Some remember my No4 priject. I didn't want to resurrect an old thread so here's some update pics and info. It started as a mildly sporterized No4 MkI by Santa Fe. My mods: First I swapped the 10 round mag for a 5 rounder. To the action I removed the charger bridge, removed the rear sight and mounting ears. I had the bolt jewelled, had the hole in the knob filled and the military serial numbers and markings removed. Now I just have to have the sights installed and find a stock.

So far I my investment is:

Gun- $75
Action work- Free
Bolt work- $43
Bluing w/shipping both ways- $115
Sights- $35

Total so far- $268

Now for the pics. I just put some stocks on it to get pics, I'm still hunting for the right stock set.







And a close up of the bolt cuz it's so pretty:

I like it- where can a 5 round mag be obtained?

The mag I used is an old production Santa Fe. New mags can be had through Numrich. Made by Mag Pro I think. I like the look of the old ones better though. They're hard to come by without buying a whole rifle.

Any particular reason you don't care for the stock pictured? Seems like a nice buttstock and the forend is servicable.

The butt was originally made by a man who did prone shooting and it's very fat in the grip. There's also a plug hole in the top where he had the hardware for an adjustable cheek piece. I will use it for now, but I'm on the look out for something better. The forend is off my wife's No4 sporter. I actually snagged one yesterday on ebay, a nice checkered Walnut forend. Should match the butt pretty well from the pics.

Don't know if you were aware of it, but when the original design was submitted to Sharps in 1879(?) these rifles had a one-piece stock. I have seen a few pictures, and they are beautiful. Changes the appearance drastically.
Have you considered that?

Rich
DRSS

I hadn't considered that. It seems to me that would be a daunting project because of the lower receiver ring where the butt attaches. I'm not sure how you would work a stock around that.

Nice job. Enfield would be awesome with the right stock. Parker Hale or aftermarket.

The one piece conversion was very popular in 50's and 60's. The butt socket was removed by slabbing the sides and cut to the underside of the receiver. Roberts Wood Products and Ellwood Epps did these conversions. I've got the info around here somewhere. If you are ever offerred one it's a great buy. Makes a great light weight brush rifle and packs some punch!

Huh, that is very interesting. You shouldn't have told me though. Now I'm going to have to find one, and I already have too many projects I need to finish.

I was at a Hunting and outdoor show the other week and there was an No1 Mk3 SMLE that had been converted to a one piece stock, I just kept going back to his stand to admire it. Here's a link to the Gunsmiths site and a photo of it in his Gallery, 3rd row down 2nd and 3rd photo's

http://www.scgunsmith.com.au/SCGgallery.html

regards Jacko

I don't usually care for sporterized Enfields, but that one is nice. Well done! I think what soured me on them was those awful Monte Carlo buttstocks that abounded in the 60's. Looks like there's enough meat in that one to slim it down if that's your intent. If you do that, then the forend might need to be slimmed/shortened a skinch also to keep it balanced looking. (Like .303 sporters turned out by British gunmakers a century ago.)

Thanks for the link Jacko! That is a nice one.

Gnoahhh: I actually got the new forend in today, it looks good. Might take a little fitting but I got it on and, it actually matches the butt nicely. I plan on having the stock on my Speed Rifle duplicated, if I can swing it financially I want to get two sets made, the second for this rifle. They look the way a classic euro sporter should.

The new forend: