well worth taking the time to digest the information before attempting the job. Check out the Milsurp site for those articles.
You should be able to build a very accurate rifle if you get the wood set up perfectly; draws to recoil lugs tight and even with the barrel dead centre of the channel. Best of luck! Let us know how you get on.

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!

Posted By: englishman_ca
Date Posted: November 24 2017 at 5:08am

I often see these sportered Lee Enfields, commercially made in the 1960s. We just had deer season here in Ontario. I was out and had the opportunity to take a look at several hunter's Lee Enfield sporters. So these rifles are still going strong and being put to good use.

There were a number of grades, ranging from just a cut down and modified military wood to ones with new Monte Carlo stocks with checkering and a nice blued finish.

The barrels were often brand new.

My notes show that there are three different variations of markings on the barrel. Surrey, Sussex, and Essex.

(These are the names of home counties around London, England)

Not sure as to what company did the customisation, or in what country, Britain, US or Canada.

The name Parker Hale has been tossed around. But some of the work looks below par for PH., plus no markings as such.

If there are no import markings, are there any British commercial proof marks? ig 303, 2.222, 18.5 tons etc?

And to answer the OP's question..Yes, you will often need to hand fit a new stock to the rifle. What you describe sounds normal.

Lots of info around on how to do it properly. Use sharp hand tools and files. Keep the Dremmel away from it.

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Look to your front, mark your target when it comes!

Posted By: hoadie
Date Posted: November 24 2017 at 6:23am

Last "SURREY" barrelled rifle I seen, was a sport I obtained from the widow of the guy that owned the cabin. She said he brought it over when they immigrated from Blighty.
It had a scope mounted - a cheap one (& I don't use scopes). It was a bit fouled, but I cleaned it up.
Gave it to the young fella next door, in trade for some new custom kitchen cabinets.
This is the first time I heard any definitive info on these rifles/barrels

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Loose wimmen tightened here