Thread: Wanted: Enfield rifles, parts, bits

For non-walt purposes, I assure you....

I collect and restore old Lee Enfield rifles, so I'm always on the scrounge for parts - metal components, wood stock parts, sights and optics - for any model of Lee Enfield from 1880s right through to modern versions.

What might be a couple of bits of boot-fair junk to you, might be a sought-after missing bit in a resoration project for me!

I'm also a Registered Firearms Dealer, so if you've got something in the loft that you shouldn't have, and a need a legal way to offload it, then perhaps I can help you....!

Service shooting clubs & units: if you've had ex-service target rifles (No4s, L39s, etc) put onto a unit FAC, and you'd like to sell them to raise funds for more modern kit, then I'd be interested to hear from you.

Originally Posted by 4(T)

I'm also a Registered Firearms Dealer, so if you've got something in the loft that you shouldn't have, and a need a legal way to offload it, then perhaps I can help you....!

Is that the most sensible of things to say on a public forum ?

Well, many lofts still contain Grandad's old rifle - many turn up each year, and are handed to the Police for destruction. Handing to an RFD, who brings the firearm into the legal domain by entering it into the register, is a legitimate alternative. Anything not sect1 would probably be notified and/or passed to the Police straight away in any case.

Moderator seems happy, but i'll probably delete this sticky soon anyway - too much paranoia about these days...

Originally Posted by armourer

need a legal way to offload it, then perhaps I can help you

Clearly the machine pistol you used to hold up the local laundrette with wont be accepted by 4(T) im very sure.

Originally Posted by manchestercop

Clearly the machine pistol you used to hold up the local laundrette with wont be accepted by 4(T) im very sure.

Of course and I didn't mean to imply that 4(T) would do anything illegal.

I meant that in todays Government and Police induced mass hysteria against anything gun like, even a legal offer such as 4(T)'s is likely to be taken the wrong way.

Hypothetically, and just for the sake of argument, what about a clip of 1937 dated .303 ammo found in the loft of a new house? IF one were to find such a thing?

Originally Posted by Steamywindow

Hypothetically, and just for the sake of argument, what about a clip of 1937 dated .303 ammo found in the loft of a new house? IF one were to find such a thing?

I'm sure that taking any hypothetical ammo like that to your local RFD wouldn't cause any problems at all, he might even offer to make them inert by pulling the heads, removing the propellant and putting oil in the now empty case to render the primer unusable, the head can then be replaced. Then you could have them back quite legally as a momento/curio/collectable etc etc

Roger. I always used to just chuck 'em in a river when I was a firearms licensing offficer, too much paperwork and a mad boss who would cheerfully prosecute a recently widowed old dear over her veteran husband's attic collection....

I may well do as you suggest, there can't be that many 1937 rounds made it to 2005, can there? i wonder if there is a legal way of getting them fired?

IIRC, some guy found a box of pre WW1 9mm parabellum and shot them off with some instrumentation to check muzzle velocity etc., in about 1987 (read it in a mag). The quality was so good, and the German issue ammo box so air tight, that he got better groupings than with stuff 6 months old. These alleged rounds of mine look in reasonable nick, I'd be fascinated to hear how they shot. Would have shot, I mean, had they been non alleged.

Ahem, of course the RFD would actually send the rounds to one of the Proof Houses to have the heads pulled as, in fact according to our esteemed and most sensible gun laws, only a Proof House can legally dismantle ammunition.........

[Yes, so all the thousands of shooters who reload and have bought a kinetic bullet-puller are aware of this fact and only use the thing for bashing flies on the workbench, etc....]


In the real world, most Police forces are happy that stuff is handed to an RFD and thereby removed from the street/loft/garden shed/car boot sale.

Originally Posted by 4(T)

..... the Proof Houses to have the heads pulled as, in fact according to our esteemed and most sensible gun laws, only a Proof House can legally dismantle ammunition.........

Oh God I just know you aren't taking the p*ss

Originally Posted by armourer

Originally Posted by 4(T)

..... the Proof Houses to have the heads pulled as, in fact according to our esteemed and most sensible gun laws, only a Proof House can legally dismantle ammunition.........

Oh God I just know you aren't taking the p*ss

It's just been changed by MSER (Manufacture and Storage of Explosives regs 2005). Legally, under the 1875 (yes _18_75) Explosives Act you needed to be a factory or magazine to dismantle ammo. I've never known of a prosecution for doing it though.

Regarding handing the rifle or bits to an RFD, do so. Better in the legal framework than the illegal one. There is an ongoing amnesty throughout where firearms can be handed in to Police stations 24/7 (if it's open), no questions asked. Obviously, if the Police get hold of it and it's yet another SMLE, No4 or No5 it'll be destroyed. If it's a Lee Metford or such, it'll go to the museums.

Cheers

Edited as I'm a spelling monkey

Originally Posted by EssexPlod

. Obviously, if the Police get hold of it and it's yet another SMLE, No4 or No5 it'll be destroyed.

< shudder>....what a wicked waste wupert....what a shame they can't be offered for sale through the DSA or deactivated and given to the Cadets to do drill with........ little workshops in Peshawar STILL turning out No4 SMLE's by all accounts...get a good price for 'em over there..... trouble is some grunt would be found with a soup plate sized hole in him from 800 yards....

Urrgh....that's nearly as bad as Customs and Excise pouring confiscated beer down the drain - they could ship it free of charge to units serving on Op Telic instead

Le Chevre

Originally Posted by 4(T)

Ahem, of course the RFD would actually send the rounds to one of the Proof Houses to have the heads pulled as, in fact according to our esteemed and most sensible gun laws, only a Proof House can legally dismantle ammunition........

Bugger I had forgotten that!

Oh well a 1000 rds of that South African stuff later should I hand myself into plod and give myself up? In fact after I pulled it all it wasn't that bad, although I'm not looking forward to the rubbish that is on sale next.

What puzzles me is that, despite our wonderful Firearms Laws offering severe penalties for not making frequent use of the Proof House (proof of parts, ammunition, ammo testing, de-acts, etc, etc), as far as I can tell we commit serious criminal offences in the process: ie you are required to hand weapons/ammo/etc to an establishment which does not in fact have an RFD or legal right-to-possess of any sort, and does not generally give any form of receipt for items deposited!


P.s. for all of you who though this ad was endangering society by encouraging trade in unlicensed weapons, you can sleep easily at night, 'cos no b*gger has so far offered anything.....

Originally Posted by 4(T)

P.s. for all of you who though this ad was endangering society by encouraging trade in unlicensed weapons, you can sleep easily at night, 'cos no b*gger has so far offered anything.....

That's because they are all holding on to them come the revolution.

On another note I collected my 25mm thick ply wood box today for the storage of black powder and propellants, that should make us all sleep more soundly tonight knowing that my place wont go sky high at the first sight of a five bob rocket coming down on the roof on November 5 th!