Whitaker Special
Enfield Target Rifle
Serial No X5833
£500

*** SOLD ***

This is one of the 117 Target Rifles manufactured by (Bert) Herbert Whitaker between 1973 & 1976

Converted from a No4T Sniper Rifle

Whitaker was a trained engineer and spent most of his working life in government service, which started in 1935
when he went to work at the Royal Small Arms factory Enfield as an examiner / inspector.

He had an interesting career in small arms whilst in government service from chief examiner and involvement in the
development of the EM2 & FN rifles and also the 30mm Aden.

He became heavily involved in experimental & prototype weapon systems.

Later on he also provided an advisory service to the R.S.A.F Enfield on target Rifle Development.

He retired in 1972 and set up business as a Gunsmith building specialised Target Rifles.

Whitaker was a keen rifle shooter of some note during the 1960s & up to 1976 where he served almost every year on the GB Team
in the Palma Matches and various other International matches including Canada, America & South Africa.

In the Dominion Rifle Matches he came 2nd with his Whitaker Rifle, however his team mate came 1st again also with a Whitaker rifle.

His gunsmithing career only lasted a few years before his death in1976. He died in his sleep at Camp Perry whilst there
with the GB shooting team.

The Whitaker rifles are based on a vastly Modified No4 Action, with the butt socket milled away to enable the use of a one piece stock.
This gave the action flatbed however action draws were still used as the recoil contact points.

The action was still fixed using the original front trigger guard screw supplemented by a secondary screw attached to the remaining top section of the butt socket, fairly similar to the Mauser action.

A new 7.62mm barrel was used and special proofed to 20T, which is now the norm for 7.62/.308 proof.

The trigger is also modified to give two adjustments, the trigger pull weight is now adjustable due to the use of a standard
compression spring, and the two stage trigger also has finite adjustment.

An unusual and rare example for the advanced Enfield Collector.

Excellent Bore