Long Branch No. 4 MK 1 (T) with Alaskan No. 32 TP Scope

I think they subsequently upped the total to 350.

I think I saw that rifle - Simpson Limited had it for sale along with a number of Joe Salter snipers (several of which were real nice - I bought a L42 and Long Branch from the group). My recollection is that the scope did not match and that there were other problems with the rifle as well. However, if we are talking about the same rifle it is one of only two No. 32 TP Long Branch snipers I have seen offered for sale in the last 18-20 years.

The one that simpsons had was a put together.

I bought mine in the US one and a half year ago from a private collection.

Before mine belonged to Robert Hallam it resided at Collector's Source in Canada. I met Fred VanSickle a couple of times as he visited the UK from time to time. CS & Charnwood did a lot of business together back in the day.

I have one from the PMAL of Terni. I know of two others in private collections here in Italy and another one in the Terni's "museum of small arms". I think that Italy has been delivered about 8 - 10 TP during and after the II W.W.

I appreciate all the responses. It sounds as if there are about 10 matching TP rifles in private hands and about the same number of non-matching rifles with original components. I have a hard time getting excited about non-matching sniper rifles. However, based on the results of this thread I feel fortunate to have acquired a non-matching original TP.

My philosophy is that if it is that rare & it is genuine then I buy it (so long as the price is acceptable to me). If a better example comes along subsequently you can always buy it & move on your original purchase.

It was interesting to speak to some PPCLI vets and apparently during Korea they used type 67 scoped T's and the Lyman TP's.
No one seemed to recall the standard T with the mk 3 32 scope over there like the typical 90L.
Apparently HQ Co 2nd Battalion had a few TP's available for the use of troops who wanted to sign one out and take some ammunition "out" and do some plinking.
A fellow I know with another TP figured it is likely on its third barrel and mine is likely on at least its second. Mine has been refinished at some point and has a long butt with no idea how long the original butt was off the rifle.

Two turned up in the hands of the Northern Rangers about ten years back, when the CF was dredging the depots of No.4s, having sold or given the war reserve stocks to the USA to give to the Mujaheddin in Afghanistan, so the story goes.

Regardless, wherever they went, they went, because we were reduced to buying them on the open market while generations of green-garbed bureaucrats in NDHQ kept the file on their replacement passing back and forth for a least three career cycles. LOL