To unpack or not to unpack ... that is the question

[Mike Cecil]

Went to the local gun show and saw this: an ROF(F) No.4 Mk.2, December 1954 manufacture, still in the original cosmoline and brown paper wrapping. This one is in a private collection. Not sure when the Brits ceased production of No.4 rifles, but this must be close to the last, as the L1A1 came into service about this time.

[rob love]

That is one of the so called "Irish contract" rifles. But further research over the years has shown that only a certain range of the serials were supposed to go to the irish, but many were made for UK service. These used to show up everywhere in Canada for around $150 back around 2000. Now they will show up over the $2K mark.

No question on that one: Do not unwrap.

In the wrap adds a high premium to the price. I have seen posts on the gunnutz site where someone paid the premium price, degreased it, and shot it. I congrstulate them, as they just flushed $1500 down the toilet.

There will be a matching numbered bayonet in the wrap as well.

I have a couple of unfired Enfields in the safe. The next owner can do what he wants, but I can guarantee I won't be firing tham.

Stolen from the web:

An incomplete list:

PF301548-PF304047 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
PF309348-PF359347 Irish Republic
PF359748-PF359817 Zambia
PF359818-PF359952 Singapore
PF359953-PF360052 Jamaica
PF360053-PF360202 Trinidad
PF360203-PF360238 St. Vincent
PF360239-PF360258 St. Kitts
PF360259-PF360459 War Office
PF360460-PF381159 Uganda
PF361160-PF361259 Parker Hale
PF361260-PF401086 Burma
PF401087-PF401459 Allocated for T conversion
PF404157-PF404206 Parker Hale
PF405393-PF405412 St. Vincent
PF405513-PF405712 Admiralty contract
PF405813-PF405848 Fulton
PF407649-PF407648 Trinidad
PF407649-PF407728 Zanzibar
PF411229-PF411264 Fulton
PF411265-PF411461 Kenya
PF411462-PF411471 Hong Kong

Some of these contracts were not delivered. A case in point being the "Irish Contract". Daft spams pay a premium for these because they think they're getting a piece of Oirish history. In fact most of the rifles never left UK warehouse until they were sold as surplus.

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the information - much appreciated.

Mike

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I suppose it travels along the line of collectable scale model cars. Or any other 'classic' child's toy. Those toys that are still in the original packaging - the more pristine condition the better - will attract more money during a sale. A car or other classic child's toy that is taken out of the box; even if the toy itself is still in mint condition, will sell for much less than its boxed comparison.

Kind regards
Lionel

[maple_leaf_eh]

Years ago I posted an Internet article on how to tell if your Lee Enfield sniper rifle is a fake. One thing I wanted to include was there is no such thing as a new in the grease wartime sniper rifle. They were made to be issued and used, without setting one back on the rack for some collector more than a half-century later. But .... your Irish Contract rifle was never issued to a soldier or used in anger. That makes it a different category of Lee Enfield. They are only unused once. It is yours to do with as you please, but I agree with Rob to leave it alone. There are millions of ordinary .303 No.4 Mk.I and II rifles, only some are still wrapped.

Keeping on the vehicle theme of MLU, I read a conversation with an American who had painstakingly restored a 1969 Cadillac Gage V100 armored (sic) car and some rich car collector. 'How much?' says the guy. So many tens of thousands of dollars says the owner. 'Wow! I could pull the motor, put in a big block and a supercharger and change the wheels and put on new tires ....' The owner says, 'Great idea! The price is now tens of thousands of more dollars.' 'But you just said ....' 'Well how about we make it an even couple hundred thousand dollars?' Johnny Deep Pockets just did not understand the value of some of our artifacts in not calculated in folding money but integrity and respect for the piece.