$300 Enfields at RTI

dweissman · Apr 20, 2020

Curious if anyone has thoughts on the $299 Enfield No 4 MK 1 rifles that Royal Tiger Imports added recently, or thoughts on RTI in general, as don't know a whole lot about them.

They say the rifles are Grade "C" and may be missing parts. Personally I'd prefer a SMLE (to fit the pattern 1907 bayonet I got as a gift a few years ago) but any milsurp rifle at or under $300 these days catches my attention.

Alphabrew · Apr 20, 2020

I was a big fan of the cracked stock SKSs that RTI had some years ago for $200. Can’t say I’m interested in these at $300 if they are missing parts.

capt14k · Apr 20, 2020

Better off to spend the extra $100 or even better buy from other collectors. I just got an early No4 MK2 for $400 shipped. The dark stock ones 1950 all matching.

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budman93 · Apr 20, 2020

They sound extremely rough. I think 300 sounds high for the described condition.

SKIP · Apr 20, 2020

Is there any description on what parts are missing?
Barrel

bolt, magazine, front/rear sight?
Sounds like a real crap shoot for someone.

budman93 · Apr 20, 2020

SKIP said:
Is there any description on what parts are missing?
Barrel bolt, magazine, front/rear sight?
Sounds like a real crap shoot for someone.

Description says could be missing safety assemblies, bolt parts, handguards, front sight, probably cracked stocks, and metal finish as poor as 30%

capt14k · Apr 20, 2020

They have better grades.

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dweissman · Apr 20, 2020

Alphabrew said:
I was a big fan of the cracked stock SKSs that RTI had some years ago for $200. Can’t say I’m interested in these at $300 if they are missing parts.

Fair point...the described condition is a little vague, won't know what parts are missing until you get the rifle and "30 to 80%" metal finish sounds quite broad

Melnic · Apr 20, 2020

SKIP said:
Is there any description on what parts are missing?
Barrel bolt, magazine, front/rear sight?
Sounds like a real crap shoot for someone.

exactly why I stayed away. too much of a gamble.
At least the $200 Royal Tiger Import SKS rifles were just cracked stocks and the rifles were I believe all functional.

If the Enfields were $200 I'd do it, but not $300. Your almost $100 from a functioning rifle that you could see at a gunshow (yes yes, lots of people trying to sell them for $500 or more though, just don't see that continuing)

capt14k · Apr 20, 2020

Melnic said:
exactly why I stayed away. too much of a gamble.

At least the $200 Royal Tiger Import SKS rifles were just cracked stocks and the rifles were I believe all functional.

If the Enfields were $200 I'd do it, but not $300. Your almost $100 from a functioning rifle that you could see at a gunshow (yes yes, lots of people trying to sell them for $500 or more though, just don't see that continuing)

Agreed. Some clowns are paying $700-$800 for common No4s. That is the result of getting money they think is free.

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303_enfield · Apr 20, 2020

Grade A $479
https://www.royaltigerimports.com/product-p/enfield0002.htm

Look at what the options run!

Art3 · Apr 20, 2020

Melnic said:
exactly why I stayed away. too much of a gamble.
At least the $200 Royal Tiger Import SKS rifles were just cracked stocks and the rifles were I believe all functional.

If the Enfields were $200 I'd do it, but not $300. Your almost $100 from a functioning rifle that you could see at a gunshow (yes yes, lots of people trying to sell them for $500 or more though, just don't see that continuing)

Back when we had gun shows... :rolleye12

I remember seeing quite a few of the same $500 (and even more! :eek:

) No.4 Enfields...same rifles, same vendors, same price tag, different shows.

No. 1's are getting harder to find reasonably though :sad20:

Art3 · Apr 20, 2020

303_enfield said:
Grade A $479
https://www.royaltigerimports.com/product-p/enfield0002.htm

Look at what the options run!

That still seems a bit much to me, sight unseen...especially given that their example has a woefully mismatched buttstock. I know prices are going up everywhere on everything...but a $479 No4 would have to look a whole lot prettier than that in person to come home with me.

Yeah...the options are nuts. :whack:

mawkie · Apr 21, 2020

Don't know if these are from the batch that Inter Ord. imported from Ethiopia. They sure look like they might have come from the late Springfield Sporters as you see "Ishy screws" on many of them. Import marks would tell the tale but I'm not looking to spend nearly $500 for a 75-80 point No4. Thanks but no thanks.

StaFrosty · Apr 21, 2020

WOW, that is crazy. 25 years ago at a show in Fredrick I bought an Enfield in the cosmoline and brown paper wrap. I still have it, I peeled back one corner of the paper and cos and the rifle has a brass buttplate and its all shiny and bright. I only paid 160.00 for the piece, wished I'd bought some more, oh well!

SKIP · Apr 21, 2020

I bet it was an Irish Contract Enfield. They are beautiful.

capt14k · Apr 21, 2020

SKIP said:
I bet it was an Irish Contract Enfield. They are beautiful.

Less than 50,000 of the No4 Mk2 were actually Irish Contract, but they were never delivered. They were from 1951 so they would be the darker repurposed wood. For whatever reason everyone starting calling all the blonde stock No4 Mk2 Irish Contract, but the new blonde stocks were used well after the Irish Contract rifles.

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Doco Overboard · Apr 21, 2020

capt14k said:
Less than 50,000 of the No4 Mk2 were actually Irish Contract, but they were never delivered. They were from 1951 so they would be the darker repurposed wood. For whatever reason everyone starting calling all the blonde stock No4 Mk2 Irish Contract, but the new blonde stocks were used well after the Irish Contract rifles.

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Somewhere I have the serial number breakdown for those rifles and what blocks went to which country.
They are known as Irish rifles for the most part however I seem to remember they may have received not so much as the lions share of the different batch’s.
It may be about a dozen or so countries altogether.

List Add in Found it. List is incomplete feel free to edit add in or dispute as necessary

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

shershot99 · Apr 21, 2020

I know I am slow and getting slower by the day but I don’t think I’ve seen any enfields lower than $600 at the shows. Now granted it’s been months and I didn’t hit all of them but are there any nice ones out there for that price anymore?

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Alphabrew · Apr 22, 2020

I wish I’d have purchased Lou45s Irish contract. He’d probably die again if he knew someone unwrapped it.

$300 Enfields at RTI

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