Enfield help?

[bikertrash2001]

Hey guys, I was looking at an Enfield today and was hoping for some help. It's a Mk III and best I can tell it's a 52 Aussie. Thing is, it doesn't have the
zillions of stamps I've seen on others. it just has a bunch of crossed flags. The stock looks refinished and it doesn't have any stamps either. it's not hacked up or missing parts. It's $220.
Should I pass on it? Thanks.

[NRA]

If it matches and has a good bore I would say go for it.

[bikertrash2001]

Problem was I only saw a number on the muzzle piece and the bolt and they didn't match.

[RichardR]

Lee-Enfields are some of my favorite milsurps, the action on them is slick & very fast, only thing to watch out for is bad bores, if the bore is in good shape I'd jump on it quickly at that price.

The .303 round is also superb, which is probably why it was in service for so long & continues to show up in various conflicts around the globe to this day.

Cheap/inexpensive surplus ammunition tends to hit in waves, so buy it up when it is availible, it is usually either Turkish or Pakastani these days, both of which is good stuff, there also both imported & domestic current production ammunition availible, but that can get pricey if all you are doing with your Enfield is punching paper or plinking, however the cartridge is quite capable of taking any of the big game in North America & a couple of bullet manufactuers offer bonded soft-points & even hollow points.

I recommend Sierra MatchKing 174gr HPBT if you want to roll your own, most surplus & imported brass is Berdan primed but Winchester & other domestic stuff is Boxer primed.

[Garufa]

What markings and dates are on the receiver "wrist"? 

 

It is marked Jovino or JJ CO anywhere on it?

[bikertrash2001]

All the band had on it was MKIII and FR stamped below that on the side opposite the bolt. The bolt side where you usually see the crown and and what I thought should be a SMLE and 1918 stamp was just blank.

[Garufa]

It is a parts gun manufactured post war "maybe" using surplus parts, in other words, a replica.  In that sense it is not a "true" Lithgow.  Several outfits produced and/or sold these rifles, Jovino (or JJCo) for one, Navy Arms was another. 

 

Start Googling Jovino Lithgow, Lithgow no markings, etc., you'll get the idea.

 

That being said it might be a fine rifle, but if you're wanting something authentic this is not it.

[bikertrash2001]

I got ya. This rifle will probably be a great shooter for someone, but you're right, I am interested in something more original with a little history.

 

Thanks guys.

[Guest tangojuliet]

I got ya. This rifle will probably be a great shooter for someone, but you're right, I am interested in something more original with a little history.

 

Thanks guys.

 it could be a south african .....

[RichardR]

Lee-Enfields took a great deal of machining to manufacture, which was a draw-back when it came to the large numbers needed to fight WWI & WWII, but the rifles were superb so the British kept the rifle as standard issue even though they took so much milling & machining to produce.

Now why am I mentioning that? Well because the quality of commercial (non-surplus) & post-war Lee-Enfields tended to be typically better than the ones made during both the Great War & World War Two.

That said even the surplus rifles made during both of those wars are still out-standing when compared to other rifles from other nations in that same time frame.

I understand that some guys want surplus rifles that had been issued & used in various conflicts, however the rifles that have seen combat, especially heavy combat are usually pretty chewed up.

They often make better wall hangers than they do servicable shooters, but the opposite is true for issued surplus rifles that seen little or no comat, or post-war or better yet commercial production rifles.

Completely up to you though, but iffin it were me? I'd be all over that 52' especially in that condition & at that price, numbers mismatching regardless.

Anyway g'luck in your search, they are great surplus rifles, second only to Schmidt Rubin straight-pulls IMHO.