Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles Mark 1 Enfield

I am closing out my late brothers estate.
According to a 80 year old gunsmith, he owned a Mark 1 Enfield. It has unfortunately been sporterized regarding the stock . The gunsmith has some stock parts to partially restore to original if needed.
My question to the group is do I list it on this forum or the classified ads , and ideas on value .
I can sent pictures via text or email .
Thanks for any help offered .
DB

I'd guess as an original very good condition shooter around $600/$700 maybe more depending on location. I'm looking at a couple of Enfields here, San Joaquin Valley, Ca. One's a Mk1 WW1 era the other a No.4 WW2 era, both listed at $750.

I think what you mean to say is a No1 Lee Enfield rifle. Those are typically (not always, some were made for WWII) usually WWI vintage and came in a variety of revisions or Marks. That was a 303 caliber. The other 303 most often encounter is the No4. That are WWII and later history also India. Those also came in a number of revisions or Marks. I am not an expert. Not even close. I have a No1 and a No5 and know enough to "know what I dont know". I am not sure which India made the No1 or No4 or both. Some of the Indian rifles are better than others. All the India made get less respect.

In kinda average condition the No4 is a far superior rifle. BUT!! In original, not rebuilt with magazine cut off,. volley sights and all correct early No1 is very valuable. Obviously dont want sights tossed out and drill and tap for a scope. I guess you are very far from a collector grade No1.

You definitely want some kind of military stocks to include if you can. It is a pain to fit the stocks. I would probably not try that unless I got the gun real cheap and saw a lot of hidden potential.

I dont know what you have but; on average No1 & No4 are not big bucks guns. And as described by you and guessed by me, I am thinking a couple to three hundred maybe. I hope, I am not killing a deal. Actually even 200 could be high without a few things looked at.

These receivers stretch and as they expand new bolt heads are fitted until you get to #3. Then the rifle is supposed to be taken out of service. I believe the No1 had the easy swap bolt head. I shoot nothing but reloads for a couple reasons.

That is a "Lot to Googles". India, bolt heads, head spacing. Is it a No1 which Mark and where and when made. You can go here for good info:

https://www.gunboards.com/forums/the-lee-enfield-forum.55/

First of all you'd need to identify what it is exactly. "Mark 1 Enfield" could refer to a number of quite different rifles, including:

Magazine Lee Enfield Mk I
Carbine Lee Enfield Mk I
Short Magazine Lee Enfield Mk I
Rifle No 4 Mk I
or possibly even Rifle No 5 Mk I

As well as Martini Enfield Mk I and of course the Pattern 1914 Mk I (aka No 3 Mk I) - commonly called "Enfield" in the US.

Photos and details of action markings might help. Of course a sporterised version of any of these is likely to be worth a great deal less than an original one.

Sorry, but that is just not true. The receivers don't "stretch" with use, and that is not why different numbered bolt heads were used.

The different numbered bolt heads were introduced on the No 4 solely as a rather smart bit of production engineering to get costs down in manufacture. They allow fitting up of barrels do be done more quickly and by a lower skilled operator, the idea being that rather than requiring a fitter machinist (tradesman) to adjust headspace when fitting the barrel, as was the case with earlier Marks, the barrels on the No 4 (and later) would simply be screwed in by a semiskilled operator and then they would select from bolt heads of different lengths to find one which gave headspace within specification.

The whole story about using boltheads to take up some mythical "stretch" is a furphy. They did have fairly generous headspace tolerances, most being made during wartime and never intended for use with reloads, but they don't "stretch" - except perhaps with such a massive overload as to put your very life at risk.

I had to look up "furphy".

Me too. Great word. Interesting etymology too.

The gunsmith said it was a SMLE. Mk1
1922 proof . He also thought later stamps , 1938 , were a reproof stamp. It is not the Jungle SMF , he had one on a rack for comparison.
It does still have a metal butt plate and original sights according to his knowledge.
No scope mounts were perpetrated on the rifle .
His values were similar to Forbore $ 2-300 range .

If any one wants to see pictures, pm your cell or email and I will forward what I have so far .

Thanks for all the input.

Now I have to look up furphy ….