What can you tell me about this Lee Enfield? - Page 1

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What can you tell me about this Lee Enfield?

Posted: 4/13/2020 5:20:14 PM EDT

From what I managed to look up it’s a No4 Mk1 manufactured in 1943 at the Royal ordnance factory in Fazakerley. Is all that correct?
I couldn’t find any import markings anywhere.

These are the only other markings I could find.
Also, does anyone know what the other markings mean?

Posted: 4/13/2020 6:12:23 PM EDT

[#1]

Well, it’s unusual. The huge SN on the wrist socket is a first for me. It has a Savage-made nose piece. Someone will be able to tell you what the stock markings mean.

Off to my research library.

Posted: 4/13/2020 6:18:17 PM EDT

[#2]

It is a legit Fraz serial number. I can’t find anything about the stock markings in Stratton’s book.

Go to gunboards.com and the Lee-Enfield forum. Register for free and post these pictures. There are well-informed folks from all over the planet who can likely tell you a great deal about your rifle.

I would love to know what they tell you.

Posted: 4/13/2020 6:27:20 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
It is a legit Fraz serial number. I can’t find anything about the stock markings in Stratton’s book.

View Quote

I have been researching markings off and on today and I’m no further now than I was this am.
I haven’t been able to locate EBA on any Enfield sites and couldn’t find anything on the serial number also, so I appreciate that.

Looks like a stamp used to be to the left of the No4 Mk1 electro stenciled marks here above the screw, but there’s no way to make it out. Looks like an oval at least.

It is any interesting piece and I hope we can figure it out.

Posted: 4/13/2020 6:50:20 PM EDT

[#4]

Not an expert, but honestly, that oval shaped mark looks like something that was welded or brazed and then milled or filed flat. Don't know why they would have done that but I've seen stuff like that before and thats kinda what it looks like to me. Maybe they welded the piece in for the charger bridge. Just my $.02

Posted: 4/13/2020 9:52:54 PM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Not an expert, but honestly, that oval shaped mark looks like something that was welded or brazed and then milled or filed flat. Don't know why they would have done that but I've seen stuff like that before and thats kinda what it looks like to me. Maybe they welded the piece in for the charger bridge. Just my $.02

View Quote

I wonder if there is anything to be seen on the inside of the receiver at that point.

OP, IM me your email and I will email some production info to you.

Also, I don’t see the FTR Factory Thorough Repair stamp. So it wasn’t reworked post war.

Posted: 4/13/2020 11:19:43 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:

I wonder if there is anything to be seen on the inside of the receiver at that point.

OP, IM me your email and I will email some production info to you.

Also, I don’t see the FTR Factory Thorough Repair stamp. So it wasn’t reworked post war.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Not an expert, but honestly, that oval shaped mark looks like something that was welded or brazed and then milled or filed flat. Don't know why they would have done that but I've seen stuff like that before and thats kinda what it looks like to me. Maybe they welded the piece in for the charger bridge. Just my $.02

I wonder if there is anything to be seen on the inside of the receiver at that point.

OP, IM me your email and I will email some production info to you.

Also, I don’t see the FTR Factory Thorough Repair stamp. So it wasn’t reworked post war.

Here is the opposite side. Looks fine to me.
IM sent, and thank you

Attached File

Posted: 4/13/2020 11:28:05 PM EDT

[#7]

OP:
Your pictures are HUGE and I can't (well won't) try to figure them out.
But what little I see is that I think your rifle was rebuilt (and serial remarked) by Faz in 9/43.
But as others have said, post it on MilSurps and you'll get your answers.......

Posted: 4/13/2020 11:53:15 PM EDT

[#8]

Aye - a scouser - with what looks to be matching numbers

Has the very early L-type rearsight

Not sure if the butt marking is EBA or EEA - crease in the wood grain may be making an E look like a B (at least from photos)

Wonder if the scrubbed oval markings are/were non-English? Lots of guns were marked in such a way for supply to the Chinese, etc.

2-groove barrel?

BEST reference books on the Enfield were by Skennerton

Posted: 4/14/2020 12:03:57 AM EDT

[#9]

Only unusual things are.....

The larger redo of serial on wrist, Original serials were lightly ep'd and was prob unreadable after refinish.
Serial # and prob unit E B A mark on butt. Might be a Greek or Italian import from 50-60's

Rifle has deff been through some sort of rebuild/repair post war, refinished metal, wrong rear sight, bolt is a replacement and it has Savage replacement stock. If the bore & muzzle are good should be a good shooter.

Posted: 4/14/2020 1:18:19 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
OP:
Your pictures are HUGE and I can't (well won't) try to figure them out.
But what little I see is that I think your rifle was rebuilt (and serial remarked) by Faz in 9/43.
But as others have said, post it on MilSurps and you'll get your answers.......

View Quote

Pictures look fine to mean so not sure what the issue is there.
I Registered to a couple Enfield forums. Still waiting on approval.

