No 4 Mk1 T Transit box Reproductions/Canadian Version

[grant580]

Thank you for your post Maple Leaf Eh, We also know from Peter's book the Armourer's Perspective that in Nov 1944 the web Short Rifle Cover made by Mills was introduced for use by the Snipers and made part of the equipment schedule. Now I don't know about you, but when you pile all the equipment that belongs in the Sniper's chest it becomes very heavy to me! Even though the short rifle case was not able to house the rifle with the scope on it, I bet the Sniper's choice would be to use this web case whenever possible to avoid lugging that heavy chest around in most cases?

Does anyone who has the complete contents of the transit chest know how much it would weigh?

[Maple_Leaf_Eh]

I do not believe the lid is a replacement. Everything matches.

I can only speak for the two boxes I picked up; both had the purple primer. Check with Cantom or Superbee over on CGN; they both have Cdn chests as I understand.

The answer has been staring us in the face all along. The Canadians were working from old drawings.

The two No.15 chest drawings posted on this forum have a date sequence of amendments in the top left corner of sheet 1 of 2. The 7.11.41 dated pattern was "sealed" 9.12.41. Four days later on 13.12.41, the sequence for painting was changed from before (whatever) to after. The next month, minor changes were made for whipcord and a screw type. Six months later in Jul 42, another screw was mentioned and painting revised. On (date indistinct) Feb 43, the drawing was altered to accommodate case telescope spotting, more changes to screws, and relevant to this thread, the lid ends were shortened 3 to 2 (whatever that means) and haunching and tenoning shown. Changes on 5.5.44 and 7.5.45 mention other changes.

Talk about making things complicated! Belt, braces and elastic! I had to read the drawings several times to recognize the haunching and tenoning woodworking procedure. The drawing shows a single line across the end of the lid. Dashed outlines show two approx 1 1/2" squares on the corners slightly offset from the thicker line. Ah Ha! The end would have a thin cross section that, from the top, formed a prominent tongue in the centre and left two raised tongues at the edges. Sort of a reversed letter T. The end cap would have the outer profile of the board lid, but a deep female slot corresponding to the centre tongue and grooves for the edge tongues.

Craftsmanship and woodworking from another age indeed. Haunching and tenoning is the technique where a blind slot is cut into the end grain of an exposed corner, and a suitably shaped reinforcement strip or biscuit is flush fitted. This requires several more workshop tools, setups and handling steps than leaving an unfinished end, but reinforces the lid against the inevitable bangs and bashes of handling. The Canadian drawing for their No.15 chests were evidently received and issued before Feb 43. The steel strapping found on the Canadian chests is likely a practical workshop solution to a situation thrust upon the ordnance guys by the supply system.

As a culmination to this exercise in minutae, all the CNo.7 .22LR rifle chests I've examined have a single concealed strip across the grain of the lid. The end looks like three plies of plywood, and the strip is easy to pry out. All are dated 1945 or 1946.

[Maple_Leaf_Eh]

Well Grant, the No.8 scope case weighs 2 lbs 15 oz and the No.32 Telescope weighs 2 lbs 6 oz, for a partial total of 5 lbs 5 oz. Add the rifle, sling, handkerchief and the chest, and you will begin to know.

[m4carbine]

Grant,

That is magnificent, want to make one more with a glass front?

Let me know, please ping me at info@badgerordnance.com

Truly magnificent!

[Troglodyte]

Apologies for bumping this ancient (but interesting) thread, but is grant580 still making these transit chests?

[browningautorifle]

Welcome to the forum. The member in question could be sent a PM and you can ask him yourself... Click on this link to find his profile page. https://www.milsurps.com/member.php?u=7534

[RobD]

If anyone wants a length of original whipcord (1941 British Army stock) for their transit chest, I shall be happy to send it, for the price of the stamp.
Rob

[desperatedan]

If anyone wants a length of original whipcord (1941 British Army stock) for their transit chest, I shall be happy to send it, for the price of the stamp.
Rob

Hi Rob

I would please. I recently finally managed to obtain a chest for my 4T but it needs a bit of tidying up, so that would be put to good use. I'll pm my details, Thanks Kev

[RobD]

On its way.

[Flying10uk]

If anyone wants a length of original whipcord (1941 British Army stock) for their transit chest,

I take it that this was to anchor the wooden inserts to the chest to prevent them being lost? I wonder why the Bren chest used brass chandelier chain instead for this purpose? I found that fortunately this brass chandelier chain is still readily available from hardware stores when I needed some for the repair/restoration of a Bren chest.