Lee Enfield No4 Mk1 (SKN Armourer's Instructional Action) Bolt Action .303 Rifle

This is a now scarce Lee Enfield .303 No4 SKN Armourers Instructional Action. Approximately 2500 official SKN No4 actions were manufactured between 1948 & 1950 utilising components from out of service rifles. Quite a number of skeleton actions were assembled by the Gun trade and by REME workshops, but these lack the official SKN number on the left hand wall of the action body. The frame is stamped with ordnance acceptance mark and MK 1* designation. The contract was originally given to ROF Enfield, but following legal action involving the alleged un-licensed Government manufacture of the L2 Sterling SMG, manufacture was given instead to Sterling Engineering as part of the legal settlement. Sterling then sub-contracted the work to List Engineering of Dagenham, which completed SKN's returned to ROF Enfield for inspection and service acceptance. This example is stamped with the correct SKN designation (see page 230 of the Lee Enfield Story By Skennerton) SKN 778. The stock has a brass butt plate, component parts were carefully sectioned at the factory, with cutaway areas painted red. The piece measures 27 ¾” overall length. This SKN is in excellent overall condition. Although unnecessary within the UK this SKN comes with a UK 2012 specification deactivation certificate. The SKN cocks and dry fires and its magazine can be removed. The price includes deactivation certificate & UK delivery. Sn 23177