Scarce RAF (Air Ministry) No. 2 Mk. IV* .22 SMLE Rifle with Post-War Irish Markings

Serial # AM 1517, .22 LR, 25" barrel with an excellent, bright bore. This was a Parker-Hale conversion of a 1916-dated SMLE Mk. III as an Air Ministry contract for RAF training rifles in the late 1930s. During the conversion, the rifle was given a new serial number with an "AM" Air Ministry prefix, which is also present on the bolt and nosecap, and there are Parker-Hale markings on the knox form of the .22 caliber barrel. The metal retains 90-92% of the conversion-applied blue finish, with some silvering along the high and exposed edges, as well as on the bearing surfaces and handle of the bolt. A US importer stamp is present on the right side of the receiver just ahead of the wrist socket. The walnut buttstock, forend, and handguards are in fine condition with some minor handling marks and small surface blemishes scattered about the original oil finish, and a small double-F (Fianna Fáil) Irish property stamp is present on the underside of the forend ahead of the magazine well. An unmarked magazine housing, minus the spring and follower, is included. After the war, many of these rifles were sold to the Irish government, with many of them subsequently imported into the US in the late ‘80s – early ‘90s. This is one of those imported rifles, and is in fine-near excellent condition. FFL or C&R