No 4 Trials rifle at Auction in the U.K.

[Robert303]

Is it considered Good or Bad form to post a link to something that members might want to bid for?
I hope it's not Bad form.
Full Details for Lot 1118

Information

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[desperatedan]

Robert - This rifle has been around for a while. It was in their sealed bid auction in early July and failed to attract a buyer. I think that it has signs of having had a rear pad fitted at some point in its life but I couldn't see anything similar for a front pad. All markings on the left wrist have been linished away apart from a serial number which unfortunately has neither a prefix or suffix.
I think that it's been mentioned before in a thread here when it was up for retail sale. If I can find it later when I'm not on a mobile on a train I'll post the link. I think this one's definitely in the caveat emptor camp!
Kevin

This was the thread I was referring to...

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=47219

[Buccaneer]

Lots of people looked at this rifle at the previous "sealed bid" viewing day, it did not sell then nor did it go when offered at the "unsold lots" offering which probably says a lot.
At the sealed bid auction that I think was held in March a catalogued "early No4 Mk1" rifle with I think an A prefix and a four digit serial number was estimated at £300-£500, it sold for something in the region of £2400 before commision and VAT which pushed the price up to somewhere in the region of £3100.
I am sure that if someone spotted a rifle and was prepared to pay that sort of money I feel certain that they would have bought the present offering if it was worth while........ As someone far more famous than me says, just my 10 cents worth

[desperatedan]

I saw that one in March too late. I think it was a "good un". It went for £2760 plus the 30% (commission and VAT).

[Robert303]

Thanks for spotting that this had been seen before and that it was 'NQR'. I was not going to bid on it but had NOT spotted that it was 'iffy'.

[bigduke6]

Was this the one that was at Fultons ? looked like it had more makeovers than the late Joan Rivers....

[bravo2zero]

I was the one that bought A1515in the previous holts sealed bid auction which was near perfect with all correct Enfield markings although the stock had been replaced with an SMLE stock however the sling swivel and srews and other metal work was correctly marked. The trials rifle as I understand field tested by 2 regiments and think it was something like Guards and ANOther so I was guessing that the stock was simply replaced with a long stock and all the metal work was moved over. Apart from this I have never seen such a perfect rifle. The key issue point were all matching numbers, correct rear sight, mag cut off with a N.1 mk6 cocking piece and no.1 mk6 magazine.The barrel was the original one and in excellent condition. It was like buying a rifle that was in a time warp.
I was amazes to see in the very next auction another trials rifle which again I looked over and quite frankly it all seemed very wrong and I wondered if the action was a spare somehow left over and never originally made up into a rifle was then put together. Nothing on the rifle matched and whilst parts belong to a trials rifle I am not sure they were original to the rifle. The sight picture with the waisted foresight looked off centre as well.. This is a project rifle and did nothing to get my interest flowing.

[desperatedan]

Was this the one that was at Fultons ? looked like it had more makeovers than the late Joan Rivers....

Yes believe so.

[Surpmil]

Oddly there are no photos of the left side of the rifle on the auction page.

[desperatedan]

The picture is very much their usual style. Occasionally for a seemingly more unusual or high estimate item there will be a set of three pictures. As always, viewing in person or by a trusted advisor is the best way to go.