[JB White]

A little horse trading and I ended up with this.

Faz FTR 43 with a 5/43 dated beech forend.
It’s still partially cosmo’d having only had a wipe down. Not a cleaning. SOG hang tag still on the trigger guard, which I carefully removed and set aside.

Walnut butt and grooved handguard set. British MAZAK buttplate. Savage bolt and magazine.
Wear patterns on the lugs are even but will be double checked after degreasing.
Bore still has crap in it but looks promising.

Passed on a 0.074 Aussie HS gauge but need to check again once cleaned.

Trade bait values were hovering shy of $400, so I’m fine monetarily.
Didn’t really want it but it reminded me of 20+ years ago. Grease, dirt, solvent, oiling…memories!

 

[staffy]

I'm thinking 60+ years ago. For old times sake, still have a couple.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

A little horse trading and I ended up with this.

Good trade - it'll cost less to feed than a horse and less crap to clear up after it (even LITTLE horses make a mess)
But - nothing useful to put on the roses - guess you cannot have everything.

Now its empty, you could convert the stable to another gun-room and have even more available space for all the Enfields.

(PS - a good deal at that sort of price, keep rescuing them !)

 

[JB White]

This is going to take a lot of work. A project that means a lot of patience just to get it apart.
Ran the initial patch & brush treatment down the bore to get a better look. You won’t be hearing Pristine bore!!! coming from me.
Not being called trashed just yet though.
Old grease is petrified near solid in many places. Things are “glued” together for the most part. It’s going to be a while before it comes apart to even begin to start cleaning in earnest.
A little Hoppes revealing the A suffix to the serial number. Starting to notice subtle things leading me to believe Faz midwar FTR’s weren’t quite up to the usual specs? Haven’t seen many to form a solid opinion in that regard.
Even asked myself if SOG may have been first to get the Ethiopian rifles.
Wondering if that old one eyed, three legged, swaybacked ice horse might have been cheaper to keep when it comes to oats and sugar cubes vs cleaning supplies?
Then again it’s probably just a lack of newbie enthusiasm?

Don’t expect a range report anytime soon.
Previous owner called to tell me he had a bunch of 303 I can have. That’s a plus. Hmmm…
Might it be a bunch of green POF fused together in deteriorated boxes???
OK I’ll take it!

 

[JB White]

I'm thinking 60+ years ago. For old times sake, still have a couple.

60+ years ago? Dang! You were collecting rifles when mommy was still making sure I didn’t get lost while walking to school!

 

[SDigger]

I'm thinking 60+ years ago. For old times sake, still have a couple.

Got a 65yr memory of picking up the first MKlll......but they wouldn’t let me collect them at that time 😏😔😉

 

[Lyman1903]

a few minutes with some 80 grit and all the crap will come off,
💩 💩 💩

 

[JB White]

a few minutes with some 80 grit and all the crap will come off,
💩 💩 💩

Tempting!

Inventory shows I have over a quart of Kroil and 4 cans of brake parts cleaner.
WD40
PB Blaster
4 bottles of Hoppes
Breakfree
A full box of toothpicks
Nearly 25# each of both aluminum oxide and walnut blasting media.
About a gallon of mineral spirits and some denatured alcohol.
Half gallon of phosphoric acid

And I found the oven cleaner in the kitchen. I should be good for a couple weeks before going to 80 grit and propane torch.

Stick around. Next month I might be asking for donations!

 

[Lyman1903]

Tempting!

Inventory shows I have over a quart of Kroil and 4 cans of brake parts cleaner.
WD40
PB Blaster
4 bottles of Hoppes
Breakfree
A full box of toothpicks
Nearly 25# each of both aluminum oxide and walnut blasting media.
About a gallon of mineral spirits and some denatured alcohol.
Half gallon of phosphoric acid

And I found the oven cleaner in the kitchen. I should be good for a couple weeks before going to 80 grit and propane torch.

Stick around. Next month I might be asking for donations!

pour it all in the bathtub and get a good soak,

same for the rifle

 

[ragtop]

For a moment I thought you had lost sense JB and succumbed to RTI….but probably not! ..nice catch. Like to see them ’raw and un cooked’….I know you will make it right.

 

[DisasterDog]

pour it all in the bathtub and get a good soak,

same for the rifle

 

[JB White]

For a moment I thought you had lost sense JB and succumbed to RTI….but probably not! ..nice catch. Like to see them ’raw and un cooked’….I know you will make it right.

Buy from RTI?? Not me. Although I may buy one second hand if things check out as with this one.
I had the opportunity to give it a preliminary inspection to at least be able to determine whether or not I might be able to work with it.
No $500+ crap shoots for me. I don’t get that excited anymore.
It’s ugly as sin but at least it is safe and functional.
My only concern aside from aesthetics is the barrel at the moment. So long as it can shoot around 3 MOA without keyholing, I’ll call it a successful deal.
Overall it is an example of a hard working war horse.
I did notice an overall lack of manufacturers marks/codes on most parts. Maybe I’ll find some as I go along.
The magazine is devoid of distinguishing marks as well. I called it Savage only due to the 60C prefix serial number stamped on the bottom. That has been painted and looks out of place. Definitely a replacement part later in life. Pretty sure I have a weathered unnumbered replacement hiding around here somewhere. One I set aside for exactly this reason.

