Went off the deep end, new Enfield

[Artyman]

Well, Guys, I went and done it! Drove over to Gettysburg Wednesday to stop in at Regimental Quartermaster. I'll be durned if they didn't have a new DEFARBED Barnett Enfield on the hooks. It is one of those James River Armory redos with the correct stock length, Barnett London on the lock plate, you know 'em...you've seen 'em. I think it might have once been an Armi Sport, but I'd be guessing. Forgot to ask!

Couldn't just leave it there for someone else to buy. Boy, it's sure purty...almost too purty to take out amoungst all you hellions, but of course, I will.

The bayonet is DEFARBED too, and even has the socket case hardened. It's way too purty to open a bean can with!

Now, I'm not a paid employee of these guys, so I wouldn't say it if it weren't true, but I gotta hand it to them, they treated me like a brother, threw in some free stuff, knew what they were talking about, and the trip there was well worth it.

So, anyway, after all that spending (I went there to get some uniform stuff) I naturally had to venture out on the battlefield. Nice thing about winter is that there aren't many folks around. Gives you some quiet time to reflect. With the leaves off you can see the ground better too. Now, that new rifle is a devil fer sure 'cuz it kept callin' out to me from the back seat (too long 'a box to fit in the trunk!) of that '65 Mustang to load it up and fire, but I didn't.

So..that was my adventure this week. I'll be busying myself casting some minnie balls for it today.

Harry

[RJSamp]

Count me in for the "Yes I am Jealous" crowd as I sit hunkered down in icy cold Evanston IL.

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

I've got the exact same model from the same folks, and after many comparisons to originals and other vendors, I'm quite pleased with the outcome. Don't be afraid to take it out to the field - be proud.

[johnerys]

Harry, can't wait to see it and FEEL it, hopefully next weekend;)

[50th vice pres]

how much did this cost??

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

how much did this cost??
http://jamesriverarmory.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=33&osCsid=e6b5aa26e9f6814b9f0c88f66824adf9 Link to the James River Armory with available Enfield options.
The price may vary if purchased through Regimental Quartermaster.

[MBond057]

Harry,

There’s nothing like an earlier Christmas present to yourself. If the wife gets mad you can always set up your pup tent in the back yard and do a “Husband Living History” event. ;)

I’ve been close a few times to campaigning in the backyard. :rolleyes:

[Artyman]

It was tagged at $735. Considering that Armi Sport/Euro Arms are listed at $610 (and they ain't defarbed) I think it was a steal! Of course, it's ungentlemanly to boast of such things, so I'm not gonna'. The bayonet was $65. The round trip drive from Galion to Gettysburg was two tanks of gas, $11 in Tolls and a breakfast at McDonalds and a lunch at O'Rourkes. The battlefield was free.

All in all not bad...plus they had a Tait frock coat in that English blue wool that actually fit me, for about half off due to a damaged lining. I've had worse days.

Harry

[Artyman]

I still gotta' be careful. She's a NRA Ninth Bar Sharpshooter.

Harry

[musketbal]

Artyman,
This past year I drove to Gettysburg also.I too took my Euroarms enfield into The Regimental Quartermaster for defarbing. It was sent to the James River Armory and completely re-done becoming a Barnett. They did an oustanding job.I also think its too pretty get used. I have live fired it about 150 or so times. It is VERY accurate. It is also 26 yrs Old.
I would definately recommend James River Armory to any one!

Thanks,
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z158/musketbal/DSC01422-1.jpg
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z158/musketbal/DSC01399-1.jpg

[Parault]

Harry,

There’s nothing like an earlier Christmas present to yourself. If the wife gets mad you can always set up your pup tent in the back yard and do a “Husband Living History” event. ;)

:rolleyes:

I've been to a couple of those events ;)

[Bill_Cross]

If Curt is lurking, I would love to know what the difference is between this gun and one worked on by Lodgewood (which is what I have, and which cost about the same with the AM sight, original swivel, markings, etc.).

[musketbal]

Hi guys,
I should also say that I sent Lodgewood my barnett enfield to have the barrel bands fitted better because it was an euroarms musket that had the band replaced with Amisport bands. Lodgewood also replaced the sight with a higher quality ladder site. So it was a combination of both businesses.

Brent

[Blair]

From what I understand JRA was importing various parts and pieces direct from Italy. Barrels were comming in un rifled and Bob Hoyt was cutting the rifling. In effect giving custom cut rifling in a genaric Italian barrle.
JRA was also importing un marked locks and lock plates for both the Enfield and 1841 rifles. He would then add the markings to make them more authentic for known firearms. Mark of JRA prefered to use locks from Euroarms because the internal parts would more easily interchange with less fitting problems. Items such as barrel bands for the Enfield he was getting those from Armi Sport.
I also understand the locks from Lodgewood are done in much the same manor, prefering the Euroarms lock plates for the same reasons.
Both JRA and Lodgewood build up their firearms from mixtures of parts from the two Italian Makers.
Blair Taylor

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

"If Curt is lurking, I would love to know what the difference is between this gun and one worked on by Lodgewood (which is what I have, and which cost about the same with the AM sight, original swivel, markings, etc.)."

Not having the guns in front of me to compare and contrast (vendors are so pesky in that regard in not just giving me free ones to evaluate... ;) :) )...

The only thing I would add to Herr Blair's post is that James River uses a 30,000 pound (?) press to "strike" their markings into steel. Lodgewood appears to use a cast-in lockplate marking rather than a stamped on (and engraved line border), and they hand hammer the barrel stampings which NUG produces a faint shallow impression in the modern hard barrel steel.
I have seen a variety of "quality" in the James River guns' stampings such as the strike upsetting metal to the sides of the lettering, or the strike not being to uniform depth (I have a Potts and Hunt Enfield where the stamp is deeper on the "Potts" side and lighter/fainter on the "Hunt" side of the impression.

Once Upon a Time in the 1990's I almost went into the "de-farb" business and a friend and I started out with a hand hammer striking method that we abandoned in favor of a 4,000 pound striking arbor that was only marginally "effective" in striking hardened steel. The option for us was to have the parts softend, strike them, and then have them rehardened- which became cost prohibitive. So... I appreciate the modern difficulties and point them out as an observation not necessarily a complaint or criticism.

Others' mileage may vary...

Curt