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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- Lee Enfield No4mk2 unwrapping, after nearly being wrapped 70 years, this fine rifle gets to see the light of day. An excellent mummy wrap Enfield that was certainly worth more in the wrap but I couldn't help myself but see what was under all that cosmoline, I decided the least I could do was share the process for historical reference and to share the experience with as many people as possible. Whether you have one in the wrap and want to experience unwrapping it without actually doing in or just curious on what a No4 enfield looks like brand new, I hope you enjoy the video!
If anyone can guess the correct number of times this guy says Cosmoline, you win 1 million jars of Cosmoline
What a prize! I would participate, but I lost count myself.
It works. 10?
Should be issued to all eligible Brits !! A most formidable weapon even today.
Yes please. WITH THE BAYONETTE!
@@khankrum1 yes that would be an 8" nail fixed to the bayonet lug!
Yes please, one for me too.😁
I bought mine in 1987 for $75 and it just like the one in your video. I still have the paper and tags dated July 14, 1955. It looks brand new. Mine also came with a bayonet wrapped in the heavy wax base paper.
That was fantastic. It was like watching a vintage barn find car brought back to life. I spent many hours as a cadet putting thousands of rounds through a no4 mk2 in the days when the Government paid all the expenses. Great times.
Same here with me in the UK, every Sunday, plus competitions at Bisley.
Have an air rifle replica on my wall at home.
Qq
Same here as an Air Cadet 1280 Squadron Bisley Pirbright and Summer Camps. Good times, RAF Scampton watching five Vulcans rotate from the side of the runway sticks in the mind.
Very cool
I was an air cadet too. And I've been to bisley. I'm thinking later though because I did the course and shot the L98 at RAF Locking. (Cadet version of the SA80.) Good old days.😁 We did drill with the old .303s (deactivated)
Greetings from sunny Malta! I'm just about to collect my brand new 1955 No4 from a friend here - thanks for the tip about using raw linseed oil on the wood. I'm ex-Irish Defence Forces Reserves and fired the No4 in the service back in the late '70s. Enjoy your lovely rifle!
Enjoy yours as well!
Yes my Husband as one of these a 1955 build rifle in perfect condition he also purchased it in its wax paper
Beautiful ! These old beauties make my heart sing. 😍👍🏻
Truly one of the best bolt action battle rifles to ever see combat use. I miss having one (and an M1917 that I was forced to part with).
I too had a Number 4 mk2 in the PF range when I was shooting here in the uk. My one was an ex Royal Air Force weapon and had seen no use at all until it came onto the civilian market in roughly 1994. I was the second owner and bought it from a friend who had put less than 50 rounds through it. It shot quite well and I as an experiment use 7.62 NATO bullets as they were a lot cheaper (IMI) surprisingly the groups I achieved with these .30 cal heads was incredible. I could get 9 out of ten shots within a 4"" group at 300 yards and won several trophies in my club. Beautiful rifle!
She’s been waiting for the day of her birth… anxiously, awaiting that first round. 😇🇺🇸
These are great rifles. Congrats on your acquisition and I hope you have years of enjoyment with it, then pass it on to the next lucky soul. I have a few of these particular Enfields both wrapped and unwrapped and often agonize over whether to preserve or use them. I could argue passionately both ways…life is like that. Cheers.
I have two of these and I'm about to get a third. Thanks for the unwrapping video. I never filmed mine when taking them out of the wrap. The brass butt plate will polish up nice. Subbed!
I had one of those rifles in the early 2000s regrettably sold it it was Immaculate wrapped in heavy cosmoline
My PF 36**** 1953 has the milled swivel... Such a great purchase you have there.👌
Awesome thanks, so still safe to presume the change was made in the late UF 55 rifles as of now.
I have one as well, mine came with a matching bayonet. I have mine cleaned up but never fired. Sweet rifles
I actually do have a No.4 Mk.2 May 1955 with a serial number of UF 1348. This rifle is still in its mummy wrap. I have been advised by Gunsmith and collectors of like to never take it out of the wrap. Once taken out of the wrap, it loses its value by over 50%. I also have a No4 Mk2 March 1950. With a serial number of PF189184. This one was owned by gunsmith Brian Dick of South Carolina. He was the only owner. This was taken out of the arsenal, mummy wrap and was his personal Shooting Rifle. It’s an excellent condition and this is the one that I go shoot when I want to shoot a No4 Mk2.
My Pal bought one of these wrapped in 1989 for £40, about $60 at the time. It took us about 2 days to get it clean!
