Lee Enfield

[varget204]

Recently acquired a Lee Enfield Mark4 1/2.303 ser # 52Y20xxx in good condition, & a early Lee Enfield SMLE .303, ser# 21xxx, Does Anyone Know the Manufacture date or approx value ?? Any Help would be appreciated

 

[sawcarver]

The manufacture date should be stamped on the steel ring that the butt stock attaches to. Or on the left hand side of the reciever on the No4

 

[Twicepop]

Before you shoot it (if you do) check or have checked the head space. These are notorious for having excessive head space. It's an easy fix if it's incorrect, these have replaceable/changeable bolt heads to adjust to the proper specs.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Quite right. Easy to check though. Crush a small piece of solder between chambered empty case and bolt. Measure with a micrometer. Look for 6 thou or better. Often the throat can be quite long due to wartime production and will prefer longer projectiles. Having said that, I have seen No 4s that shoot 150g bullets just fine. Mine loves 180g Match king . Powderwise, 748, varget, 4320 work well. On the older gun, I would suggest that loads shoul be lighter. The SMLE action is not as strong as the No 4. You may find that win 760/H414 works for you. FYI, the sights on the Enfield rifles are designed to be under the aim point. Many shooters complain that the rifles shoot high, but a 6 o'clock hold is the proscribed method. Don't forget bore is 311/312. Value, these are going up in price, here in NZ, fourfold in the last 10 years. An average No4 fetches about USD 550 currently. My mint target build, about double that.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Just for interest - my Fulton's Regulated No4. Built by Fulton's of Bisley in the late 1960's. 1942 Long Branch action. A G Parker 'ball burnished" barrel. Fulton's bolt face. bedded fore end. Parker hale sights. The rifle was purchased by an NZ team member, who had gone to compete at Bisley. He never shot it and sold it to another club member in 1969. He shot it for half a season, before the 308 became the standard for TR. I obtained it a couple of years ago, when he retired from shooting. I'm not planning to shoot it too often, but it does go well ( for a 303, that is).

 

[riflewoman]

Before you shoot it (if you do) check or have checked the head space. These are notorious for having excessive head space. It's an easy fix if it's incorrect, these have replaceable/changeable bolt heads to adjust to the proper specs.

It really isn’t excessive headspace that’s the problem. The chambers were cut VERY generously to accommodate the poor quality (by even contemporary standards) ammunition produced during WW1. There was a lot of back and forth on this but ultimately the decision was made in 1915 to ream the chambers larger. You can get better case life by neck sizing with only full length sizing when absolutely necessary. Even still case life will be short.

 

[riflewoman]

Since your No.4 is a Mk1/2, it has gone through an FTR (arsenal rebuild). From the serial 52YXXXX, this was accomplished in 1952. There may be a remnant of the original date that was stamped on the Left Receiver Flat, but not always. When they went trough an FTR, often the original serial numbers were ground off.

for your No 1, MkIII, the serial number is usually stamped on the LHS of the butt socked and the actual maker and year are stamped on the RHS.
The value is what someone is willing to pay for it.