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I'm still looking for a T and just recently saw this one advertised. Can I be bold and ask if some members can cast their eyes over the photos appearing in the advertisement, with a view to confirming authenticity or otherwise.
Lee Enfield No4 Mk1(T)
Many thanks,
IanS
It's a nice exampleQuote:
Originally Posted by IanS
Looks spot on. Nice (and rare) that the scope/rifle are a match.
The missing sling would be a standard U.S. M1907 and they sell for USD $50 to $200 (depends how lucky one is!).
Transit chests were not usually numbered to the rifles, at least not permanently. They usually only had a paper label slipped into an metal document holder on one end because it was not important which chest was used. If you feet you needed a chest, any No. 15 Mk. I chest would do.
This rifle is not cheap, but it all looks very good and correct. Remember the old Rolls-Royce saying "The quality remains long after the price is forgotten." (You can always find another wife after the divorce. ;-)
For the record (as the ad will disappear eventually), Highwood Classic Arms are selling this rifle M33888 made by BSA Shirley in 1944. Set is matching and is missing only the sling and the chest. Fitted with its first and factory matching scope, a No. 32 MK. 3 scope serial number 22153 (so stamped on the wrist of the butt.) The "S51", "TR" "S" and "T" markings are all present. Front scope pad has single stake marks. Fitted with Mk. II butt sling swivel and proper "short" sniper swivel (not tall target version) in front of the magazine. Clamps for scope are numbered W143/W144. Bracket is marked "N92" for Dalglish manufacture and has the single serial number stamped in correctly of M over 33888. Scope case No. 8 MK. I is numbered to the scope. Fore-end is stamped underneath "SL/N/74" and matching serial number "33888" lengthways. Singer backsight Mk. I modified (SM and N67 marked.) The scope number on the lid (outside and inside) is marked differently from the standard British practice. Case has a sling with it which is not common. A bonus is that the seller states that it came from Ireland as surplus so it is nice to know a wee bit of its history.
Looks like it's been reserved for a buyer (probably pending the grant of a firearms certificate variation) for the past couple of weeks....
The proprietor of Highwood Classic Arms is a member of this forum also so I would say its a safe bet.
Simon the owner is 100%, a safe bet and a great bloke.
That rifle is spot on with the correct numbering and letters stamped in the wood and the action a good 1944 example for that price.
That equates to buying that rifle here in Aus at $7,413.14/Au the prices are getting up there.................!
Cinders,
I sold mine in the chest with everything including the faceveil,binos/Telescope and compass for £4500 three years ago to a dutch lad in Arnhem. Yes I let it go a bit cheaper but that was then. I would say they should be fetching £7K + now with everything as issued and correct IMHO.........and rightly so!!
I brought my T from a friend at $6,300/AU 5 years ago +$300 for the aluminium case to get it here so lets say with the addition licensing pushed it to $7K/Au the only saving grace of my 47C BSA Shirley "T" is it is in Peters book as being involved in the front pad trials and has a very early AK & S scope 16684 in 1944 both of whom were paired at that stage and still are both function better than this old bird.......
I think you're a bit late to this party, as mentioned it's already listed as reserved, as is the other one (with transit chest) that Simon had for sale as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by IanS
Good 4T's don't hang around for long - even at the prices they go for these days.
Richard Stork at Devizes Gunsmith stlll has one listed on his website though if your looking.
Always best to enquire even with a reserved or held next to it and leave your details, circumstances can change and some folk drop out of the deal.........always worth looking at Scotarms Catalogue (would avoid any German Snipers though) you can get lucky at times......
Thanks guys, for the very helpful comments, I hadn't noticed the reserved marker as I hit the page with the full advertisement and photographs and not the rifle listing page, silly me!
This T would have suited me nicely, as I'm not too concerned about having the chest, as long as the T is a good example with matching scope. A '43 was probably the one my dad used as his sniper course didn't finish until mid November '43, but I suppose it could have been a '44, if he wasn't issued one until later.
Many thanks yet again to the members of this forum, particularly to Seaforth72, for his detailed run through.
Ian.
The seller, Simon P, is a regular forummer...
Damn good price for that rig. In my humble opinion.
As stated earlier he is a great guy who knows his business and doesn't over do the end users price...........he would rather have you come back in the future, and keep buying his guns.
(Mines a lager Simon):madsmile:
Forgot to mention, I've e-mailed Devizes to show my interest as suggested by bigduke6.
