My new Maltby No4 Mk1

Evening all,

I posted this over on the Full-bore forum this morning, but it just has to be posted here!

Since the age of 13 I have had a Maltby No4 in my collection (a deac back then), the last live example I had went four years back, it required a new barrel and the prices being quoted just didn't make it viable.

Ever since, there has been a Maltby shaped hole in my gun cabinet.....No classic Service rifle shooter should be without a No4.....So I did something about it!

Enter Phil Rose, I contacted Phil with a view to building me another Maltby, he agreed and went about looking for a suitable receiver and bolt.

After a search of his workshop, he found a suitable 1944 dated receiver assembly with plenty of life left and set about the build, he took the time and trouble to locate all British components and used Maltby marked parts were he could find them.

The receiver was FTR'd at Fazakerley in 1948 (quite late for a Mk1 I would have thought), so this dictated the build finish to a degree, with a Singer Mk1 back sight and solid foresight block.

He even managed to find a Maltby bolt head and trigger guard!!

The best part, was a 1944 dated Maltby Barrel, (the bore, throat and crown look brand new, no frosting, just bright shiny steel!)

The deal was, he would build up the rifle, using NOS woodwork and a NOS magazine, bed and proof the rifle and then I would take over and refinish the wood and metalwork.

To say I am delighted with the finished rifle is an understatement, Phil has been superb all the way through, his Enfield knowledge, communication and willingness to go the extra mile is refreshing in this day and age.

Many thanks indeed Phil, looking forward to its first range trip :beerchug:

Nice, nice, nice...looks about mint. Very nice catch.

Wow...that looks impressive!!!!

Very nice indeed

Lovely

Thanks for the kind comments guys, very happy indeed with the finished rifle. Looking forward to seeing how she groups, should be good, bedded well with a pristine bore.

Cheers, John.

That's a very tidy refurb. I suppose the trigger guard is from an earlier rifle and it seems to have had a whack behind the trigger.

Given the choice, I'd go for one with the "ROF.M.No.4.Mk.I.1941" markings myself.

Post-war bolt body as well? Not that it matters of course, unless one is sticker for that kind of thing.

Always nice to see an old soldier given a new lease on life.

Well spotted whack! the trigger guard did have some damage to it, I re shaped it back near as darn it with a few technical taps!

Bolt body....hmm well it is a solid bolt knob, so it might be post war I guess, did Maltby manufacture any with a solid knob I wonder, it is a FTR'd example..

A 1941 Maltby, with the early markings and the button coking piece is still on the shopping list!

I believe their production all had just a flat on the bolt knob. At least that's what I've seen.