Took me a couple of weekends working on it when I was able
So jealous, shot these weapons as an Army Cadet in High School - 45 years ago. Wonderful rifle for the novice to learn from basic to advanced marksmanship.
Me too, In Australia. I did Army Cadets 58 years ago. We simply called them our 303s. Also, we did get a chance to fire the Bren gun.
Same here, did my skill at arms with a No4 and loved the Bren ,and later in life when I got my FAC I had to get a No4 ,wish I still had it ,mine was a 1943 but re-barreled in 1955 ,I used to home load ,so accurate it was unreal, 3 up 2 down😊
Got my queens marksman badge with the number4 in 1964.
Great video
I've had the chance to buy 2 of these mummy wrapped Irish Contract No 4's but they wanted US$1900. I would have just kept them in the wrap as an investment if I had. So instead I bough a really mint Longbranch Mk1* that I do use.
I would love to add a Long Branch to the collection, particularly one made in the 50s, as they don't use any of the expedient wartime parts, although great accuracy can still be attained from the 2 groove barrels I prefer the 5. Thanks for watching
Fantastic thanks 👍😁, When firing you can keep your eye on the iron sights when reloading so you can maintain a eye on your target, the German Mauser you have to move your head to the side when drawing back the bolt to reload which makes you take your eyes of the ironsight and possibly loosing sight of your target, especially if they are moving.
This is incredible. Thank you for sharing the unwrapping with us!
The No 4 had a better barrel, but the smoothest and best action will always be in the No1 Mk3. The No 4 has a very cheaply made flt wall acrion and bolt housing and was found wanting, but it was lighter as a result. The No3 Jungle Carbine had a nasty recoil.
The number 5 jungle carbine did kick hard but it had a rubber recoil pad.
The problem with the number 5s that I have had the all have a wandering zero.
Once 4 or 5 rounds went down the pipe you never knew where the round was going to hit.
I got one of these 30 years ago in the mummy wrap in the year 1955 with the bayonet which had matching serial # but at that time there were no import stamp required and mine does not have any import stampings .
It was a chore to remove the rifle from the mummy wrap. We did this in a solvent tank which allowed us to remove all the cosmoline.
The butt plate on mine as solid brass
Good Camera work !!!!
Ricky from IBM
Was this in the US? As import stamps were still required to import it post 1968, if yours somehow escaped this, it's completely legal, and you're one lucky owner!
@@zaca952 Yes, got it when I lived in Los Angeles about 35 years ago and it has a bayonet with the same serial # as the rifle.
Love it! Best find since “ king Tut’s tomb “
I have a 1943 no4 I use for target competition great rifle
In my country (not USA), an original wrapped condition LE No4 Mk2 has a value anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000. Unwrapped, perhaps $1500.
I have a Lee Enfield number 4 mark 1/3 it's dated 1953 it's a factory refurbished no. 4 mark 1* upgraded to the mark 2 you have a good target or hunting rifle. Cheers mate
Super cool, Savage or Long Branch?
Saved a sporterized no4mk1 from a auction that was in fair shape but noticed the barrel wasn't cut. Paid $210 for it and sourced a new stock and some small parts including a bayonet and action cover. It's now a beautiful rifle
What a beautiful piece of history. It's incredible.
Thanks for appreciating this fine old war horse ,to many have been ruined by people sporterizing these by removing the fore stock and then declaring that they haven't got any accuracy (the wood supplies tension to the barrel)
The free floating always improves accuracy myth has taken many a victim, Lee Enfields No1, and No4, 1903 Springfields, K31s, M1917s, and I'm sure the list goes on!
Heresy , they should not be allowed near vintage firearms
Your process of unveiling and explaining is spot on and adds to the intrigue throughout your video . The rifle itself with its age and preservation techniques also spot on in your narration.
First shot experiences must have been a pleasure.
Well done sir
😎
Looks great! I’m glad u r using it. I just got my frankengun No1 mk3 in firing order after a new old barrel and going thru three forend stocks before I got one that was straight and repaired the draws properly, and it shoots beautifully now. That .303 round packs a nice punch.
What a fine example of a gun from that era! I'd love to have one but I've only come across wall hangers, which are still cool. There were some Caranos for sale but they were gone before I had a chance to snag one.
I have an Irish Contract No4 MK2. In Ireland.
