BSA N0.4 Mk I

One of my BSA's has a TR marked on the left side of the butt socket and up until recently I thought this was a partial FTR marking. Upon closer inspection there is not any indication that it was a light strike and it is only marked TR. I wonder if this could have been a rifle reserved for a telescope which never made it to completion. The rifle ultimately ended up in India and no way to tell if it was marked before or during service there. I don't know if India ever produced N0. 4's in sniper configuration but I assume they simply used T's that came from Britain.

It was selected for conversion to a No.4Mk.1T at BSA hence the TR marking on the butt socket. If the conversion was stopped, it was rejected for some reason at Holland and Holland and placed back into regular service rifle stores. I sold one like it not that long ago. I think it went to California but I don't remember.

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Originally Posted by Pattern14

One of my BSA's has a TR marked on the left side of the butt socket and up until recently I thought this was a partial FTR marking. Upon closer inspection there is not any indication that it was a light strike and it is only marked TR. I wonder if this could have been a rifle reserved for a telescope which never made it to completion. The rifle ultimately ended up in India and no way to tell if it was marked before or during service there. I don't know if India ever produced N0. 4's in sniper configuration but I assume they simply used T's that came from Britain.

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This is one of those times when a photo would be very cool!

I think Mr. Laidler indicated in his book that very few were returned as specifcation rejects by Hollands after having been selected. The book is at home, somebody help me out here!

It could be a specification reject, but of the 4-5 I've seen all have been 1945 rifles, & I do wonder if they simply arrived at H&H too late in the day to get converted before the contracts were cancelled in April 1946. I have a beautiful receiver of this type in an ice cream carton in my gunroom, just waiting to be reassembled!
ATB

According to Mr. Laidler's book, roughly 670 (the exact firgure I've again forgotten!) rifles were returned from Holland and Holland w/o conversion to "T" status. Most from the first contract, only 7(?) from the second.

I'll edit this post when I remember to bring the book w/ me!

Anyway, a plain TR rifle is rather a rare bird! Detailed pics would be informative.

ETA Pg 17 of "An Armourer's Perspective: .303 No. 4 (T) Sniper Rifle..." states: 674 rifles were rejected "from the first contract and 7 from the second."

I have one maybe two so marked. I got one from Springfield Sporters that was from India. It came in with the No.4 Mk1 and Mk2 (T) rifles. I will try and find it and photograph it. With my data base lost, it is harder to find things--especially with small markings. After all, all No.4s look alike.