SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  Mason's Rifle Room    What should I do with a semi-Bubba'd Enfield No.4 Mk.I?
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
What should I do with a semi-Bubba'd Enfield No.4 Mk.I? Login/Join 
Age Quod Agis
Picture of ArtieS
posted
The .30 cal battle rifle thread got me thinking, what should I do with this rifle?

I was given this Enfield No.4 Mk.I and as you can see, it has been partially Bubba'd. It seems to be original to the magazine box, and then things go to hell. The forend has been modified, the front metal, front sights, butt plate and handguards are all missing, and the barrel has been cut to 21.5 inches.

Should I keep this as is on the odd chance that I acquire another No. 4 in the future and then would have parts, restore it to its former glory, or have someone finish the Bubba job so I have a Crocodile Dundee hunting rifle?








"I vowed to myself to fight against evil more completely and more wholeheartedly than I ever did before. . . . That’s the only way to pay back part of that vast debt, to live up to and try to fulfill that tremendous obligation."

Alfred Hornik, Sunday, December 2, 1945 to his family, on his continuing duty to others for surviving WW II.
 
Posts: 12743 | Location: Central Florida | Registered: November 02, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fighting the good fight
Picture of RogueJSK
posted Hide Post
Restoring it is unlikely, due to the extent of the modifications. Even if you collect all the hardware and stock parts needed, and have it rebarreled with a new barrel, the receiver will still be drilled and tapped, which severely hurts the collectors value. The juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze.

Keep it for parts, part out the salvageable original parts and sell them somewhere like the Gunboards milsurp forum, or turn it into a hunting rifle if you're so inclined.

At a glance, you should be able to salvage the buttstock (if not too heavily sanded/refinished), trigger assembly, magwell, magazine, bolt assembly, safety assembly, rear sight assembly, and some assorted screws. Everything else is toast, including the barrel, forestock, and receiver.
 
Posts: 32417 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Age Quod Agis
Picture of ArtieS
posted Hide Post
That's kind of what I figured. I'll likely try to find a decent No.4 for the collection and use this as a parts gun.

I've already had to do the firing spring in my No.1 Mk.III* as the 100 year old disintegrated into about 15 pieces.



"I vowed to myself to fight against evil more completely and more wholeheartedly than I ever did before. . . . That’s the only way to pay back part of that vast debt, to live up to and try to fulfill that tremendous obligation."

Alfred Hornik, Sunday, December 2, 1945 to his family, on his continuing duty to others for surviving WW II.
 
Posts: 12743 | Location: Central Florida | Registered: November 02, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fighting the good fight
Picture of RogueJSK
posted Hide Post
In the other thread, you mentioned wanting a No. 5 Jungle Carbine. It would be possible to convert this into a quasi-Jungle Carbine. It wouldn't be 100% authentic, but it would be close.

There are repro Jungle Carbine stock sets out there, as well as repro Jungle Carbine front sight/flash hider assemblies. Those repro parts, plus a barrel band and the installation of a ladder style rear sight, and some gunsmithing to cut down the barrel a bit more, recrown it, and attach the repro front assembly, is all it would need.

It would still be drilled and tapped, and wouldn't have the correct No. 5 lightening cuts to the receiver and bolt, but it would be a good approximation and potentially a fun shooter.

There were a couple companies over the years that made similar repro Jungle Carbines from cut down No. 4s and some repro parts.
 
Posts: 32417 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Age Quod Agis
Picture of ArtieS
posted Hide Post
Thanks for the suggestion. That might be fun to do, and it would make a fine range blaster and pig gun for the Florida swamps.



"I vowed to myself to fight against evil more completely and more wholeheartedly than I ever did before. . . . That’s the only way to pay back part of that vast debt, to live up to and try to fulfill that tremendous obligation."

Alfred Hornik, Sunday, December 2, 1945 to his family, on his continuing duty to others for surviving WW II.
 
