My first LE

Hello all,
First real post here... I picked up a 1944 No.4 MKI from a gentleman this week. He said it had been in his safe for years after buying it from a friend that needed the cash.
Figured I toss it up here and see what extra info you experts have :bow:
Here are some pics:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/122213-1.jpg
1944
M30343 This is the serial No as referred to in most of the posts here, I am assuming?
The cursive m-8?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/122241-1.jpg

Is this normal or a stock repair?
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/122248-1.jpg

Matching No. on mag
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/122257-1.jpg

And on under side of front handguard. After cleaning it up some this afternoon There is a large 'A" to the left of the serial and a smaller 'T' above and to the right

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/122307-1.jpg

Front sight
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/122325-1.jpg

England and London Proof mark? So this was a rifle for civilian sale?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/122512-1.jpg

Bolt proof mark
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/122527-1.jpg

Rear sight. Marked No4. MK II ?
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/162438-1.jpg

Barrel markings
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/143430-1.jpg

I cleaned up the stock with mild soap and water. Still needs a lot more elbow grease though. Cleaned the action and bore, lubed, etc...
Any advice on clean up? Does it ruin "collectors value" to re-blue pieces. I want to keep it as original as possible. Looking for a bayonet, frog, sling, and oiler. Anyone know what "stamp" I should look for on an oiler to make it match the rifle?

Thanks and love the forum!

Don't reblue!

Cleaning and oiling is fine, it's maintenance.

Nice find by the way. How's the bore?

Matching mag is a plus, good for you.

Butt stock repair is standard, arsenal repair.

Give a shout to Brian Dick (bdl ltd) in the States, for bits and pieces you're looking for,

Lou

Nice find. We can never have enough LE pics.

Thanks guys!
The bore is bright. Is it normal for the rifling to have grooves running perpendicular to the rifling lands, or is this damage? It looks too uniform to be damage but just have not seen a bore like that.
Also, were these typically re-crowned or did the rifling taper out at the end?
I'll try to see if I can get a good pic of the bore since I have it cleaned up so you can see what I am referring to.

So the m-8 means this was manufactured by
Anstey & Wilson Ltd. Birmingham UK?

But the proof mark as described sounds like a London stamp? Was this after service and then sold to the civilian market?

Thanks for the help!

Your back sight needs to be replaces or at least the elevation lock.
It shouldn’t stick out that far. The tip is broken off.

Thanks.. I did not realize that!
Is it normal for the sight to be a different version than the rifle? The receiver is a No.4 MKI yet the sight has No.4 MK II...just trying to see what version I need to be looking for.

nice BSA rifle [M47C-above the M8] , BSA was assigned the serial number range "single digit prefix" 30000-39999 so this is an early one in that series [the second assigned to them]

the rear sight is a second version backsight and yes its correct for the mkI rifle as would be the war expediant flip peep , the marks were designations of changes to both the rifles and the parts or the rifles [complicated but logical] the first version backsight was a milled one adjustable by a fine thread screw phased out early in the war [reinstigated post war] and the second , a formed sheet steel version was implemented to save time ,

the repair to your buttstock looks fine , an arsenal type repair ,

:super: Thanks for the great info!
I picked up a Bayo, frog, and sling last week :D

There is a screw through the fore stock. That may or may not be a British repair. It is a normal fitting on an Indian No4 MkI*. India bought thousands of No4MkI rifles dureing and after WWII.
The so called "Ishy screw" (installed in the Ishapore factory?) is sometimes frowned upon but it's normal and a perfectly acceptable repair or reinforcement and also very practical for a military rifle. Indian rifles have been surplussed in North America since the late sixties and they were still manufacturing NoI mkIII* rifles very recently. They even made them up with stronger steel used in the receivers in 7.62x51 Nato.

WakeSS, The Indians prepped their rifles for grenade shooting. The No.1s benefitted most from the screw, and sometimes a wire wrap, but while the No.4 really didn't need the screw, the screw was often installed anyway.

The butt repair is quite common for Indian service rifles as they drilled extensively.

Enjoy your new rifle.

Brad