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The latest American Rifleman magazine contains a pretty good article on the No.4T rifle but I question one of the author's statements; "Serial numbers on British No.4T's are almost always stamped along the forend rather than across it." Why would that be? Have we discussed this here before?
That's pretty much true for factory original rifles as supplied by BSA/H&H. It's NOT necessarily true for rifles that have seen service and have been back to workshops for repair or full blown FTR.
Its probably something to do with H&H's standard on lining everything up with the bore! All the Shotguns and Rifles they build even have every screw in the same direction!
Lining up the screw slots is called "pointing" the screws. It was a common thing to do for almost every trade that used slotted screws.... starting with cabinet makers. Have a look at the grips on all your Commonwealth bayonets...Quote:
Originally Posted by XL39E1
Lot easier on the bayonets as you just tighten up the nut, as for H&H its the quality and craftmanship that you still pay for......Quote:
Originally Posted by Son
Slightly off topic but regarding craftsman, was in a conversation the other day with a guy who said his uncle shoed horses , so he,s a farrier I said, no he,s a blacksmith the guy said, think you will find he is a farrier if he just does horses etc, no no he,s a black smith......... I walked away in the end.
I fixed one or two bayonets and don't remember pointing the screws although I did polish the screw and nut heads on a dozen wood handled L1A1 bayonets I prepared for the ceremonial quarter guard outside the Brigade HQ in Australia. Happy Days!
H&H did not externally number forends with stamps (unless they started late in production). It seems to be a post-WWII thing. Fazackerly seemed to number (and date) forends during the war, but not so much anybody else. Peter Laidler HAS commented on the whys of numbering the wordwork a couple of years back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve H. in N.Y.
So a rifle with NO serial number on the bracket, forend, and magazine would have been surplused early on.
H&H DID number the woodwork , but in areas not visible after assembly. Even handguards.
all my T woodwork has penciled serials inside. it does have the rifle serial stamped on the forend though.
Out of curiosity, is the article available on line? I quickly checked the NRA web site yesterday but couldn't find it.
Certainly the vast majority of UK manufactured 4T's I've seen conform to this type of marking (serial along the forend rather than across), but I suppose that may just mean that the vast majority that I've encountered have been through ordnance repair/refurb
ATB
On a slightly different note, but in keeping with the above request for this American Rifleman article (which I'd like to see too) I was also wondering if the article "For tea or Not for tea?" by a certain Dr Roger Payne, in the 2002, issue No. 22, of Ian Skennerton's "Arms and Militaria Collector" magazine is available anywhere or could be reproduced at all? I came across it mentioned in passing in he Skennerton Enfield 'bible' - a festive acquisition.
Can somebody post a copy of the article?or is it against the copyright rules?
Prinz,
The article I wrote was published in Ian's periodical & was also printed in a couple of other journals about the world. I re-wrote it with one or two updates for 'The Armourer' here in the UK in about 2005-6. AFAIK This latter article is probably still available if you contact them for the relevant back issue. I also did a companion article on WW1 stuff, although even in the few years since it was written a lot more info has become available on 1914-18 sniping scopes, mounts etc........
In fact it covers most of the same ground as Nigel's more recent articles that are available through this site, but with the advantage that Nigel also expanded the subject on the 4T to reloading for it & to associated sniping related literature (pams etc).
Happy New Year.
Just found a copy on the internet.On page 146 the article on the #4T starts.
Cheaper Than Dirt! - The American Rifleman Vol. 160, No. 1 January 2012
Saved for posterity ... ;)
The American Rifleman Vol. 160, No. 1 January 2012 (No.4(T) Article
Regards,
Doug
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The article's not time specific about when the forend marking was applied, so the question of directionality can be addressed separately. I have 'em both ways, and have never noticed any real preference on others. One thing that seems common, though, are the circular impressions surrounding the numbers on those forends that are marked longitudinally. Less often on the S/Ns running perpendicular to the forend's long axis. Other than that, they seem neatly done- moreso than the Fazackerly "factory" numbering on non-"T"s.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve H. in N.Y.