As an Englishman, I must confess a significant degree of jealousy that you've got a working SMLE No4 Mk1. Hope it continues to serve you well for many years.
you'll be jealous of me, then, because i have a working example with all matching serial numbers made in 1943 and factory serviced in '49. And i'm American.
the no4s are actually not designated SMLE rifles. the brits canned the designation in favor of numbered variants before the second war in 1926. this rifle is just an enfield
Could I make a few suggestions, Firstly the stock should be a tight fit on the action and then the trigger guard is fitted and tightened down ,making sure the King Screw Collar is in place and the King Screw (spring washer included ) is tightened. The screw forward of the action was probably an INDIAN repair factory job and you don't show any head spacing in your video but for safety sake I hope it was done . I produce replacement stocks for Enfields in Australia and have picked up a lot of knowledge over the years . Terry
stock wobble and the crossbar is ishapor Indian manufacturing. wondering if theres a washer in the buttstock for the no4 series . I know no1 mk3s have them for that reason of them being wobbly otherwise or the front sight protector missing has some do with the loose lower forend
Nice job, l have bought 2 smles that had been sporterized to put them back in their original shape, I ve sold them on, I hardly make any profit I do this just for the pleasure of working on these things and see them again as they were made to be. Great Channel we have same interest on firearms, I hope you do a video on our French Mas 36
I have a Short Lee Enfield MKIII in .303 British built in Lithgow for the Australian Army in 1918. Action still smooth as butter 105 years later! My dad bought it when I was a kid at Bigtown Discount for like 16 bucks. Still wrapped like a mummy with cloth tape, Cosmoline and paper.
By repute, the large wood screw in the forend is an Indian modification. It fortifies the wood against the shock of grenade discharging. Provided the screw is not securing an existing split, it may be removed, drilled out to a regular diameter and a length of dowel glued in. Being really enterprising, it might be possible to take plugs from under the nose cap to cap off the restoration with matching timber.
Thank you for this video. I have one of these on the bench for cleaning and have been looking for any and all information I can find on these historic tools.
Just an FYI. Pachmayr makes an excellent inexpensive firearm screwdriver set. I've had mine for years and use it on my blackpowder, milsurp and modern firearms with no damage. My OCD kicks in whenever I acquire an older firearm with "boogered up" screw heads. I generally, at a minimum, pull those screws and dress the head channels to remove displaced material to make them close to like new. But. that's just me. 🙂 Great video.
your way to nice lol . that thing sat in a bucket in parts in the barn for at least 5years and in a closet in the basement of the house for 2 years . it was a rusted filthy mess. you did a awesome job!
I've a feeling that rifle has more to it. Either a commercial gun, or if your very lucky, possibbly a trials gun. The lack of markings for onr thing. Any proof marks, they will date as well.
One thing I did notice at the end was the front sling swivel still fitted in the incorrect position on the muzzle band. It should be fitted to the furniture band further back. By the time the No4 Mk1 entered service the practice of fitting stacking/piling swivels had been discontinued.
Thanks! And for myself I’d say being raised hunting deer definitely helped a lot with freehand shooting, though I can firmly say I shoot Enfields very poorly compared to Mausers
I could somewhat make out the markings. It looks like it says (top to bottom): B, 1942, F7458. I do know that Mk2 sights (which this gun has) were only fitted from factory in 1942 and early in 1943, and it definitely doesn't say 1943. Also, if my sources are right, only the guns made by BSA had serial numbers with four digits and a single-letter prefix, AND the top marking can't possibly be an M or F (ROF Maltby or ROF Fazakerley respectively). So, definitely B for BSA, 1942 (can't be 1944 due to the Mk2 sight), and the serial number seems to be F7458. I hope that this has been helpful. Edit: a few corrections
Definitely a BSA rifle. BSA were the only ones afaik that marked the rifles on the receiver ring. Every other Mk4 I've seen (Maltby, Fazakerley, Savage and Long Branch) has been marked on the flat side of the receiver, next to the ejector screw.
