More Enfields

madcratebuilder · May 30, 2012, 05:49 AM

Enfield collector thinning his collection has added to mine. I figured it is time I start learning more about the No1 rifle. I have been waiting for a Lithgow and this one got my fancy.

Late 1941 with 1942 dated butt. From my limited knowledge of these it appears to be 100% correct. I am puzzled by the wood. It almost looks like it's been carded with a tar like coating

It was package deal.

1950 Longbranch, No1 mag, all LB parts and Brit acceptance marking. Korean service??

1954 'PF' series, Burma contract MkII

I got to stop buying these MkII's, six of them now, that's crazy but I can't stop.

indy1919 · May 30, 2012, 12:19 PM

Greetings, Very nice Rifles.. Love the Australian MK IIIs.. Love the dark Wood. I do not know why they did that but the Australians, God Bless them, always do things a little different down there with their firearms.

So does anyone know are the early '40s Lithgow Mk III are the last Mk IIIs made????

Ignition Override · May 30, 2012, 11:41 PM

Well-done!

The reason I bought my first #4 in '09 was to limit potential wear on my first #5 "Jungle".
But the #4 also infected me with a different strain of the Enfield Virus, and now the count is six Enfields!

SIGSHR · May 31, 2012, 06:41 PM

Ian Skennerton's book is pretty much THE reference on Lee-Enfields.

madcratebuilder · June 1, 2012, 05:39 AM

Quote:

So does anyone know are the early '40s Lithgow Mk III are the last Mk IIIs made????

1945-1946, I'm not really positive.

I'm still trying to determine what this Lithgow wood was been treated/covered with. I swear it's been sealed with hot tar.

indy1919 · June 4, 2012, 11:40 AM

Well you got me going with what kind a wood was used for the Lithgow Enfields it seems it was

Coachwood

http://www.303british.com/id49.html

And low and behold another name for Coachwood, is Tarwood...

indy1919 · June 4, 2012, 11:44 AM

The world of guns is so Large & Strange.... came across this on the way to other things, And was blown away.. did not know of this variation.. to cool for words

oppps would have been nice to include the link ...

http://www.angelfire.com/realm/cruff...ser_hybrid.htm

MikeG · June 4, 2012, 07:39 PM

Quote:

So does anyone know are the early '40s Lithgow Mk III are the last Mk IIIs made????

Ishapore in India made Mk IIIs into the 1980s I believe. I have one made in 1963.

gyvel · June 4, 2012, 09:10 PM

I have a .303 (three-oh-three) No. 1 Mk III* Ishapore dated 1986.

madcratebuilder · June 5, 2012, 08:15 AM

Ishapore, RFI, made MkIII's until the late 80's early 90's?? These are pretty nice rifles in general. hard to find one with wood that's in pristine condition. I have a 1963 RFI that has a great bore and metal finish, but the wood could be nicer.

Digging for info on the Lithgow I learned that Lithgow used a 50/50 mix of RLO and creosote to treat the wood. That explains the strange smell and feel this 41 Lithy has.

It appears unusual to find a Lithgow with this finish still intact. Most have been scrubbed with straight linseed oil and steel wool. This removes some of the 'blackness' for lack of a better term.

May 30, 2012, 05:49 AM	#1
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	More Enfields Enfield collector thinning his collection has added to mine. I figured it is time I start learning more about the No1 rifle. I have been waiting for a Lithgow and this one got my fancy. Late 1941 with 1942 dated butt. From my limited knowledge of these it appears to be 100% correct. I am puzzled by the wood. It almost looks like it's been carded with a tar like coating It was package deal. 1950 Longbranch, No1 mag, all LB parts and Brit acceptance marking. Korean service?? 1954 'PF' series, Burma contract MkII I got to stop buying these MkII's, six of them now, that's crazy but I can't stop.

June 4, 2012, 11:44 AM	#7
indy1919 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2011 Posts: 277	The Turkish Enfield The world of guns is so Large & Strange.... came across this on the way to other things, And was blown away.. did not know of this variation.. to cool for words oppps would have been nice to include the link ... http://www.angelfire.com/realm/cruff...ser_hybrid.htm Last edited by indy1919; June 4, 2012 at 09:18 PM.

May 30, 2012, 12:19 PM	#2
indy1919 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2011 Posts: 277	Greetings, Very nice Rifles.. Love the Australian MK IIIs.. Love the dark Wood. I do not know why they did that but the Australians, God Bless them, always do things a little different down there with their firearms. So does anyone know are the early '40s Lithgow Mk III are the last Mk IIIs made????

May 30, 2012, 11:41 PM	#3
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,887	Well-done! The reason I bought my first #4 in '09 was to limit potential wear on my first #5 "Jungle". But the #4 also infected me with a different strain of the Enfield Virus, and now the count is six Enfields!

May 31, 2012, 06:41 PM	#4
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	Ian Skennerton's book is pretty much THE reference on Lee-Enfields.

June 4, 2012, 11:40 AM	#6
indy1919 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2011 Posts: 277	Well you got me going with what kind a wood was used for the Lithgow Enfields it seems it was Coachwood http://www.303british.com/id49.html And low and behold another name for Coachwood, is Tarwood...

June 4, 2012, 09:10 PM	#9
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	I have a .303 (three-oh-three) No. 1 Mk III* Ishapore dated 1986.

June 5, 2012, 08:15 AM	#10
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	Ishapore, RFI, made MkIII's until the late 80's early 90's?? These are pretty nice rifles in general. hard to find one with wood that's in pristine condition. I have a 1963 RFI that has a great bore and metal finish, but the wood could be nicer. Digging for info on the Lithgow I learned that Lithgow used a 50/50 mix of RLO and creosote to treat the wood. That explains the strange smell and feel this 41 Lithy has. It appears unusual to find a Lithgow with this finish still intact. Most have been scrubbed with straight linseed oil and steel wool. This removes some of the 'blackness' for lack of a better term.