Enfauser?

[McNally M.]

I was procrastinating this morning and wandering through Google images of Mauser rifles as I typically do when I saw a very bizarre specimen that I had never seen before, in person or otherwise.

It first glance it looked like an ordinary Turk 98, but then I noticed that it had an Enfield action! After a little research I found that these rifles are known as "Enfausers."

I knew that the Turks were renowned for going through existing stocks of rifles and converting them, my Gew 88 Commission rifle can attest to that. But I did not know that they also converted MkIII Enfield rifles. I imagine that these were captured during WWI.

What information about these rifles exists? Does anyone own one of these oddities?

[Crunch130]

Yes, they're real. Most of them were probably built off Enfields captured at Gallipoli. Interesting collectible but I probably wouldn't shoot it, well maybe very mild handloads.

Google them. Info is out there.

Crunch

[Emdawg]

I have heard of these. The Enfauser was built off of Lee-Enfield captured in Gallipoli and Iraq. They are pretty hard to find, saw one on GB last year.


What are also interesting to find are Turk'd M91 Mosin Nagants.


I have also heard, and seen in a book, of 1903 Springfields with No. 1 Mk. III SMLE parts on them, including nose-caps.

[Father Ted]

I've seen a few pop up on GB in the past few years. Search on Gunboards in Enfield section, there have been a few discussions there as well.
I believe they are also referred to as Frankenfields.
Cheers

[Armistice]

Nothing on GB now, lol!

[Enfield47]

Those would be an interesting mishmash of parts. I wonder if they are truly safe to shoot.

[smle-man]

Those would be an interesting mishmash of parts. I wonder if they are truly safe to shoot.

For awhile at least but not for very long. The Australians found that their Lithgow #1mk3 actions stretched quickly when 7.62mm was tried in conversions and some got to the point of cracking at the charger guide bridge mounting point. 8mm would take longer but would have the same result.

[Enfield47]

Wow, I can't believe the receivers were cracking from using 7.62 NATO. I thought the .303 was a stout enough round that the 7.62 would be similar to it.

[Emdawg]

Wow, I can't believe the receivers were cracking from using 7.62 NATO. I thought the .303 was a stout enough round that the 7.62 would be similar to it.

Why do you think the 2A(1) was built from scratch at the forge? Why not just re-barrel all those standard .303 SMLEs'?

[knucklehead0202]

.303 is very low-pressure compared to some of the more modern chamberings. keep in mind it started life as a black-powder cartridge.

[smle-man]

Wow, I can't believe the receivers were cracking from using 7.62 NATO. I thought the .303 was a stout enough round that the 7.62 would be similar to it.

The #4 action handles 7.62 ok but not the #1. Not only is the #4 receiver stiffer but it used different steel specifications. Some #4s were tried in 7.92mm during the war and worked just fine.

[Enfield47]

Why do you think the 2A(1) was built from scratch at the forge? Why not just re-barrel all those standard .303 SMLEs'?

The #4 action handles 7.62 ok but not the #1. Not only is the #4 receiver stiffer but it used different steel specifications. Some #4s were tried in 7.92mm during the war and worked just fine.

Ok, that makes sense if the No.4 is a harder steel than the No.1 Mk. III. I guess the Indians liked the look of the No.1 better for their 7.62 rifles.

[smle-man]

Ok, that makes sense if the No.4 is a harder steel than the No.1 Mk. III. I guess the Indians liked the look of the No.1 better for their 7.62 rifles.

Their production line was set up for the #1; they refurbed #4s but never made them new. It was a relatively easy jump to modernize the steel for the 2A series to handle the 7.62. Metallurgy made a lot of progress from 1907 to 1966! Pakistan did however make #4s they got the machinery from Fazakerly and produced #4mk2s.

[Peter in CA]

McNally,
I have an Enfauser in my safe. It is a cool rifle to shoot. Nice long barrel. I have not shot it in a while, but I was shooting light loads of Varget with Turk 150 grain bullets, which were pulled from Turk 8mm ammo. Very accurate.

Peter in CA