I have a feeling there may be a little more history to the rifle than you think. Ithink it may either be a commercial or a trials. I would send soem photographs to the Royal Amouries at Leeds UK. The Imperial War Museum (IWM) also have some media , but won't make the pictures public, though they do have a research department. 1942 is in the date range for the Mk1, but only just.
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry perfect thank you, I have to airsoft version but there are no clear instructions to strip it all I can find is that it disassembles like the real think but then I can’t find any videos that show that either
Any recommendations for a tilted front sight post? The front ring and whole front sight assembly of my lee Enfield is canted to the left and I cannot get it to rotate to the right and get back to the center of the rifle
Unfortunately I am not sure, not the kind if issue I have ever personally repaired. Hopefully someone else on here can be more helpful in this regard 👍🏻
The one I used is 7 1/2” long and I had to remove the buttplate for it to reach, I’d advise an 8” screwdriver if you have one. I don’t recall the exact width but it’s one of the bigger ones I have available
Also, I managed to find on Ebay a fromt swivel to install where the front bedding screw origianlly is to use for matches(can't rem3mber the correct name)?
That wasn't a stacking swivel on it, that was the front sling swivel put on the wrong spot, it should be mid rifle. The stacking swivel was removed after the trials pattern changed into the production model (1942ish)
Removing the butt stock is easirer with a very long screwdriver from a discount house and remember there is a sound dampening felt washer in there too.
Could you do a video on the full disassembly? I’m trying to build a pseudo no1 mk6 using a no4 action (yes i know historically incorrect but it’s a combo of my 2 favorite enfields)
19:14, I like the fact that you didn't drop the stripper clip on the ground and step on it and ruin it. If you were fighting for your life using this rifle, that would be OK. I'm wondering what you used to clean the stock? I just picked up one of these and the stock looks very dark and I can't see the wood grain the way I see your stock looking. Thanks for making this video and sharing it.
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry Thanks, I'll get some and give it a try. What I don't want to do is sand my stock as I've seen some people do. Yes, I shoot my firearms, and I want to preserve their history.
I’m pretty sure the cross bolt in the stock is indicative that your rifle at some point went through an Ishapore arsenal rebuild. Is your original bolt head blued? My no4 has none of the original finish on any part of the bolt or head, and I was looking at refinishing it
@CDJ ENGINEERING PRACTICAL STUFF I got most of my parts from eBay, maybe one or two parts from Numrich gun parts. If you are having trouble finding parts check both of those as well as Liberty Tree Collectors. If none of the above have what you’re looking for you may just have to wait a while unfortunately
hiya !....i would be highly interested in a disassembly video of this weapon......the best one that i have seen is a digital breakdown and all the commenters say that it is wrong and that it will crack the wood doing it as suggested.....:(.....recently got a us property enfield and want to clean it, but afraid to hurt anything if i disassemble wrong.....thanks...subbed
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry hey there....thanks for the response.....i have decided to move forward without a video and just using online materials...so no need to make a video on my account......i am, however, greatly surprised at the lack of a video for No. 4 disassembly......maybe i am missing something, but i have been searching for a while.....thanks again!.....staying subbed....:)
5:45 you said the serial number was no longer legible but i see a serial number on the bolt. is it safe to assume that rifle may not have matching serial numbers?
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry damn. and yours seems to have never been given an upgraded sight either. and i didn't see any proof marks on the receiver showing it was factory serviced which means parts likely got swapped out by previous owners over the years since it was issued and it never even got the field upgrade to the MK III sight. mine was made in '43 and likely had the MK 3 sight but was given the MK I sight when it was factory serviced in '49. gotta love proof marks.
@@killer13324 That receiver looks almost pristine - certainly when compared with the wear and tear on the nose cap. I wonder if this isn't a BITSA manufactured rifle? (Bits off of this weapon, bits off of that) which might also account to anomalies like the sight.
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry You bet .. great video. I am a M1 carbine collector and just getting in to the Enfields now. Lots of them around right now. THX
As an Englishman, I must confess a significant degree of jealousy that you've got a working SMLE No4 Mk1. Hope it continues to serve you well for many years.
