#4 MK I/2 F (FTR) .303 Enfield

[1srelluc]

I picked this one up today.

(FTR) means Factory Through Repair where they took rifles and refurbished them.

This one was done at ROF Fazakerley was a Royal Ordnance Factory rifle manufacturing plant in Fazakerley, Liverpool.

It's matching (for an FTR) but I thought the date of the rifle would still be below the designation line on the receiver. Nothing there that I can make out unless it's hiding under the thick black paint.....All the metal is painted black except the buttplate which is black steel.

The bore is near excellent, nice and clean.

I like the wood (UK's 1949 FTR program and post-war rifle production used Beech wood, with a small amount of walnut) and though it was covered in the remnants of cosmo or some such preservative I got it off with DA and then rubbed it down with cut down raw linseed oil. I was lucky with the walnut stock.

A plus for me is that it's fitted with the short (S) buttstock. I thought it attractive for an FTR.....Most have blonde beech wood.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

they used to sell those dirt-cheap back in the 70s

 

[1srelluc]

they used to sell those dirt-cheap back in the 70s

And at Woolworths!

I bought a few....$39.00 in about 1982.....$132.00 in todays money.

They sure have beat inflation, I gave $300.00 and I could easily get $500.00 for it.

 

[Grumpyolman]

Year of manufacture tells us if the Enfield has a 4 cut rifling in the barrel or a 2 cut, which was more common in the later war years. I've heard it actually doesn't make much difference in accuracy. A friend of mine has a two cut late war rifle. Biggest issue is getting .303 ammunition.
He even tried some old WWII ammo- hit and miss. Like "click...............bang!" stuff. Too scary for me, man.

 

[1srelluc]

Year of manufacture tells us if the Enfield has a 4 cut rifling in the barrel or a 2 cut, which was more common in the later war years. I've heard it actually doesn't make much difference in accuracy. A friend of mine has a two cut late war rifle. Biggest issue is getting .303 ammunition.
He even tried some old WWII ammo- hit and miss. Like "click...............bang!" stuff. Too scary for me, man.

I don't mess with .mil .303. No need as I got lucky years ago and bought two cases of Remington .303, one case of SP and the other FMJ.....Never mind the S&B and other brands I've picked-up, a couple boxes here and there, over the years.....GTG on ammo and stripper clips.