Long Branch No.4 Mark 1 with C No. 32 TP Mk I Telescope - Legitimate or not?

[Badger]

I had a member ask if we could get some opinions on this piece, specifically do the experts here in their opinion, think this is a legitimate and all correct, or something else?

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Pictured above is an Ultra-rare No. 4 Mark I English rifle, with C No. 32 TP Mk I Telescope. 99 rifles were manufactured by Long Branch in Canada. Most of these were destroyed after the war. The scope was made by The Lyman Gun Sight Corporation and is quick-detachable similar to the M1C Garand. The rifle has a Griffin and Howe type mount, very similar to the US M1C Garand except the top of the mount is not flat like the M1C but is on a 45 degree angle. The “TP” designation indicates waterproofing. The scope has a serial number on the elevation block. For all practical purposes it is the same scope as the M82 with a post and crosshair. (We are aware of some people passing off the scopes as correct for this rifle when they are not. This rifle has another serial number so small you can hardly see it etched on the telescope body.) To clarify the telescope has two serial numbers which are the same numbers on the telescope.
This rifle is in Excellent to new condition. Complete with Cheek piece.

Regards,
Badger

Information

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[tiriaq]

I'm am certainly not an expert.
What is the serial number? 74L is the series for many rifles with 32TP scopes. I cannot make out the numbers on either the rifle or the scope bracket.
The cheekpiece looks to be positionned a bit closer to the receiver than usual.
There were some scopes with brackets sold off, which came from rifles scrapped by the Netherlands. Bases have been reproduced.
The concern, of course, is that the rifle has been put together.
There appear to be import markings on the rear right of the receiver. Any hope that the provenance of the rifle could be tracked?

[Warren]

1- rifle is an import...you can see the import markings on the rear of the
receiver
2- Cdn issue Alaskan will have an S suffix number on the elevation turret..the
small number on the rear of the tube is a Lyman serial number
3- I'd not get too excited about the serial number range of the rifle...they
were assembled well after the war and outside the accepted range of
numbers.
4- screw holes on the inside of the receiver are too clean.
5- no number on base

I''ll leave it at that...but could go on. Is it worth the sum of the parts is the question. I think this one is in the USA if I recall.

[Melanie_Daniels]

Big problem without a picture of the left side of the scope mount.

For a German language book about the No. 4T i saw three Canadian Snipers with this scope. All had serial numbers on the brackets (74Lxxxx) and the Canadian Mount is a little bit different to the American Griffin & Howe.

[Warren]

The problem of "legitimacy" surfaces as several were officially assembled well after the war. It is not known if they were done to spec. with the numbers stamped on the mount and or the scope can. One example of this work is a transposed set of numbers on the can as compared to the scope...simple mistake or ??

[303sniper]

Hi all,

I took an good look at the pictures and they tell me that this isn't an original No4T rifle with an TP32 scope.

Why:
- the pictures are to "vage", some one who knows what he is selling would make pictures of all the special markings an so on.
- the screw holes on the inside of the receiverwall aren't filled with "old greece" or oil as you would expect, they are to clean.
- the mount isn't numberd to any rifle, the s/n should read 74Lxxxx.
- the scopenumber would be on the side of one of the turrets and have an S prefix.

So my conclusion is: its an nice copy but not the real deal.