Beaker,
Sorry for not picking up that you were Kiwi. If I am repeating myself, remember my senility. My favorite old Enfield is a 1914, Mk.3. At least that is what is on the wristband. Doubt much is original, because it has made so many trips to the armorer. It at least doesn't blow up when fired. Don't know if you have an interest in this stuff, but here is my formula for restoring an old battle rifle. Beware that ths may devalue your rifle, since some people like them dirty and grubby.
First of all you have to completely strip the rifle and clean everything. You might get away with just soaking the bolt in kerosene. Old toothbrushes are really handy. I only do this in summer when I can use the heat of the Texas sun. I use automotive hand cleaner and hot water to get rid of the cosmoline. Let parts dry in the sun. I use cheap oven cleaner on the wood to finish up the cleaning process, but do this outside since it is lye based. Momma will get very upset if you use it inside. Then wash the pieces off with more of that hot water. You may need to lightly sand wood after it dries. I like to stain the wood, but that is a personal choice. Once the stain dries you can apply the boiled linseed oil. Not trying to talk down, but it isn't really boiled. What it does have is an additive that will make it dry much faster. For me a cheap basting brush works the best, but is probably going to ruin the brush. Some people use more than one coat of linseed oil. Depends upon how much you are going to use it?
On the metal parts I will also use the oven cleaner if they have black paint on them. Most of the time it is only half there anyway. Get the cleaner off with that good old hot water and let items dry in the sun. Next I like use acetone to finish the cleaning. Then I stain the metal with both aluminum black and gun blue in separate applications why they stay in the sun. This is not parkerized, but it should look decent. One word of warning: make sure the bluing/black warms up in the sun also before you use it. Otherwise, you will probably ka-ching the spring steel. I did it twice before I got "intelligent" and figuered out the problem. Use light oil on metal; wipe down and reassemble. By the way you can mix kerosene with motor oil (a little kero goes a long way) and this will work as a light oil.
Bolt is a little different problem, but not much. I generally don't recommed taking them apart, but cosmoline may require it.
Don't how much of this stuff you are allowed to have in Auckland, but this is about as cheap a country boy fix as can get. It's a slow process; however, it will semi-work. Think I am flapping my gums.
Yes, those six 50's were pretty wicked When you fired them, the recoil would actually slow down your plane. At least that is what I have been told.
The history part for me is with the M1's. That's what my uncles used in the service. I had the M14 which is a refined M1.
Am not too good at this thread stuff. If you ever want to get me, try
loneoak25@yahoo.com.
Take care,
easttexashick (a.k.a. Mart)
Bullsquid,
Would say what you have is what's left of a Savage Enfield if it is stamped US Property. Probably part of the Lend-Lease program. It has been pretty much butchered. Might be good for deer hunting. Expect it kicks rather well since so much has been removed. Even the old one's kick and usually they go in the nine pound plus range.
Think Billy is correct in that you would be better off in buying another Enfield. Odds are rather good that you would spend more in parts than it is worth and still not have an original design.
Take care.
