Help ID this rifle 303?
Hello Y'all
Picked up this rifle at an estate sale. Owner had passed away, so I could get no info on it. Obviously, it is a customized Enfield of some sort. The only writing on the gun is stamped on the barrel "Produced by the Santa Fe Division of Golden State Arms Corporation 1941 Supreme". Rifle has 22 inch barrel, fold down rear sight, really nice walnut stock, checkering looks to be cut, not stamped, with a cheek piece. On the flat part of the bolt in the back it is stamped N67 MK2. Rifle has no magazine, although it is built to take one. I feel this rifle is still a 303, although it is not stamped on the rifle anywhere. I chambered a 303 round and it extracted it flawlessly. I will not attempt to fire until I can verify that it is a 303. Obviously, a lot of work has gone into this rifle. The only thing my Blue Book says is that Golden State Arms imported a lot of rifles and had their own in-house models. If anyone can give me any info or help on this rifle I would greatly appreciate it. The bore is spotless. The buttplate has Santa Fe written on it, also. Great looking rifle. Just wish I knew more about it. The jury is still out on whether to keep it or use it for trading material. I'm going to try to post some pictures with this post. Please be patient. It's my first attempt at posting images. Thank You.
Beltfed
[img][/img]http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=174558&sort=7&thecat=500&password=[img][/img]http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=174551&sort=7&thecat=500&password=
Picked up this rifle at an estate sale. Owner had passed away, so I could get no info on it. Obviously, it is a customized Enfield of some sort. The only writing on the gun is stamped on the barrel "Produced by the Santa Fe Division of Golden State Arms Corporation 1941 Supreme". Rifle has 22 inch barrel, fold down rear sight, really nice walnut stock, checkering looks to be cut, not stamped, with a cheek piece. On the flat part of the bolt in the back it is stamped N67 MK2. Rifle has no magazine, although it is built to take one. I feel this rifle is still a 303, although it is not stamped on the rifle anywhere. I chambered a 303 round and it extracted it flawlessly. I will not attempt to fire until I can verify that it is a 303. Obviously, a lot of work has gone into this rifle. The only thing my Blue Book says is that Golden State Arms imported a lot of rifles and had their own in-house models. If anyone can give me any info or help on this rifle I would greatly appreciate it. The bore is spotless. The buttplate has Santa Fe written on it, also. Great looking rifle. Just wish I knew more about it. The jury is still out on whether to keep it or use it for trading material. I'm going to try to post some pictures with this post. Please be patient. It's my first attempt at posting images. Thank You.
Beltfed
[img][/img]http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=174558&sort=7&thecat=500&password=[img][/img]http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=174551&sort=7&thecat=500&password=
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Appears to be a W W II vintage, Lee-Enfield ( Number 4 Mark 1 ) model, that has been extensively sporterized.
Golden State Arms was in business from the mid 50's to the mid 60's. This was way before the time the (3) L's became such a major factor in the gun business.
Re the above, best take it to a qualified gun smith, to have it checked for safety and test fired.0 -
I sold one just like it a few years back for $150. Not sure it was the best move I've ever made, as it was a really nice gun. It had British proof marks all over the barrel and a Crown as I remember, and the odd thing is it was a 2 groove barrel, and a nice sharp clean one at that.
Golden State/Sante Fe guns are not very collectable, but have begun to get a little bit of a following on the left coast. I don't figure it will sell for more than a few hundred dollars, but as I said, they are shooters! I canot tell you for sure if yours is safe to shoot (always a great idea to go to a gunsmith of course) but mine was, and I am unaware if they ever rechambered the Enfields or not. Nice find...as long as you didn't pay too much for it.
"When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
"History is written by winners"(Patton)
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)0 -
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