Posts: 12743 | Location: Central Florida | Registered: November 02, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fighting the good fight
Picture of RogueJSK
posted Hide Post
Numrich, Apex, and Sarco together appear to have the parts you'd need for that. You might also check eBay or Gunbroker.

Front sight/flash hider assembly
Rear sight assembly
Barrel band with sling swivel and screw
Buttstock with buttpad assembly
Handguard with handguard retaining ring
Potentially a new forestock, but you might be able to use what's on it currently.
 
Posts: 32417 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The 2nd guarantees the 1st
Picture of fiasconva
posted Hide Post
Check out this site and see if you can get some info and help: Enfield-rifles.com



"Even if the world were perfect it wouldn't be." ... Yogi Berra
 
Posts: 1854 | Location: York County, VA | Registered: August 25, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I say (as long as the bore is good) knock the barrel back to 16.5 inches, install a front sight to match the rear peep sights and maybe a nice recoil pad and stock re-finish and you've got yourself an actually usable (and more comfortable to shoot) "jungle carbine", Crocodile Dundee style.
That's what I'd do anyway. I think it's sad to see a functional rifle relegated to a parts gun.
 
Posts: 91 | Registered: June 24, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
semi-reformed sailor
Picture of MikeinNC
posted Hide Post
If it were me, I’d restore it to its prior glory & fill in the holes in the receiver.



"Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor.” Robert A. Heinlein

“You may beat me, but you will never win.” sigmonkey-2020

“A single round of buckshot to the torso almost always results in an immediate change of behavior.” Chris Baker
 
Posts: 11244 | Location: Temple, Texas! | Registered: October 07, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ArtieS:
Thanks for the suggestion. That might be fun to do, and it would make a fine range blaster and pig gun for the Florida swamps.


That's what I'd do with it. It's plenty stout for putting down FL pigs. Have fun with it. If you need parts for another Enfield then rob parts from it.
 
Posts: 21335 | Registered: June 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Having restored a couple of lightly sporterized Enfields recently (no mods to metal), I can tell you it's a labor of love, and with the mods already done to yours, it will be a money-losing pit. I'd look for a no-drill scope mount (S&K makes a good one) and throw a scope on it. Leave the rest as-is.
 
Posts: 2465 | Location: WI | Registered: December 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I do not believe I would attempt to restore a No 4 with a cut barrel unless it was a Trials rifle or a "T". Especially one that was D&T'd. Original barrels that are in spec are basically nonexistent. Unless you can do it yourself, figure the cost will be in the $300+ range to buy a good used barrel and have it changed.

I'm in the put a scope back on it and call it good camp on this sporter.

If you want a free sporter buttplate with no trap, shoot me an email as I think I still have one in a box. You'll need to come up with screws.
 
Posts: 920 | Location: Midwest | Registered: April 13, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
That gun is destined to be Alligator Dundee. No practical path to restoration with the drilled reciever........


Remember, this is all supposed to be for fun...................
 
Posts: 4123 | Registered: April 06, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of sigcrazy7
posted Hide Post
I remember when I was buying those rifles for $69. Probably should have bought more than four.



Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus
 
Posts: 8197 | Location: Utah | Registered: December 18, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Now and Zen
Picture of clubleaf206
posted Hide Post
As the others have said I would finish what Bubba started.


___________________________________________________________________________
"....imitate the action of the Tiger."
 
Posts: 12167 | Location: The untamed wilds of Kansas | Registered: August 25, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Objectively Reasonable
Picture of DennisM
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
I remember when I was buying those rifles for $69. Probably should have bought more than four.

This. Racks of them at Trigger Hill in Salinas, CA in the 80s. In hindsight...
 
Posts: 2452 | Registered: January 01, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata  
 

SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  Mason's Rifle Room    What should I do with a semi-Bubba'd Enfield No.4 Mk.I?

© SIGforum 2024