Gonna save one

[Randune]

I was in Cabelas last night and ran across a sporterized No4 mk1 for $160.00. It needs the fore arm, front upper handguard and the front band. Other than that it wasn't cut up too badly. The worst part is it was SUPER dusty and had a slight patina of surface rust over it, No pitting tho. The bore looked very very hairy. Even a small spider nest in it. The clerk in the Gun Library offered to run a bore snake thru it.

Holy crap!! It shined up like a new penny with strong lands! The rest of it is pretty much surface and will clean up very nice I think. The oddball thing is the only markings on the gun is the date 1943 above that is M + 7. On the left side of the receiver is what looks to be elctro penciled No. 4 MK I. On the side of the butt stock is stamped a FT... Nothing else, not even a serial number.

They were having a 10% off sale, and I asked if they could do any better since the condition is so rough. He looked it up and it had been on the shelf for over a month. So he knocked off an extra $50! So with tax and everything I walked out the door for with my new treasure for $103.00.

We'll see how she turns out. I'm already searching for the parts I need.

Information

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[Ridolpho]

Randune: Sounds like a worthwhile undertaking assuming the barrel is uncut. The M and 7 you see on the left cheek was probably M47 indicating BSA Shirley manufacture. Slightly later it became M47C. The serial would originally have been right there under the 1943. You're on the right forum if you plan to fit a new forend to it- search out everything you can find here on "No. 4 bedding". I think there are also some scanned military armourers instruction manuals in the library which are the best place to learn how they were originally set up. The wooden furniture on these rifles works differently from just about every other system. If you already know how to do it- have fun!

Ridolpho

[Randune]

Thanks for the heads up on the manuals, And nope the barrel on this one hasn't been cut.

[LithgowMKIII]

Congrats Randune. Sounds like you got a great deal. I hope you found another home for the spider!

[Surpmil]

Always worth running a brush down the bore. I was going through a lot of "junk" barreled actions not long ago; one looked like it was heavily rusted all the way through, and I mean crusty!
Turned out to be just an even coating of dust and dirt over a like new 1945 5 groove bbl. Another was a M17 with what also looked like a rubbish bore: also turned out to be like new under the dirt.