RTI….? This strikes me as having been one among the lower grade SOG rifles we used to get in the $89 range (without the handpick option).
I just had to give up a little more for it this time around.

 

[LVSteve]

This is going to take a lot of work. A project that means a lot of patience just to get it apart.
Ran the initial patch & brush treatment down the bore to get a better look. You won’t be hearing Pristine bore!!! coming from me.
Not being called trashed just yet though.
Old grease is petrified near solid in many places. ....

Don't lose hope. Years ago I picked up a Finn Mosin M28 labeled as a Mauser for a stupid low price at an online auction. It had a huge stock repair, so I warned my FFL that the gun was a little "rustic". When it arrived, he informed me that the "rustic" was coming out of the muzzle. Sure enough, there was a red powder clearly visible in the bore at the muzzle. Turned out it was petrified Sisu grease, and the bore itself was very good once cleaned properly.

 

[milprileb]

JB,

Not sixty years ago but 52 years ago I was pawing thru racks of new mint unfired No.4 Longbranch rifles in long racks at Sarco, all selling for 79 dollars out the door and one did go out the door with me. Of course all matching all correct glorious rifles and 60 years ago ordering a mint condition No.5 from P&S Sales, Tulsa Okla for 32 dollars shipped.

Buying then, the concept of buying a "project " Enfield was not even on the radar.

However I get the concept of saving an Enfield, and it was a lot easier when Springfield Sporters existed but today... well, I wish you luck and don't dwell on costs !

 

[limpetmine]

Proof that even ugly girls can find love! If she could only talk, the "Once upon a time......"
After looking at that one, and thinking just how much time was saved by removing the bolt release. Had LB and Savage kept it, those rifles would be the unarguably the best No. 4's of WWII, in function and appearance.

 

[JB White]

JB,

Not sixty years ago but 52 years ago I was pawing thru racks of new mint unfired No.4 Longbranch rifles in long racks at Sarco, all selling for 79 dollars out the door and one did go out the door with me. Of course all matching all correct glorious rifles and 60 years ago ordering a mint condition No.5 from P&S Sales, Tulsa Okla for 32 dollars shipped.

Buying then, the concept of buying a "project " Enfield was not even on the radar.

However I get the concept of saving an Enfield, and it was a lot easier when Springfield Sporters existed but today... well, I wish you luck and don't dwell on costs !

When I saw even wear in both lugs and it passed the HS check with flying colors on a size 0 bolt head, it got my attention.
Now that I have finally worked it apart I see the draws are solid and ‘squared’ up evenly. Only an impression mark from tight contact. I see no structural damage whatsoever. The back end of the fore isn’t cracked or splintered at all.
All the ugly is on the outside.
Keeping my fingers crossed the barrel impresses me as much upon firing.
This thing will clean up….and it will still be ugly. Ugly but respectable I’m OK with.
Hoping it finds a home in between a couple of other warhorse rifles of mine.
If she doesn’t shoot worth a hoot, it’ll be going down the road to an RTI customer with deep pockets!

If it wasn’t for the cosmoline caked action under the wood, I would wonder if I was the first to have it apart since its’43 overhaul.
At least I know for certain Bubba didn’t beat me to it. And anything Bubba can do, I can do “better”!

 

[milprileb]

If she doesn’t shoot worth a hoot, it’ll be going down the road to an RTI customer with deep pockets! [/B]

Good plan !

 

[JB White]

A before and after pic of what a toothbrush and mineral spirits can do.

No need to reach for oven cleaner and paint stripper. The scratches and dings will remain as honest wear and tear.
The temptation is there to make things better. I know the feelings of remorse. So I’m forcing myself to stop before going too far.

Akin to waking with a hangover and finding a werewolf in the kitchen making breakfast
WTF DID I DO??
Too late….

 

[waw44]

A before and after pic of what a toothbrush and mineral spirits can do.

Whewwww...for a second I thought you would terrorize us with a bathroom mirror selfie!

 

[JB White]

Whewwww...for a second I thought you would terrorize us with a bathroom mirror selfie!

I’m not that cruel. Cruel…but not that much.

Did some spot cleaning on the metal bits for some checking. Here are the wear patterns on the lugs which caught my eye.
Mind you it was still dirty the first time I looked.

I did the “ink test”. Results are promising IMO. While not as much contact as shown through use, it does show contact in the same areas. The smaller lug appears to be taking the brunt of it but the larger lug shows decent contact over the same areas. I’m not messing with it.

The FP protrusion comes in at about .042 on average over several checks in different positions. It will remain as-is too.

Initial inspection showed it passing HS at ,074. Today it passed on .067.
Closed on .064.

Quick pic of the draw area. Not ready for dry fitting yet but looks good enough that I have no real worries. Not today anyway.