Exposure
Member
Preface: I am usually pretty relaxed about what my C&R License brings me. This experience left a bad taste in my mouth.
I bought one of the AIM surplus 2A Enfields with great hopes of having a good shooter that would digest modern ammo for cheap.
For $170.00 I expected a bit more than what I got. First of all this rifle was the dirtiest, nastiest, most cosmoline filled thing I have ever seen. All the metal was covered in some paint that was BRUSHED on. When the wood came off there was at least a pound of cosmo underneath everything, this is not an exaggeration. The forward handguard was so soaked with cosmoline it broke in two when I pulled it off to clean the weapon, and I was being gentle for fear of this very thing happening. I have some $80.00 surplus rifles that showed up in far better shape than this thing. I have spent a fair amount of time with MANY military surplus rifles, this thing was disgusting. A full 6 hours of cleaning and this thing still looks like something that came out of a swamp. It really is that bad. What the heck did they do to these things in India?
The sights on this rifle are really, really poor compared to the Mk4 No. 1 that I own. The notch in the rear sight is so small as to be almost invisible. The only advantage this rifle has over the No. 1 is the fact that it shoots 7.62 Nato.
The stock looked bad and had several arsenal repairs. But after only 5, yes 5, rounds an enormous crack appeared in the buttstock. Closer inspection showed it was on both sides! Even closer inspection revealed a gigantic arsenal repair that was many years old. I guess these rifles weren't shot much when they were in service.
The old soldier No.1 I own has better wood, cost half as much, and has better sights. Strange that the WWII beater is in so much better condition that its younger sibling.
I know some of you will disagree with me, or maybe tell me that iron sights are like that (they aren't), or that you roll the dice with a surplus rifle. But I have to say, if I had seen the rifle firsthand before I placed the order. I would NOT have placed the order. These things are crap, I have a safe full of decent surplus rifles that cost less money. For those of you contemplating a purchase of one of these, save your money. Out of the 16 surplus weapons I own, this is the first I am truly disappointed with.
Maybe I will get a repro stock and some optics. I don't know. But I bought 980 rounds of ammo for this thing and only made it through FIVE of them before casing the rifle back up.
Rant mode off.
I bought one of the AIM surplus 2A Enfields with great hopes of having a good shooter that would digest modern ammo for cheap.
For $170.00 I expected a bit more than what I got. First of all this rifle was the dirtiest, nastiest, most cosmoline filled thing I have ever seen. All the metal was covered in some paint that was BRUSHED on. When the wood came off there was at least a pound of cosmo underneath everything, this is not an exaggeration. The forward handguard was so soaked with cosmoline it broke in two when I pulled it off to clean the weapon, and I was being gentle for fear of this very thing happening. I have some $80.00 surplus rifles that showed up in far better shape than this thing. I have spent a fair amount of time with MANY military surplus rifles, this thing was disgusting. A full 6 hours of cleaning and this thing still looks like something that came out of a swamp. It really is that bad. What the heck did they do to these things in India?
The sights on this rifle are really, really poor compared to the Mk4 No. 1 that I own. The notch in the rear sight is so small as to be almost invisible. The only advantage this rifle has over the No. 1 is the fact that it shoots 7.62 Nato.
The stock looked bad and had several arsenal repairs. But after only 5, yes 5, rounds an enormous crack appeared in the buttstock. Closer inspection showed it was on both sides! Even closer inspection revealed a gigantic arsenal repair that was many years old. I guess these rifles weren't shot much when they were in service.
The old soldier No.1 I own has better wood, cost half as much, and has better sights. Strange that the WWII beater is in so much better condition that its younger sibling.
I know some of you will disagree with me, or maybe tell me that iron sights are like that (they aren't), or that you roll the dice with a surplus rifle. But I have to say, if I had seen the rifle firsthand before I placed the order. I would NOT have placed the order. These things are crap, I have a safe full of decent surplus rifles that cost less money. For those of you contemplating a purchase of one of these, save your money. Out of the 16 surplus weapons I own, this is the first I am truly disappointed with.
Maybe I will get a repro stock and some optics. I don't know. But I bought 980 rounds of ammo for this thing and only made it through FIVE of them before casing the rifle back up.
Rant mode off.
