No4T Foresight & S51 stamp

[Merlin266]

Hi all, I have a 1945 M47C No4T Rifle ser no U345XX, having a toot at Peters Armourers Perspective book I see that a Split block band foresight and mk2 blade were the acceptable specification for these rifles. My rifle has a solid block and a mk1 blade, wondering whether it would be worth trying to track down the correct bits and have them fitted. Also there doesn't appear to be a S51 stamp, although all other stampings are correct on the action, barrel, bolt along with the rifle serial and scope serial numbers on the stock/butt. I know tthe rifle will have passed through many hands over the years and may have had all kinds of wonderful addons, I removed the bipod attachment and aftermarket scope mount when I got it home. Can anyone shed any light of the foresight and S51 stamp issue?

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

The split block band foresight (BBFS) has been discussed many times before but while a split BBFS's were the original spec, it soon became clear that later rifles being sent for conversion, albeit with solid foresight block bands WERE also to the current spec. As soon as the butt was changed for a longer or shorter one - or made off during a workshop overhaul or repair, the S51 was lost. The real, true No4T experts lose much sleep almost to suicidal proportions about this sort of thing but it never permeated down to the Armourers shops where they were just another tool to do another job.

As a matter of interest, in the early 90's I saw a big box of No4 butts sent to workshops to be used as suitable spare parts - presumably from rifles cannibalised for spares and there were a few ex No4T butts in there complete with markings and old tele numbers but plugged cheek rest holes.

[Roger Payne]

I'd even go as far as to say that solid fore sight blocks are almost the norm on late war (44/45) rifles.

[lugerfan]

U350xx (sadly deactivated) is here with me and has a solid block...She's a "Bitsa" but she's mine