David K. Fox
07-20-2008, 06:37 PM
I acquired yesterday a 3-band P.1853/58 Enfield. Proofed on barrel "25", so is a .577 calibre. Lock has (somewhat crude) crown without "VR" on tail and "1862" over "TOWER" in front of the hammer. Iron is dull gray, tho' national armoury bright under bands and stock. Came out of the midwest in the 1950s. Still sports the nipple protector, tho' the leather is gone. No broad arrows, circular stock stampings, etc.
#1. Does one presume this is a non-interchangable parts Civil War import, likely Union?
#2. Stamped into the wood between the trigger guard tang and buttplate is what looks like "C-MAYBIN". All I can be sure of is "C-MAY..." . Is this the prime contractor's name?
#3. When a standard P.53 bayonet is shipped, a full 3/8th of the barrel protrudes beyond the socket. I tried a U.S. M.1855 bayonet (which fit better than the P.53!) w/ the same results. Is this abnormal? I always figured that when the bayonet was affixed, the mouth of the bayonet socket and the muzzle of the barrel were about flush. The barrel is a full 39" and the front sight base/bayonet lug (set 2" back from the muzzle) look like its been there forever.
As an aside, my first gun was a ratty P.53 Enfield, bought w/ my lawn-mowing money in tourist trap Gettysburg in 1955 for $11.00.
#1. Does one presume this is a non-interchangable parts Civil War import, likely Union?
#2. Stamped into the wood between the trigger guard tang and buttplate is what looks like "C-MAYBIN". All I can be sure of is "C-MAY..." . Is this the prime contractor's name?
#3. When a standard P.53 bayonet is shipped, a full 3/8th of the barrel protrudes beyond the socket. I tried a U.S. M.1855 bayonet (which fit better than the P.53!) w/ the same results. Is this abnormal? I always figured that when the bayonet was affixed, the mouth of the bayonet socket and the muzzle of the barrel were about flush. The barrel is a full 39" and the front sight base/bayonet lug (set 2" back from the muzzle) look like its been there forever.
As an aside, my first gun was a ratty P.53 Enfield, bought w/ my lawn-mowing money in tourist trap Gettysburg in 1955 for $11.00.