I only have 20 rounds through it. Love the rifle.
awesome rifle. Outstandingly accurate in the right hands. Beautiful
Very nice color and wood pattern and amazing condition, the benefit of getting post WW2 rifles. I bought 2 No4 for $350 each from the massive Ethiopia imports to the US in 2021 they must have had many thousands of them for sale, I think some are still for sale at Royal Tiger imports but I got them form the big sale at Classic Firearms. The ones I received were both from ROF Maltby from 1941 which I think is second year of production, they for sure were made them in a rush so the they are stamped on without care crooked and hard to read but its a sign of the times in 1941 in a rush to get them made. Also one of them the wood appears to not have been completed properly and does not sit well against the bottom part but the wood patten is the same so was just made in a rush but the other rifle is fine, I plan to leave it as it is. The wood on both has wear from being in the desert and in use but no cracks thankfully. They both had a thick layer of dirt from the desert and it took me many many hours to clean them. The barrel head space on both seems normal a bullet gets stuck about halfway inserted so looks normal. I shot maybe 50 rounds so far and they are fun to shoot and kick less than a Mosin and maybe even less than a K31 surprisingly. I actually find the No4 action just more fun to use than a K31.
That's a pretty rifle.
Wow! I worked in a gun store in the '80s and '90s and I have one of these guns and it's still in the wrapper, same blonde wood, dark park finish, and a 1955 date. Thank you for unwrapping yours, I'll keep mine under wraps for a while longer. PS kerosene works great on cosmoline
Mineral spirits is even better
@@jasonhensley3071Some wood that is adjacent to metal can be a little darkish. I’m guessing it’s caused by the cosmoline? Will a toothbrush and mineral spirits scrub it off?
🤔
Unlike steel, brass doesn't need moisture to corrode. The corrosion process involves sulfides and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (the brown color is from sulfides and the green from carbon dioxide)
Thanks for the information, I guess that explains why it was corroded well the rest of the rifle was pristine.
Lovely man, just lovely. I would not be too worried about bruising the wood some, at all. Just keep those screw heads nice and clean and sharp and so on.
Nice! I have a Transferable Sten MKII SMG made at the Fazakerly plant. Not as pretty as your SMLE, but shoots just as good.
Super cool, I'd love to just see a sten in person be it a semi auto closed bolt or original!
@@zaca952 Our Sten at the range
th-cam.com/video/5ZVbXqXgCck/w-d-xo.html
I have a 1917 No.3 that my grandfather bought to go deer hunting with other family sometime late 50s or early 60s. He picked it up at an army/navy surplus, and I don't know if it was him or the fools at the store who did the hatchet job of "sporterizing" it, but they definitely sold him the wrong ammunition, so the story goes, and he griped the whole time about not being able to hunt. No one knew for sure when I got the rifle in the early 80s, but I'm guessing the dummies at the store sold him .303 Savage ammunition. When I got it, it came with a box of Peters 180g soft-nose.
It is a well-worn but still decent shooter, with matching no.s that I'll restore one day when I find decent furniture and hardware that I can afford.
Ps. Ironically, grandpa was a "doughboy" and was probably issued a P-17 Enfield. He only survived the war by almost dying of the Spanish Flu.
Removable magazine made this a killer weapon. Either 2 or 4 groove good.
Amazing rifle. Wish I had one. I have a K31 that is pristine like yours and I love the strait pull.
Me too, I have a k31 that is in good condition that was made in 1938 but was rearsenaled in 1952, which included a new barrel. The barrel appeared to be unfired other than the proof firing, was full of cosmoline and guaged less than 0. Love the K31s
I have one of those, mine was made in 1953, and it came with the bayonet. I bought it in the late 1990s.
nice find. congrats. hope this beauty stays in your family
That is an incredible video👏👏
Stunning rifle mate. Very envious!
Nice rifle. A solid 9 out of 10. I have a 1944 or 1945 Enfield rifle which is in similar condition.
Leave it in the wrap ? I couldn't do that if my life depended on it! That would be like sleeping in bunk beds on your wedding night!
Agreed, I left it in the wrap about 2 weeks before I couldn't resist the urge
You made it a lot longer than i would have! I would have had a grand gear gas plug and a box of ammo camping out on the front porch waiting on the delivery truck to pull up!
O by the way order yourself a grand gear gas plug and replace the factory gas plug with it that way you won't risk that much over exaggerated bending of the oprod every one harps about.