Ian, Its interesting your Dad was Sniper, have you any pics ? don't despair regarding a T they crop up when you least expect it, a matching rig as the one you seen are few and far between, I remember the Irish ones coming on the market and was looking at getting one myself but the ones left were "well used" so to speak.Quote:
Originally Posted by IanS
I've been lucky with mine but they were never matching until recently !!! first was a deal on a barrelled action and the second was just the rifle but all complete with pads etc, this had the original Butt and you could just make out the Scope number, using the matching service on the forum I posted the details of the scope I was looking for but to be honest I knew it would be a slim chance..... until Seaforth72 contacted me and said he knew where my scope was..........
There is another thread regarding the scope in question, so I won't go into detail, but it is a beauty of a scope in fact its about a foot away as I type.........
Moral of the story is don't get too weighed down looking for "Matching" its false economy, A nice example of a rifle would be a good start, with an original Bracket to that rifle is a bonus as this was the match......... (and not the scope)
Thanks for the information on your T bigduke6, I would really like to get an all matching, but as you say, they are few. Have a look at my earlier thread for pics of my dad, http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=48373&page=1.
Ian.
I think you'll find bigduke6 was suggesting contacting Simon at Highwood about the 4T that is listed as reserved in case the deal falls though - as that does indeed sometimes happen.Quote:
Originally Posted by IanS
It was me that said Devizes have a 4T listed for sale. I wouldn't just rely on emailing, best try and call Richard at Devizes to register an interest, or any other dealer selling a good 4T, as time can be of essence with buying a good one of these!! I got my 4T from Richard, and was lucky to be in the right place at the right time, the day after he took it into stock!!
Oh, and my Great-Uncle served with the KOSB in WW1. He was with the 7th Battalion KOSB, and went missing on Day 1 of the Battle of Loos on 25th Sept 1915.
Hi GeeRam, I'll make that call as you suggested and ask him to give me a call if this sale were to fall through and if another T comes into stock. Interesting to hear that your great uncle was with the KOSB in WW1, it's a real shame he was lost like so many others were. I have a book called Covenants with Death, which is full of horrific photos from WW1, the intention was to make people feel so sick that they wouldn't let another war happen. There's a caption in it saying not to let children look at the photos, well I did as a kid and it made me feel sick.
Ian.
Another good read is "The Broken Years" By Gammage about Australians in WWI compiled from letters written home and official records a scarce title but if you get a copy it certainly paints a grim picture for them not only on Galipolli but France as well.
It certainly was a terrible time, so many killed or missing and pretty well all families were related in some way to those that were lost.
I might just scan and put up some of those pictures depicted in the book I mentioned, when I get the opportunity.
Ian.
Indeed.Quote:
Originally Posted by IanS
I was lucky enough to have a direct contact in a way with him, as my grandmother (his younger sister) lived until she was in her mid 90-'s and used to tell me first hand stories about her big brother going off to war, her standing as a child holding onto to her mothers skirt as they stood outside their Falkirk tenement block, as he marched off down the cobbled street in full kit with his SMLE, turned around at the end of the road, waved at them both and was gone around the corner, never to be seen by any of the family again.
My great-grandmother lived until her early 90's as well, passing away in 1970, so I do have fleeting childhood memories of visiting her as a small child, at the same tenement and always being fasinated by the photo of her son, in full KOSB dress unifom, hanging above her bed. Sadly, that photo was just dumped without thought by other members of the family when they cleared out her flat after she passed away, much to my grandmothers horror.
I do have his 'penny' brass death plaque though, and I have twice visited Dud Corner Cemetery at Loos, where his name is engraved on the wall. The first time was when my grandmother was still alive, so was able to take a wreath over from her, at the time she was the last member of the family still alive that actually knew him. I also went back in 2015, 100 years to the day he went missing going over the top. Using Google earth, and original trench maps I was able to get right to the location of the trench (you can still see the trench line on Google earth) the KOSB went over the top from to lay a wreath.
That's a very touching story GeeRam, a trip that you must be proud of having made and what a loss that photograph must be.
You reminded me of my trip to Flushing, when I represented my dad and laid a wreath for him in remembrance of those KOSB that were lost. It was the 75th anniversary of the battle of the Scheldt. He did several trips over the years, to visit the friends he made there. In 2014, he was 93 and didn't feel he was up to making the long flight from Canada. It was a beautiful warm November day and I was proud to have done that for him. The Dutch people were wonderful and they say they will never forget the soldiers who took part in their liberation.