ENFIELD RIFLES FROM ITALIAN NAVY

THE ENFIELD RIFLES (SMLE N°1 MkIII AND N°4 MkI*) ISSUED TO THE ITALIAN NAVY AFTER WW2 ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

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For any request of information, comments or suggestions please write to:

enfielditaliannavy@euroarms.net

We are really proud to inform all the Enfield enthusiast and the collectors that are available the Enfield N°1 and N°4 issued to the Italian Navy after WW2.

This is a really unique opportunity, uncomparable with any other all over the world for the quality level, the wide variety and the quantity available.

The rifles has been exposed for the first time at the EXA 2006 Show (the most important gun show in Italy) on April 9^th with a enthusiastic result from all the visitors.

EXA 2006. PAOLO AMADI and BRANKO BOGDANOVIC Serbian writer and weapon expert. Branko is the author of the recent book SERBIAN AND JUGO MAUSER - North Cape Publication - 2005

The condition of the lot is really excellent considering the age of the rifles because (expecially the N°4) they were not submitted to use and or manipulation during 40 years of deposit in the Italian Navy Bases. At least 50% of the rifles have their original matching bolt.

Many N°4 Long Branch has been stored in the original wood boxes used to deliver them to the Italian Government from the Canadian Arsenals.

These Long Branch still has the original grease which cover both the stock and the metal parts; all of them bear a red tag on the rear sling swivel, with the date and the serial number pencil handwritten and signed by the inspector.

Some N°4 bears also a green tag on the middle sling swivel, with the words “Tested on Range”, the serial number and the signature of the tester.

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We were unable to find any official documentation regarding the history of these weapons and for this reason we’ll be pleased for any informations we’ll receive from anyone on the subject.

Certainly the weapons were supplied to the Italian Government after WW2. The Government first issued them to the Army which, after some years gave them to the Navy. The rifles were distributed through the various Italian Navy Arsenals. Some remained in storage and some were issued to all the Ships.

Some of the weapons were used for training purposes, some for parades but most of them remained stored in the arsenals for the reserve.

After some years (probably during the 90es) the enfield were dismissed from the official service and were collected in the main arsenals: as it already happened for hundred of thousands of Carcanos the end of the rifles was the distruction. We know for sure that many of them were melted and the stock burned but we are unable to determine the quantity, even approximate.

Luckily an high Navy official, shooter and collector of surplus weapons, realizing that the destruction was not the right end, although that was not on his duty, took the initiative and in 2001 begun a hard mission trying to organize a tender to sell them.

It seems a quite easy thing but he only knows the difficulties and the obstacles (both political and burocratic) he had to face and solve because nothing like that was done before. At the end he succeeded and in July 2005 the tender was finally held.

For safety reason the Enfield were kept separate from their bolts and, even worst, the bolts were stored in metal boxes all mixed up without any relation or reference to the rifles.

When we received the lot we had to read the serial number of the bolts, to put them in numbered cells and to save the informations (serial number-cell) in the computer.

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The effort worth to be done because we could match about 50% of the rifles with the appropriate bolt

Following are few general informations about the available models and variants.

ENFIELD SMLE N°1 Mk III

We have available both MkIII, MkIII* and MkIII* (with deleted star) manufactured mainly by Enfield, BSA, LSA. We have few NRF, Lithgow and Ishapore. Years of manufacturing approximately from 1911 to 1943.

Few rifles have been rebarreled in the Italian arsenal of TERNI: the barrel bears a 5 pointed star, the letters FAT and 2 digit year (FAT = Fabbrica Armi Terni = Terni Guns Factory).

Few stocks also has been replaced with Italian ones. The new stocks bear the cartouche FAT and the year of replacement on the butt (usually the 70es).

Are also available Peddled Scheme variant. Peddled Scheme rifles have the action manufactured by subcontractors (BSA, SSA, NRF). No manufacturing markings appear on the right side of the butt socket. The markings are typical, bigger than the standard ones and without manufacturer’s name. The manufacturer (when present) is usually found on the rear left part of the receiver behind the safety catch (see pictures for more details). The rifles were assembled at Enfield.

More informations about Peddeld Scheme can be found on Skennerton THE LEE ENFIELD STORY – 1993, pagg.153-156.

Dispersal rifles dated 1940 to 1944 are also available. Dispersal rifles were assembled during WW2 to face the urgent demand of weapons using any available part such as spare parts or disassembled weapons. On the right side of the butt socket they do not have the manufacturer name but only a B.

The last two digits of the year are not aligned with the 19 and often marked in a stronger way (see pictures). Also for the dispersal rifles the manufacturer if present is marked on the rear left part of the receiver behind the safety catch.

More informations about Dispersal Rifles can be found on Skennerton THE LEE ENFIELD STORY – 1993, pagg.176-177.

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