And yes I have a m-1 garand the garand gear gas plug a bunch of n-block's the bayonet, sling and trench tool . I pick things up as i can to go with the m-1 just a few more items and I'll have to find something else to obsess over lol
Amazing, thank you for sharing
Damn nice rifle! New and unused to boot. My 1948 #4 MK2 Fazakerley is one of the most accurate rifles I have owned, and that's saying a lot.🤩
Awesome job, great job explaining every step! Like everyone else I'm jealous 😅
Cleaning the cosmoline off is a pain in the @$$.I bought a cmp Danish m1 rifle and it was nasty. Still in the safe and never fired. I have another m1 that I use. Good video and nice rifle.
Beautiful
Really fun video. Thank you & congratulations that’s beautiful.
mine is a PF105XXX 5/49 all matching #s it has the milled sling swivel. although used with minor blueing ware and minor handling marks on the wood, all screws are perfect. owned this rifle 20 + years paid like $150.00 for it?
Bought my Lee Enfield No4 Mk2 for $12 in 1960 still in a wooden crate and wrapped/soaked in Cosmoline . Came with a box of military .303 cal rounds. Cut the stock down like a normal rifle.
Did I enjoy your 'new' rifle 'restore' ; Oh Yes . Thank you , well done and enjoy a fantastic rifle . Jealous as f"k !
a real beauty
She's a beaut!
Have A17775 First rifle I was trained on as a Queens Marksman in the UK.... Mine was brand new unfired just not wrapped thank god lol
UF 55
It's almost a shame to unwrap it. Collectors will pay alot of money for stuff that's still in the original wrapper. Edit spoke 3 min too soon 🤣 so you know 👍😉
Couldn't help but unwrap it after long consideration, but I was fortunate to purchase it for less than they sell for unwrapped, so I took no financial loss and that somewhat insentivised me to open it since I wasn't ever planning on selling it.
@@zaca952I would have done the same as you.
Wow that's a mint find
I have a 1967 built RFI 2A1 beautiful. But your No4 Mk2 bucket baby
nice rifle amigo,from BRAZIL
Olá, um velho amigo meu cresceu no Rio de janeiro, ele odeia ele frio aqui em Montana. Obrigado por assistir
There need to be more full bore rifle clubs and ranges in the UK where can keep and fire these wonderful rifles
Yes, just yes.
I have a black and white photo of my dad relaxing in uniform at a bar in Singapore in 1957 during his RAF national service. I only recently saw the number 4 propped against a tree in the foreground of the photo.
Super cool, these same rifles with UF serial prefixes were set aside for the RAF
@@zaca952 possibly the same batch then. Amazing. If I were ever allowed a rifle in the UK this specific model is possibly the best option=accuracy, Magazine fed, fairly fast to reload. Great video. Such history.
The nicest enfields, my Irish is 12/54 and I’ve got an unmarked one that seems to be unissued.
Incredible!
I have the identical 1955 rifle I love it.
I also have one. I took mine out of the wrapper years ago but never have shot it. My serial number is just under 1500 lower than yours.
Good looking gun. It’s nice to see an unissued one, where does one go about finding one still wrapped?
Used market is the only option
Very nice .Were did you get that one ? are there more out there ? THX for showing !
There were quite a few imported by century arms in the 90s and early 2000s, so the only opportunity is on the used market from collectors who chose to keep them in the wrap since.
@@zaca952 Ya that would be the only way for sure. THANKS.
I bought one also in the wrap a couple of years ago.
I saw some new old stock mk 3's for sale a few years ago. I was very tempted to buy one. From memory, they were $1600 Aud. I thought to myself at the time "what do I need a .303 for?", "I'll put a box of ammo through it at the range and it will sit in the safe collecting dust". Do you reckon I'm not kicking myself now.
I'll bet I have missed some deals as well. Lithgow made some fine rifles.
Ace mate.
we used to boil them to clean them from stores .
Interesting, was this part of the MOD? Or fulton? Or something else? Would love to know the military process
@@zaca952 military ,,, boil them , add whatever was at hand , but it cleaned them fast. then dose them with engine oil , no fancy gun oils .
Easy to clean when. A sergeant shouts at you !
@@bertiewooster3326 aint that the truth ,,,, then again I used to think nothing of throwing my SMG into the parts washer either.
A guy who was in the Korean War told me the same thing. They would put immersion heaters in a garbage can full of water then dip the metal parts in the boiling water. Works perfectly. Only two issues: 1. you NEED to get all the water out of closes areas like the bolt and trigger mechanism. 2. The water with the melted cosmoline is nasty stuff. I'm guessing the military just dumped it behind the armory. When I de-cosmolined an SKS using boiling water in my sink, a nasty later of sticky cosmoline set on the sink and in the drain :(. I won't be doing that again.
