An Enfield Jungle Carbine Finds a New Home

j8064 · Jan 31, 2020

An SMLE No. 1 MK III was the first "military" rifle I'd ever fired. I bought it years and years ago. And 303 British was the first cartridge I learned to reload. That was only the beginning. To better understand my rifle I learned as much about Lee Enfields as I could. Of course, one thing led to another... :innocent0

Over the years I've added other Enfields to my collection. My No. 4 MK 2 was an unissued "mummy wrapped" relic. It's a tack driver I picked up in the early '90's. Restoring a Bubba'd 1912 No.1 was a great project. Adding an Ishapore 2A1 to the collection was a no-brainer. Still, there was a hole I'd always wanted to fill that eluded me for a long time: A No. 5 Jungle Carbine.

The wait is over! Tonight I've been cleaning an original No.5 from 12/45 that has found its new forever home. It needs some work as you'd expect for a 75 year old military rifle. But that was expected.

This Hooligan is very happy tonight.

Just thought I'd share.

somd_mustangs · Jan 31, 2020

schweeet!
I'm not a knowledgeable rifle guy but I do like the look of the jungle carbine.
"If I had an Enfield, it would look like this"

mawkie · Feb 1, 2020

Congrats on filling the hole in the collection!

knovotny · Feb 1, 2020

Excellent! It's on my list!

Dave91 · Feb 2, 2020

Congrats. Really neat stock on that one. Take the time to find a hand guard that matches.

Doco Overboard · Feb 2, 2020

I used to deer hunt with a no 5 sometimes. The damn flash suppressor would ring the hell out of your ears when you lit it off in the woods. I shot a coon one time that was on some oyster shells walking in on a bush hogged path and thought I deafened myself. After a few years I sold it off.
Shooting MKVII would kick like a mule lol.

Clovis · Feb 2, 2020

OP nice find. I haven't looked for a #5 for sometime so I don't know how available they are these days. Not to be critical or offend but I was confused looking at your carbine because of the fore end band. I have never seen one that looks like that. After looking at a few books to see if they were made that way it dawned on me it looks like a front or upper band from a #4! I can't see how it would fit and work but there it is. Anyway, have fun with it man.

Jimbob2.0 · Feb 2, 2020

Nice the good examples have really dried up lately. Id buy a second one given the chance.

Doco Overboard · Feb 2, 2020

Op said it needed a few things to bring it back. The pictures are not close up but the barrel knox does almost appear to have lightening cuts and the action body right below the rear sight seems to have been lightened as well. It's really hard to tell from the pictures. There should be a gap in between the sight when its folded on each side of the action.Fore-end appears to be cut down, bolt knob is solid and the bayo lug has been ground off.
Other lightened areas of the action body can be seen when the fore-end is pulled off and are interesting when compared to a regular No4. The butt stock is the type with the gently sloping toe correct for a no 5. Rear micrometer sight should be graduated to 800 yds.
Op I have a lightened hourglass bottom metal if you want it and may (I think maybe its been awhile) have a Flash suppressor with bayo lug buried in a parts bin somewhere I'd have to dig around.

namrelio · Feb 2, 2020

You guys got me pumped up, I had to dig mine out. Mines fair condition, woods not real good. Looking stuff up about it and came across Hickok45 video on it. Pretty good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVO1Gp6BtJE

BFMIN · Feb 3, 2020

I'm afraid you seem to have been "Had" that looks like a No4 gimmicked up into a psuedo No5.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

It may be a sweet shooting carbine but I do not see a no5, this is a legit No5. (with the possible exception of the missing bayonet lug)
The forend is wrong, The handguard is wrong, actually its missing completely! The reinforce of the barrel lightening cuts is wrong, the rear-sight is wrong & the receiver lightening cuts are wrong.

mgbill · Feb 6, 2020

BFMIN nailed it. I knew something was really wrong with that stock.

Clovis · Feb 6, 2020

I'm not ready to condemn the OP's carbine as a faked #5, at least not until I can see more detailed photos of the carbine. Certainly the bayonet lug is missing as is the hand guard and the ring at the rear of the barrel to hold the hand guard, the stock looks cut at the front and as I mentioned the band is wrong. The OP acknowledged the carbine needed work and no one could disagree. But not a #5, I can't tell without better examination with more photos.

Ngrovcam · Feb 6, 2020

It all breaks my heart...just lost my two
SMLE’s in a very real house fire, one 1917
and one 1947.
I will be back in the market once the
insurance comes through...and will add a
legit carbine once I’ve learned enough
about them. Clearly, from this thread, I
am reminded of how they fall into the
“Caveat Emptor” category.

somd_mustangs · Feb 6, 2020

Ngrovcam said:
It all breaks my heart...just lost my two
SMLE’s in a very real house fire, one 1917
and one 1947.
I will be back in the market once the
insurance comes through...and will add a
legit carbine once I’ve learned enough
about them. Clearly, from this thread, I
am reminded of how they fall into the
“Caveat Emptor” category.

man, that sucks!
hope insurance does right by you.

mawkie · Feb 7, 2020

J8064 has his work cut out for him if the intent is to restore to original condition. Won't be as easy as a No4 but as someone who's done some difficult restorations to rare items (French M27 and M34 with another M34 in the wings) it's worth the time and effort.

An Enfield Jungle Carbine Finds a New Home

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Garrett Co Hooligan #1

Attachments

-----

C&R Whisperer

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

-----

C&R Whisperer

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics