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Need Info on WW Greener .22 model 1898

Jigga
I have this old gun and it is described as followed: It has a 28" round heavy barrel with flip up rear sight. The top of the barrel says WW Greener Maker Birmingham and then behind the rear sight on the barrel it says Entirely British Ammunition .22 and 8049. On the leeft side of the rear sight it has 200, 300, 400, 500 and on the right side it says 25, 50, 100. The barrel has some proof mark I can't make out and then 22 L. The left side of the reciever say Converted For The NRA by WW Greener and below it says Enfield 1898 M.E. 303 A C II and then 8049. It also has a Crown B 69and then some other #'s I can't read. The right side of reciever has a large Crown VR Enfield 1888 some proof mark, I.C.1 On the bottom in front of the trigger guard it has a Crown proof an CG JE. It has a sling mount on bottom of barrel, a swivel at the trigger housing, and 1 in the butt stock. The bottom of the trigger housing has Crown E 69. On the lever behind trigger housing it has what looks like an arrow crown 72 B. On the right side of buttstock it has a medallion the size of a nickel and says Georgivsv Deigra Rexetind Imp and a head of someone with a crown on their head. The buttplate is all Brass and has a place for a cleaning kit. The barrel and action appears to be damascas. This is all I see on the gun. Does anyone know what this is or a little history or value in 70-75% condition. Thanks
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4 comments

Date Votes
  • DaveF
    This sounds like what was originally a Martini Enfield Mk. lV l, service rifle, made by Enfield for the British military in 577-450 center-fire caliber in 1888, and should have a noticeable "hump" at the back end of the receiver, above the butt-stock socket, and also the "long" lever behind the trigger guard.
    It was then converted in 1895, by re-barreling in the then new .303 British service caliber.
    Once it was taken out of military service or reserve, it was then again altered, this time to rim-fire configuration, and converted to .22 caliber by WW Greener, who sleeved and chambered the barrel to that caliber, along with replacing the extractor.
    These and other similar conversions by other companies such as Bonehill, along with small frame BSA Martini .22 rifles, were in common use as club rifles at various shooting clubs etc. in Britain and the old commonwealth countries about 70 - 80 years ago.
    They are usually fairly accurate, fun to shoot, are so ugly they're cute, and would have a value in about the $300.00 range (in Canada)in the condition you describe.
    The coin in the butt-stock sounds like an old English shilling ( equivalent of a quarter) and the Latin inscription means "George the Fifth, by the grace of God, Emperor of India" and was put there by someone at some time to replace the brass regimental marking disc.
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  • captkirk3@dslextreme.com
    Sounds Good to me....But..
    I never heard of the Large Frame being converted to .22..I guess its possible.....Its just that I never ran across one...Seems to me it would be awfully heavy...
    Captain Kirk, Tech Staff<P><BR>
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  • Ross
    Yep,
    Last year I got one (not great shape) for US $135.00. It is painted black and has "Parker rifled" stamped on the crown around the sleeve join. I've never noticed muzzle stampings before.
    You have to listen hard to hear a Colibri fired in it.
    Cheers from Darkest California,
    Ross
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  • DaveF
    I own a large frame conversion myself, this one being on an earlier action, probably a Mk. ll or lll, and is an AG Parker, Bisley Works, conversion, with a 26" Parker-Hale sleeved .303 barrel, and AGP front and rear aperture sights.
    It is fairly heavy, at just under 8 pounds, but super accurate.
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