I certainly love my SMLEs! Not to mention the Webley and Enfield revolvers… (I have a soft spot for top-break revolvers) thanks for watching!
you'll be jealous of me, then, because i have a working example with all matching serial numbers made in 1943 and factory serviced in '49. And i'm American.
the no4s are actually not designated SMLE rifles. the brits canned the designation in favor of numbered variants before the second war in 1926. this rifle is just an enfield
So buy one?
I died when you flipped it to the underside and showed those bolt and screw 🤣🤣🤣
Yeah me too lol
Could I make a few suggestions, Firstly the stock should be a tight fit on the action and then the trigger guard is fitted and tightened down ,making sure the King Screw Collar is in place and the King Screw (spring washer included ) is tightened. The screw forward of the action was probably an INDIAN repair factory job and you don't show any head spacing in your video but for safety sake I hope it was done . I produce replacement stocks for Enfields in Australia and have picked up a lot of knowledge over the years . Terry
Thanks for the input! And yes I generally take my rifles into a local shop to have the headspacing checked before firing 👍🏻
stock wobble and the crossbar is ishapor Indian manufacturing. wondering if theres a washer in the buttstock for the no4 series . I know no1 mk3s have them for that reason of them being wobbly otherwise or the front sight protector missing has some do with the loose lower forend
Nice job, l have bought 2 smles that had been sporterized to put them back in their original shape, I ve sold them on, I hardly make any profit I do this just for the pleasure of working on these things and see them again as they were made to be. Great Channel we have same interest on firearms, I hope you do a video on our French Mas 36
I don’t have one yet but as soon as I get one I’ll certainly be doing a video on it! Glad you’re enjoying the channel so far 👍🏻
Great video! It would be nice to see more of these restoration vids pop-up from time to time.
Thank you kindly! Whenever another opportunity presents itself another similar video will be made 👍🏻
I just recently got a destroyed 1944 no4 mk1. Im going to hopefully make a series. Hopefully i can get some parts donations.
I've been doing this for some rifles for a few years now. Feels great to save an older gun.
That it does! Thanks for watching 👍🏻
I have a Short Lee Enfield MKIII in .303 British built in Lithgow for the Australian Army in 1918. Action still smooth as butter 105 years later! My dad bought it when I was a kid at Bigtown Discount for like 16 bucks. Still wrapped like a mummy with cloth tape, Cosmoline and paper.
By repute, the large wood screw in the forend is an Indian modification. It fortifies the wood against the shock of grenade discharging. Provided the screw is not securing an existing split, it may be removed, drilled out to a regular diameter and a length of dowel glued in. Being really enterprising, it might be possible to take plugs from under the nose cap to cap off the restoration with matching timber.
Thank you for this video. I have one of these on the bench for cleaning and have been looking for any and all information I can find on these historic tools.
Happy to help!
Just an FYI. Pachmayr makes an excellent inexpensive firearm screwdriver set. I've had mine for years and use it on my blackpowder, milsurp and modern firearms with no damage. My OCD kicks in whenever I acquire an older firearm with "boogered up" screw heads. I generally, at a minimum, pull those screws and dress the head channels to remove displaced material to make them close to like new. But. that's just me. 🙂 Great video.
Thank you for the tip!
Nice shootin TomTom!
your way to nice lol . that thing sat in a bucket in parts in the barn for at least 5years and in a closet in the basement of the house for 2 years . it was a rusted filthy mess. you did a awesome job!
Thank you kindly! Got it working nice and smooth too 👍🏻
yes it looks great . I noticed the camera man was very focused on it lol
Just a bit 😉
I've a feeling that rifle has more to it. Either a commercial gun, or if your very lucky, possibbly a trials gun. The lack of markings for onr thing. Any proof marks, they will date as well.
One thing I did notice at the end was the front sling swivel still fitted in the incorrect position on the muzzle band. It should be fitted to the furniture band further back. By the time the No4 Mk1 entered service the practice of fitting stacking/piling swivels had been discontinued.
It's a Fazakerley 1942.
Nice job on the rifle. I often wonder how you can hit anything freehand i cant hit a barn door standing.
Thanks! And for myself I’d say being raised hunting deer definitely helped a lot with freehand shooting, though I can firmly say I shoot Enfields very poorly compared to Mausers
The mystery screw is called an "Ishy screw (Ishapore Arsenal, India) The Indians used it to reinforce the forend.
Ah that actually makes sense, thanks 👍🏻
I could somewhat make out the markings. It looks like it says (top to bottom): B, 1942, F7458. I do know that Mk2 sights (which this gun has) were only fitted from factory in 1942 and early in 1943, and it definitely doesn't say 1943. Also, if my sources are right, only the guns made by BSA had serial numbers with four digits and a single-letter prefix, AND the top marking can't possibly be an M or F (ROF Maltby or ROF Fazakerley respectively). So, definitely B for BSA, 1942 (can't be 1944 due to the Mk2 sight), and the serial number seems to be F7458. I hope that this has been helpful.
Edit: a few corrections
Very helpful my good sir! Thank ya kindly!
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry You are welcome!
Definitely a BSA rifle. BSA were the only ones afaik that marked the rifles on the receiver ring. Every other Mk4 I've seen (Maltby, Fazakerley, Savage and Long Branch) has been marked on the flat side of the receiver, next to the ejector screw.
Sarco, Numrich Gun Parts, BRP, Liberty Tree and Ebay.
I have a feeling there may be a little more history to the rifle than you think. Ithink it may either be a commercial or a trials. I would send soem photographs to the Royal Amouries at Leeds UK. The Imperial War Museum (IWM) also have some media , but won't make the pictures public, though they do have a research department. 1942 is in the date range for the Mk1, but only just.
I’ll have to look into that, thanks man!
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry Your welcome. Keep'em shooting!. :-)
Nice job un-bubba'ing it!
Thanks!
The bolt head dosnt need to be flush there is a certain amount of overclock that is acceptable what u had was fine and normal
I’d you haven’t already can we get a video of the full disassembly. If already done can I get a link to the video?
I will do a series of full rifle disassembly videos soon and I will start with this one 👍🏻
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry perfect thank you, I have to airsoft version but there are no clear instructions to strip it all I can find is that it disassembles like the real think but then I can’t find any videos that show that either
Any recommendations for a tilted front sight post? The front ring and whole front sight assembly of my lee Enfield is canted to the left and I cannot get it to rotate to the right and get back to the center of the rifle
Unfortunately I am not sure, not the kind if issue I have ever personally repaired. Hopefully someone else on here can be more helpful in this regard 👍🏻
How long of a srew driver do I need to get the rear stock retaining bolt out and how wide is the screw driver end?
Thanks
The one I used is 7 1/2” long and I had to remove the buttplate for it to reach, I’d advise an 8” screwdriver if you have one. I don’t recall the exact width but it’s one of the bigger ones I have available
Strange but your rifle and mine are the on two No4Mk1s that I've seen to have the stacking swivels on them?
Also, I managed to find on Ebay a fromt swivel to install where the front bedding screw origianlly is to use for matches(can't rem3mber the correct name)?
That wasn't a stacking swivel on it, that was the front sling swivel put on the wrong spot, it should be mid rifle. The stacking swivel was removed after the trials pattern changed into the production model (1942ish)
Removing the butt stock is easirer with a very long screwdriver from a discount house and remember there is a sound dampening felt washer in there too.
There is also a sling swivel to replace the front bedding screws within the trigger guard used for matches(Parker Hale I believe their called).
Could you do a video on the full disassembly? I’m trying to build a pseudo no1 mk6 using a no4 action (yes i know historically incorrect but it’s a combo of my 2 favorite enfields)
I’ll definitely get one done at some point in the not too distant future 👍🏻
Yes, that would indeed be an interesting video!
19:14, I like the fact that you didn't drop the stripper clip on the ground and step on it and ruin it. If you were fighting for your life using this rifle, that would be OK. I'm wondering what you used to clean the stock? I just picked up one of these and the stock looks very dark and I can't see the wood grain the way I see your stock looking. Thanks for making this video and sharing it.
Usually if the stock is super dry I’ll use linseed oil, otherwise I just pit some ballistol on a rag and wipe it down 👍🏻 thanks for watching!
