P. 53/58 Enfield

**David K. Fox** · 07-20-2008

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.

**S.Sullivan** · 07-20-2008

Taking a shot at two of your three.
The Enfield parts are not interchangable. The guns are made of similar parts, but each was hand finished and fitted, whether bearing the VR or a contract piece. I once found a really great Enfield in an antique shop, complete save for the brass buttplate. I took it to Lodgewood and Becky and I tried nearly forty before we found one that almost fit my missing stock end. Frustrating.
And thirdly. I have an Enfield with the same long barrel, but dated 1861 and a Birmingham product, perhaps, with a 39 inch barrel. Mine also sports a C in a diamond which has been suggested it was made by Colt. I bought it from an Illinois barber in 1959 for $45.00.
In Enfields most anything is possible.
Steve Sullivan

**John Holland** · 07-20-2008

Steve,

Check your Enfield and see if it's not a "DC" in a diamond, which is "Dominion of Canada". We have had a lot of them come across the border.

JDH

**Enfield** · 07-21-2008

Steve,

I'm assuming your diamond-C marking is in the proofs, right? This does indeed indicate a Colt barrel. Colt directed his purchaser to order some 2500+ barrels of a specific configuration, then he later changed his mind. Some of these barrels, or maybe some complete Enfields that Colt had ordered but then didn't take delivery, ended up going to Confederate purchasers. I have seen a surprising number of these diamond-C Enfields with the JS-anchor mark and/or the engraved buttplate numbers indicative of CS purchase.

The maker of this particular gun (David's) was probably O. MAYBURY of Birmingham, and it could have gone to either side.

Geoff Walden

**John Holland** · 07-21-2008

Enfield - You're right...for some reason I automatically thought of the stock mark that we see so many of here in Western New York State, and sometimes with a tipped die stamp leaving a light "D".

JDH

**S.Sullivan** · 07-22-2008

Geoff,
Yes, the diamond C is a barrel proof type of marking. The camera I own is currently not working, or else I would have posted a photo. No other "Confederate" markings.
By the way, are you still in the sandbox?
Many thanks for your input Mr. Enfield.
Steve Sullivan