Sleave the barrel and collectability?
- Thread starter Sks39
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BBBBill
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I assume you me reline the barrel. I do not know of anyone offering a relining service for a high pressure round like a .303. Smaller/low pressure calibers, yes, but nothing in the class of a .303. That said, re-barreling is an option and I don't see any decrease in value for one with a better barrel over one with a shot out/rusted out/abused barrel. Originality is important when there are very few of something or the piece is of individual historical value, but those rifles are reasonably common and restoring it with another better quality original military barrel would be in line with the FTR process that many if not most of them went through in their service life. I would certainly pay more for it with a good replacement barrel vs a trashed barrel.
Yes, I meant reline the barrel. Thank you for your response and info.
You will need a gunsmith with the proper Enfield barrel tools but Sarco has some proper Enfield barrels that are almost new in appearance. I snagged a replacement No. 1, Mk 3 that appeared never used in outside and inside appearance for about $120 or so for a project last year. The barrel also clocked properly which considering that it had the sight bases on is a good thing.
Unless the Enfield is something special, which I would check before doing this by consulting collector forums or books, then it would not negatively affect the run of the mill Enfield to rebarrel it. Most of the No. 1's that I have seen have been rebarrelled at one point or another and the FTR No. 4's generally have been as well. The tricky thing is that you can damage an Enfield by dismounting the action improperly. Forend before removing buttstock always https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?97469-Fore-end-stock-removal-problem
If you do rebarrel it, you might as well pick up Roger Wadham's book on Amazon and accurize it. Stock fit to action on Enfields is everything in determining accuracy.
Milsurps.com in their enfield subforum has a series of stickies that can be very useful.
Also see this old THR thread https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?97469-Fore-end-stock-removal-problem
There is one mischievous thought, you can convert the No. 1 .303 to a single shot .22LR via barrel sleeving quite easily as the British military did for trainers. Numrich also used to sell a kit to do the same thing except the kit was removable. The .22 LR No. 1 bolt head parts are easy to come by as is the firing pin via Numrich or Sarco. I have this project going forward but unexpectedly came up with an actual trainer .22LR barrel and even an RFI receiver with the markings for a .22 conversion that I am using instead of the regular receiver. That one got the new old stock .303 barrel instead.
If you do rebarrel it, you might as well pick up Roger Wadham's book on Amazon and accurize it. Stock fit to action on Enfields is everything in determining accuracy.
Milsurps.com in their enfield subforum has a series of stickies that can be very useful.
Also see this old THR thread https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?97469-Fore-end-stock-removal-problem
There is one mischievous thought, you can convert the No. 1 .303 to a single shot .22LR via barrel sleeving quite easily as the British military did for trainers. Numrich also used to sell a kit to do the same thing except the kit was removable. The .22 LR No. 1 bolt head parts are easy to come by as is the firing pin via Numrich or Sarco. I have this project going forward but unexpectedly came up with an actual trainer .22LR barrel and even an RFI receiver with the markings for a .22 conversion that I am using instead of the regular receiver. That one got the new old stock .303 barrel instead.
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