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry Thanks, I'll get some and give it a try. What I don't want to do is sand my stock as I've seen some people do. Yes, I shoot my firearms, and I want to preserve their history.
Oh yeah I’d never sand a vintage stock
I’m pretty sure the cross bolt in the stock is indicative that your rifle at some point went through an Ishapore arsenal rebuild. Is your original bolt head blued? My no4 has none of the original finish on any part of the bolt or head, and I was looking at refinishing it
Yeah the bolt head I picked up is blued
Where are you getting the parts doing the same but having fun finding some items…
@CDJ ENGINEERING PRACTICAL STUFF I got most of my parts from eBay, maybe one or two parts from Numrich gun parts. If you are having trouble finding parts check both of those as well as Liberty Tree Collectors. If none of the above have what you’re looking for you may just have to wait a while unfortunately
@@cdjengineeringpracticalstu357 I use the websites gunpartscorp, sarco, apexgunparts, and ima-usa
@@jeepman19 thanks!!
hiya !....i would be highly interested in a disassembly video of this weapon......the best one that i have seen is a digital breakdown and all the commenters say that it is wrong and that it will crack the wood doing it as suggested.....:(.....recently got a us property enfield and want to clean it, but afraid to hurt anything if i disassemble wrong.....thanks...subbed
Thanks for watching! I’ll work up a No.4 disassembly video in the not too distant future 👍🏻 and thank you for subscribing!
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry hey there....thanks for the response.....i have decided to move forward without a video and just using online materials...so no need to make a video on my account......i am, however, greatly surprised at the lack of a video for No. 4 disassembly......maybe i am missing something, but i have been searching for a while.....thanks again!.....staying subbed....:)
Good luck! I will say don’t take off the buttstock until the end, don’t want to twist the forearm 👍🏻
I'd like to reach out and ask some questions about how to refurbish plus some ways to refinish and clean the enfield I have
If you have Instagram DM me @greatnorthwestweaponry and I will help if I can 👍🏻
i cannot express the jealousy i have that you own a webley/enfield revolver... how did you come across it? i can't find one for cheaper than $1600
Just luck man, and yeah the Webley MkVI wasn’t cheap…
Hey man, can you help me out on fixing up my old LE sporter?
5:45 you said the serial number was no longer legible but i see a serial number on the bolt. is it safe to assume that rifle may not have matching serial numbers?
Yeah this thing is pretty mismatched
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry damn. and yours seems to have never been given an upgraded sight either. and i didn't see any proof marks on the receiver showing it was factory serviced which means parts likely got swapped out by previous owners over the years since it was issued and it never even got the field upgrade to the MK III sight.
mine was made in '43 and likely had the MK 3 sight but was given the MK I sight when it was factory serviced in '49.
gotta love proof marks.
@@killer13324 That receiver looks almost pristine - certainly when compared with the wear and tear on the nose cap. I wonder if this isn't a BITSA manufactured rifle? (Bits off of this weapon, bits off of that) which might also account to anomalies like the sight.
Were did you get the replacement parts ? THX
Found each on EBay over a period of a couple weeks, generally all things Enfield can be found pretty easily 👍🏻 Thanks for watching!
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry You bet .. great video. I am a M1 carbine collector and just getting in to the Enfields now. Lots of them around right now. THX
The M1 Carbine is something I’m really hoping to have in my collection this coming year if possible
@@GreatNorthwestWeaponry Check my collection out, there are 4 more that i collected after this video th-cam.com/video/9aldRWzqvlA/w-d-xo.html
I will certainly check it out a little later 👍🏻
My issue is my ear protectors are wobbly even with the screw threads being in perfect condition. I don’t understand it.
Sometimes issues with these old gals just can’t be explained unfortunately
I'm interested in 4 groove.
‘Bad shape’ lmfao 🤣 he needs to checkout the shit coming from royal tiger
I have heard stories, don’t think I’ll ever be buying from them lol
Please tell me ,where I can buy
Any gun shop that deals in vintage guns should have one from time to time
कितने मिटर दूर जाती है ये राईफल
The sight goes to 2,400 meters