Posted: 4/14/2020 1:34:12 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Aye - a scouser - with what looks to be matching numbers

Has the very early L-type rearsight

Not sure if the butt marking is EBA or EEA - crease in the wood grain may be making an E look like a B (at least from photos)

Wonder if the scrubbed oval markings are/were non-English? Lots of guns were marked in such a way for supply to the Chinese, etc.

2-groove barrel?

BEST reference books on the Enfield were by Skennerton

View Quote

Scouser, I’ll have to look that up.

The stock definitely says EBA on it.

5 groove barrel

Posted: 4/14/2020 1:37:46 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:

Only unusual things are.....

The larger redo of serial on wrist, Original serials were lightly ep'd and was prob unreadable after refinish.
Serial # and prob unit E B A mark on butt. Might be a Greek or Italian import from 50-60's

Rifle has deff been through some sort of rebuild/repair post war, refinished metal, wrong rear sight, bolt is a replacement and it has Savage replacement stock. If the bore & muzzle are good should be a good shooter.

View Quote

Yeah, I haven’t seen another serial number like it.
Do you know what the EBA stands for? I haven’t seen that on a stock ether.

Bore and muzzle look great. Quite dirty when I started cleaning it, but cleaned up nice.

It’s a ugly rifle for sure. I like it

Posted: 4/14/2020 8:23:01 AM EDT

[#13]

Here's another stock with similar EBA markings:

This one also has a stock disk with Air Defense Ministry markings, so perhaps there's some correlation between those?

Posted: 4/14/2020 8:28:57 AM EDT

[#14]

Apparently, EBA is the acronym for the Royal Hellenic (Greek) Air Force - ???????? ?as????? ?e??p???a

Posted: 4/14/2020 9:00:29 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
Apparently, EBA is the acronym for the Royal Hellenic (Greek) Air Force - ???????? ?as????? ?e??p???a

View Quote

That would make sense. The Greeks used Enfields for a long time. At one time Greece was a great source of .303 ammo.

Earlier I said it had not be FTR'd. That is correct in terms that it does not appear to have been reworked by an arsenal of the Empire. But someone redid it and if EBA is a Greek mark, it is likely them.

Fascinating rifle.

Posted: 4/14/2020 10:15:00 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Here's another stock with similar EBA markings:

https://giga.joesalter.com/photo/37184/37184-12.jpg

This one also has a stock disk with Air Defense Ministry markings, so perhaps there's some correlation between those?

View Quote

Quoted:
Apparently, EBA is the acronym for the Royal Hellenic (Greek) Air Force - ???????? ?as????? ?e??p???a

View Quote

Quoted:

That would make sense. The Greeks used Enfields for a long time. At one time Greece was a great source of .303 ammo.

Earlier I said it had not be FTR'd. That is correct in terms that it does not appear to have been reworked by an arsenal of the Empire. But someone redid it and if EBA is a Greek mark, it is likely them.

Fascinating rifle.

View Quote

Fantastic. Excellent info gents. I appreciate the help

Posted: 5/10/2020 10:40:23 AM EDT

[#17]

made at Fazakerley, in 1943,

don't see a FTR mark indicating it was FTR's there ,

the large stamped serial number and subsequent matching numbers (Stock, forearm, bolt) were done in Greece, when it was rebuilt, maybe more than once, (the S on the metal is Savage, )
the bolt was ground and restruck with the number

the weld mark is part of the manufacturing process, the bridges were added after the body was milled, IIRC,

you see the same on No1 Mk III's

with the B on the trigger guard, it the magazine removeable or pinned in place?

and is it marked?

Posted: 5/10/2020 10:56:03 AM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Originally Posted By rlc:
made at Fazakerley,  in 1943,

don't see a FTR  mark indicating it was FTR's there ,

the large stamped serial number and subsequent matching numbers (Stock, forearm, bolt) were done in Greece,  when it was rebuilt, maybe more than once, (the S on the metal is Savage,  )
the bolt was ground and restruck with the number

the weld mark is part of the manufacturing process,  the bridges were added after the body was milled,  IIRC,

you see the same on No1 Mk III's

with the B on the trigger guard,  it the magazine removeable or pinned in place?

and is it marked?

View Quote

@rlc

Excellent info and thanks for taking the time to look it over.
Mag is removable and is Savage marked.

Posted: 5/10/2020 2:55:53 PM EDT

[#19]

actually, your follower is S marked, the body of the mag may also be marked on the back side (the flat area that would be infront of the trigger

Posted: 5/10/2020 3:32:50 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Originally Posted By rlc:
actually, your follower is S marked, the body of the mag may also be marked on the back side (the flat area that would be infront of the trigger

View Quote

@rlc

Ouch, sorry about that. I was little preoccupied early and just grabbed it and snapped a pic and didn’t even think about it.

I just checked the magazine body. Never noticed them before. Very faint and hard to pick up with the camera, so I took the best I could.

Looks like a couple small F marks. I would take as Fazakerley marks.

A crown looking mark, but it looks nothing like the Victoria Regina or George Rex to me.