The rear sling swivel screw damage: They must have used one of those paint can openers/paint stirrers that some people call screwdrivers and not gunsmith screwdrivers.
That would do it, although I imagine Fazackerly had the proper screwdriver, it looks as if they overtourqued it and spun out once too much force was applied.
Mineral spirits is a petroleum product. It will degrease without completely removing oils I the pores of the metal. Acetone will remove all oils including cleaning out the pores of the metal and leaving it open to corrosion. You can use acetone, but plan to wipe down with a gun oil afterward.
I’m confused as to vinegar and baking soda. The baking soda will neutralize the vinegar so what is accomplished?
You can buy industrial grade vinegar at a hardware store. Another good but mild acid cleaner is coffee pot cleaner.
For severely rusted metal Eastwood Products markets a rust dissolver to the classic car restorer crowd. It works but neutralize in baking soda afterward.
I seen the stamped import mark on front of barrel but was wondering if you knew who it is..? Thank you great video brother 👍
Century Arms International is CAI that is stamped on this one, and I think most of them in the US
My Granny worked in ROF Fazackerley making STEN guns
That is very cool, I'm sure she has some interesting stories to tell!
Nice video, that's a great looking rifle.
Where did you find it and how much can someone buy one for these days.I am very interested. What did you use to remove the cosmoline? I have used regular paint thinner in the past.
I think being 68 years young we would have corrosion on us! LOL!
Didn't know they were still in the box
Not many, but some still have the late No4s that were either Irish contracts or war reserves still in the wrap
Excellent!!
I've seen people put the whole rifle under some kind of heat or put it in a oven to heat up and run off the cosmoline. Apparently it might be a thing when it is absorbed into the wood. Is it like vaseline? Anyways I'm 3/4 or so through video and am enjoying it so much. Need to get a lee enfield I would love to see how well I could rapid fire one of them.
Somewhat like Vaseline but thicker and harder to remove
Fantanstic video LOL Thanks
Lovely bit of kit!. My Mk4 was a little 'battle weary', but! I could still hit a target at just on a thousand yards with open sites. Interesting thing is I used ex army surplas rounds circa 1950's and when I 'upgraded' to modern rounds found the accuracy went off?. Anyone?.
Most of the older surplus 303 was .312 diameter bullets when the most common modern loadings use a .311, that could be part of it. Check your muzzle erosion by inserting the bullet in the muzzle and seeing how far it goes in without force. If it's close to the case, try some .312 bullets or the old surplus and see if it's better. Also, you may be able to gain some accuracy back with .314 or .316 cast bullets if the .312 still are too small.
@@zaca952 Thanks for taking the time to reply, will do. Although old and rough looking externally the barrel internals and breech parts are remarkably pristine with no signs of undue wear. Will let you know. 🙂👍
That rifle was made the same year I was born 1955
I have the same gun can you detail your cosmoline clean
The Japanese had a far superior rifle in the Arisaka T-99 the first battle rifle with a stainless bore. The smle was a crude battle rifle as was the US m-1 Springfield
I wonder if the darkish ends of some of the wood is caused by the cosmoline? If so, can it be scrubbed off with a toothbrush and mineral spirits?
I'm not sure what caused it, I did try scrubbing it with a toothbrush and mineral spirits, and it lightened it somewhat, but even after some pretty decent scrubbing, it couldn't be completely removed.
@@zaca952 I image the cosmoline on the metal will leach on to adjacent wood and stain it? Did your rifle come with a bayonet? Beautiful rifle!
Greetings from north Texas.
Merry Christmas 🎁!
@mistergrendel32 yes it did come with a bayonet, I should have pictured that as well, but it is still in the wrap for now
Where you them from?
Big surprise it’s in the condition of every other mummy wrapped rifle
I was born in 1955 so i am as old as the gun =)
We're did you get this rifle I'd love to try and buy one
Unfortunately, the only option is the used market. Don't pay the exuberant auction start prices, though. I waited about 2 years until I found one within my price range for a reasonable buy. Local purchase is probably best as well as these were originally sold in the 90s for $150 for a rifle in wrap and $200 for a rifle unwrapped and clean. Strangely enough, apparently, quite a few shelled up the $50 to avoid the "hassle." No hassle for me it was quite an enjoyable experience!
287XXA Milled sling swivel.