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Mystery enfield No4

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Rob3Bruce View Drop Down
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    Posted: January 12 2019 at 4:51am
I have posted previously about an Ishapore 2A1 that I am in the process of building. If you remeber it the update is that I got a forester maximum gauge and the complete bolt I got doesn't close on it. After some careful rechecking of the locking lug contact I've confirmed that the contact area is about equal surface area, though not equal shape. I'm in the U  S. Coast Guard, so no more movement on that project until the government pays us again. On to the topic at hand.

I like projects, and I guess the 2A1 was looking to be too easy. The stock fitting should be simple and all other parts are essentially drop in. I was surfing gunbroker and found a listing for a No4 Mk1 barreled action that was in rough shape. Got it for $26. After shipping and FFL transfer it cost me $66.

The finish on this thing is atrocious. This thing was bubba'd something  fierce. The reciever looks like it has some cold blue on it that someone was in the process of removing. The barrel and top of the reciever aren't just in the white, it's been polished to almost a mirror shine. The last few inches of the barrel are pretty heavily corroded between approximately the 12 and 3 o'clock positions if you're looking down the muzzle end. Not enoughto render it unservicable. I guess I'm looking for suggestions on refinishing it. It'll be a sporter when I'm done, since a previous owner had a couple of inches of barrel removed. Photos of the horror to follow.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Honkytonk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2019 at 8:11am
Lots of ideas on this site! If the hardware is off the furniture. Your almost there. This is what I've done to probably a dozen Enfield Sporters, for friends, for family, for free. For surface rust and prepping the steel, I use liberal amounts of WD40 and fine steel wool. You do not have to go to shiny steel! Wipe with a clean rag and blow off with air (bits of steel wool.) If happy with the prep, I use liberal amounts ofbrake cleaner. Wipe clean. I then tape off all areas I don't want painted. Barrel chamber, insides of receiver chamber. I hand it up with wire in the garage. I then proceed to hand bomb it with a black high temperature paint. I've had good luck with the cans of paint used for refinishing BBQs and grills. Good luck!
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Rob3Bruce View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rob3Bruce Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2019 at 6:15pm
Thanks, honkytonk.

I was thinking about rebluing, but for the price and condition I guess a bit of sand paper and a paint job couldn't be too bad for it. The real value disappeared a while ago.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2019 at 9:06pm
the ishys would never win a beauty contest even right off the line , but the bolts were hand fit to the rifles as all other enfields - not just a swap and fit , the mags were tuned to the rifle as well , not a drop and swap , that said you can get lucky with purchased parts in may occassions for these , dont get disheartened but know its a process - these are not ARs 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rob3Bruce Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 8:19am
Oh, I hear you ASquare. I got very lucky with the bolt on the ishy 2A1.  Proper headspace, decent lug contact, AND it's Indian made! Though it was listed as a No1 MkIII bolt, so I think I have the wrong extractor.

Anyway, as I was looking at some parts breakdowns for the No4 Mk1 I realized that someone has removed the left ear for the rear sight pin. It looks professionally done, but now I'm wondering if it would be more prudent to pay someone to replace the piece or get a repro Mk1 T kit for it. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rob3Bruce Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 9:33am
Make that both ears. Pretty cleanly done, though. I sure am a sucker for the hard jobs.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 9:43am
Just my two cents here. I've done three of the "sniper conversions " to date.  Bottom line is that it is expensive. If the barrel is cut down already you can opt out for a set of iron sights. Have a gunsmith install them for you.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 9:46am
Does that receiver have three holes in the side of it besides the hole for the extractor screw?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rob3Bruce Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 12:44pm
You mean that suggest that a repro scope mount was used? No. I'm actually pretty curious what the idea was going to be for sights, since the corresponding parts of the gun are gone and it seems no attempts were made to accommodate optics. The question is would it be more expensive to have a gunsmith reattach correct sight mounts and a usable front sight, or to get a repro kit and slap it on myself? I'm a mechanic and feel very comfortable drilling and tapping a few holes. Welding on stuff is another matter. No training or equipment. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 1:06pm
The short answer to the gunsmith question is a resounding no. Trying to weld tiny ears back on after someone cut them off is as difficult to accomplish as it would be to attempt to force cooked spaghetti down a straw. If you're adamant about a scope,"and this is why I asked about the three screw holes," and you state that you are a mechanic and not afraid to drill and tap holes.  Angle iron. Take a piece of angle iron and cut it to fit as low as possible without touching the top of the receiver.  Make sure to cut a notch out for the extractor screw as well. I actually  make these from aluminum  and make them look identical to a Parker Hale base mount. You will have to find a scope base with a flat bottom to attach to the mount however. The rifle in my photo is one I did myself using an original Parker Hale scope mount.  Notice how much metal I I removed,especially where the original sight used to go.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 1:23pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 1:35pm
Numrich Gun Parts have the reproduction sniper scope assembly. $600 + dollars and then you have drill five small holes and one big one into the side of the receiver,then you have to tap those holes successfully.  I say it like that because the steel is tempered and sometimes a drill or a tap will just snap off inside your work. The fun part is trying to get the scope collimated over the bore. That requires some metal to be removed just behind the barrel Knox form. Its expensive and very time consuming and labor intensive...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rob3Bruce Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2019 at 4:29pm
Thanks Goosic,

Lots of info there. The home made scope mount it's a good budget idea, and it wouldn't require much in the way of tools. I now have some things to think about. The person who removed the rear sight ears may well have intended to do what you did.
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