SMLE Sniper - 'I think the photos say everything'

Apologies if this rifle has been discussed before on this forum, but I stumbled across this rifle in the early hours of this morning on UK website MJLMilitaria. I can't believe such things are put up for sale and especially with a price tag of £3,795.00.

The description of the rifle reads as follows:

"This is a near mint condition SMLE Sniper Rifle. Well what can I say!! WOW!

This is the best-looking SMLE I have ever seen with the largest military scope I have ever seen. 100% original and not messed about with. I don’t know how to describe it! I think the photos say everything. Complete with original WW1 leather sling. A real museum piece! Complete with deactivation certificate."

I wonder what brand / manufactuer of the scope is ?

It looks vaguely familiar. Have we seen it before, or something very like it? Suspect the cheekpiece might just be original 4T although heavily sanded. As for the rest, well............

I think its been around the houses a few times.

IIRC it came up at Holts a few years ago.

Yup, it just can't find a home. Fred the armourer at Bisley was trying to flog it at an arms fair maybe 2011-ish. He said it was made up for one of Lord Lovat's snipers as officer's private purchase. So that must be true, hey?

Personally, I'd consider the phrases "100% original and not messed about with" and "complete with deactivation certificate" to be mutually exclusive...

Shame about the over zealous tightening in the vice buried deep into the wood work. Looks a nice piece.

Aaaaaaggggghhh!!!!!!! Stop it, Stop it, Stop it. It hurts my eyes.:eek:

So now we know what Herr Major Koenig did in WWI! :D

Plainly someone missed their vocation as a weapons designer for the Star Wars films. :rolleyes:

I wonder who put the vise jaw marks in that nice early forend?

Why would you pay that for a non-shooter even as a collectible they have to go bang otherwise they are nothing but dust collectors of minimal use!