AL serial'd No4Mk(T) Sniper - question

Good day all.

In researching rifles available for sale here north of the border, I came across an AL2xxx coded 1943 BSA sniper that had the following:

1) No C following the M47
2) No S on the right side of receiver (but there is an "England" stamp)
3) Does have TR stamp
4) Does have T stamp on left
5) matching AL serial # is on lower left of scope bracket
6) S51 marked stock

My question, is this a) a BSA gun and b) were there Mk1T's with no C after M47 and no S on the receiver?

Many thanks, -Doh

Yes and yes. Buy a copy of "Armourer's Perspective" from http://www.skennerton.com. It's all there.

Don't be shy Brian............ Dohhunter, Brian has this book AND another that relates to the telescope that goes with the rifle you're looking to buy! Look under BDL Ltd in SC

Thank you gentlemen. Tremendously appreciated.

Hi Dohunter. BSA was allocated the code M47 (Midlands manufacturer number 47) & as there were several BSA facilities they were all subdivided further into 'M47A' (BSA Small Heath), 'M47B' (Redditch), 'M47C' (Shirley). I think there may have been a 'D' as well, but I'm speaking from memory now without the books in front of me - no doubt you get the point anyway. The Shirley plant marked early No4 rifles with the letter 'B' usually followed by or immediately above the date eg. B 1941. They started using M47 at some point in 1943 & later in the same year went the whole hog & started marking rifles M47C. Thus 1943 manufacture rifles can be found marked B, M47 or M47C, depending when during that year they were produced.

The lack of an 'S' on the cut-off block may simply be indicative of the fact that a replacement rear sight was required to be fitted during the sniper conversion process. I have owned a couple of 1943 BSA T's that lacked the S like yours, & they were fitted with Savage made rear sights which had certainly been on them for a long time, & which I suspect were fitted when the rifles went through Holland & Hollands - perhaps because the rifles arrived fitted with just battle sights, which were not acceptable on snipers' rifles.

Hope this helps to flesh things out a little for you. I'd still buy those books from Brian anyway though!!

ATB

I no longer stock "Armourer's Perspective". It can be had at http://www.skennerton.com. I will continue to stock the telescope booklet.