Idea as to value of 308 enfield jungle carbine?
A local dealer has a 308 Enfield jungle carbine he took in on trade but he as well as I have no idea as to value. We both know the value of 303s but not the 308s. This one is in 90% to 95% condition with 2 10 round mags. Any ideas as to value?
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you.
Rita Mae Brown
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you.
Rita Mae Brown
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jjmitchell60,
There are no .308 No. 5 Enfield Jungle carbines. They were all made in .303 British. There are a number of copies on the market that you could encounter.
The Indian government made a cheap imitation of the No.5 but it was not a real No. 5 but it was in .303.
The Gibbs Rifle Company used an Ishapore Enfield 2A rifle to make an imitation of the No.5 also. It looks very similar to the No. 5 but has a brass butt plate instead of the rubber recoil pad. The 2A is in .308 and has a modified extractor. The stock is not like the No.5 either. The Gibbs 2A will have a flash hider like the No. 5, but it is not a No. 5. These rifles go for about $200.00 new.
Finally, various part dealers, like Numrich sell parts to convert the Enfield No. 4 to look like a No. 5 but the No. 4s are chambered in .303 British.
You better take a real close look at that rifle before you buy it and authenticate that it is really a No. 5. I suspect you are really looking at a 2A conversion. Look for 2A or 2A1 around around the bolt/receiver/stock nut area.
Here is an original No. 5 Jungle Carbine.
The rifle you are looking at should have markings similar to the ones in the photos. This one happens to be the second No. 5 I own and was made at the BSA plant in Shirley, England. It is an early 1945 rifle that is blued instead of the usual suncorite black enamel finish. The bolt handle should have a hole drilled in the bottom knob. The No. 5 will also have "lightening" cuts or notches cut in the barrel where it joins the receiver. These were designed to lighten the rifle. There will also be lightening cuts around the receiver. If the rifle you are looking at doesn't have these notches, it is a dead give away that this rifle is not a No. 5. Also the No. 5 will have a peep sight - not a notch sight.
If it truely has the No. 5 markings, then it has been re-barreled or re-bored, in which case it is no longer a collectors item. I would estimate the value of such a rifle at no more than $150.00, maybe less.
Regards,
Heavyiron[8D]
"If I don't see you nomore on this world, I'll meet you on the next one, and don't be late!" - Jimi Hendrix0 -
I have a number 5 with no import marks so I do know the difference. What is the trouble is I am wanting to buy it but the other dealer thinks it is worth a lot more and I was trying to find out if India or England did make any in 308. The dealer is thinking it is a $300 to $400 dollar gun when in fact the $200 range is what I am thinking. What you told me falls in line with my thoughts as well. thanks for the input. Look at this site as well and scroll down to the Jungle Carbine.
http://www.militaryarms.50megs.com/photo4.html
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you.
Rita Mae Brown0 -
jjmitchell60,
Wow!
I don't believe it. It appears that source is incorrect and may be a misprint (we can't believe everything in print). That is definitely a No. 5, but the .308 cartridge wasn't around at the time. There were no .308's in the Pacific Islands in WWII.
An original No. 5 is definitely .303 British, not .308. The No. 5 was based on a seriously modified No. 4, which was .303 British also. The No. 5 ceased production in 1948 or 1949 and the .308 wasn't developed until 1952, so there is obviously a disconnect here.
There were several clones of the No. 5 including rifles made from India, Australia, and Canada. The only Enfield I am aware of that was ever chambered in .308 was the India arsenal Ishapore 2A and 2A1. The Gibbs Rifle Company was making a clone out of the 2A/A1 recently (2002)that ressembled the No. 5 (I know because I have one of these also and it is the original chambering .308). The 2A was circa 1967.
The No. 5 was only produced at two arsenals the one in Shirley and the one in Fazakerley. The ones from BSA are marked with an "M" the ones from Fazakerly with a "F". There were 169,807 from Fazakerley and 81,329 from BSA. All were .303 British. I am at the limit of my knowledge with this but, I think you are definitely correct.
I feel the dealer needs some education.
Regards,
Heavyiron[8D]
"If I don't see you nomore on this world, I'll meet you on the next one, and don't be late!" - Jimi Hendrix0 -
Guys,
If you scroll down that page to the bottom, you will see that they are showing a N0 1 Mk III Enfield and incorrectly state that it is 308 as well. Obviously they are wrong about the round these weapons used.
njretcop@copmail.com
Charlie0 -
Here's some more info on the Lee-Enfield variants:
http://www.aloofhosting.com/enfieldrifles/0 -
That's bum info. The No. 5 was made only in .303, and, generally speaking, the Brit and Aussie forces didn't participate in any "jungle battles in the Pacific Islands" (except for the New Guinea Campaign, and I don't believe they used any Jungle Carbines there).
The No. 5 was used primarily in the CBI (China-Burma-India) Theatre of Operations.0 -
That was what I thought so I am not out of line! I just want it since it is "different" for me and as NJRETCOP will testify, I am different also![;)] Thanks for the input, maybe he will see it for what it is and we can come to a good deal later but right now I am deer hunting and not doing much gun trading. My 17 year old daughter out done me today by getting the first deer this year!
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you.
Rita Mae Brown0
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