French Resistance No4Mk1.

I acquired this 1944 No4Mk1 in May of this year, but it's taken until last week to complete the paperwork. Hence my wait before showing you the rifle. It was part of a parachute drop to the local resistance in the Eure and Loir region around the time of the invasion. It has been properly preserved for over 70 years. It is quite frankly in spectacular order. There are a few marks on the woodwork; but no rot at all. The metal work still had traces of cosmoline; and hardly any signs of wear at all.
Took it to the range yesterday. It is accurate and the whole thing; trigger, bolt etc, just feels like new. Not bad for a 73 year old rifle.
Attachment 88111Attachment 88112Attachment 88113Attachment 88114Attachment 88115

Note: I removed my prescription lenses from my safety glasses for the second set of 5 shot's. Makes quite a difference when you can see properly!(I use them for pistol shooting)

Is it a long branch?

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Originally Posted by Homer

Is it a long branch?

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Homer--

It says Maltby on the target.

Nice find.

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Originally Posted by 30Three

I acquired this 1944 No4Mk1 in May of this year, but it's taken until last week to complete the paperwork. Hence my wait before showing you the rifle. It was part of a parachute drop to the local resistance in the Eure and Loir region around the time of the invasion. It has been properly preserved for over 70 years. It is quite frankly in spectacular order. There are a few marks on the woodwork; but no rot at all. The metal work still had traces of cosmoline; and hardly any signs of wear at all.
Took it to the range yesterday. It is accurate and the whole thing; trigger, bolt etc, just feels like new. Not bad for a 73 year old rifle.
Attachment 88111Attachment 88112Attachment 88113Attachment 88114Attachment 88115

Note: I removed my prescription lenses from my safety glasses for the second set of 5 shot's. Makes quite a difference when you can see properly!(I use them for pistol shooting)

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Really well done, great find (been looking forward to these pics). A fine rifle with French resistance pedigree, I hope your fellow shooters appreciate it at the range mate...

I still hold out hope of procuring a resistance used K98 or No4 one day...

Fantastic find, color me green with envy.

Wow nice! Where did you find that one at?

This came to via a friend who knows the son of the local resistance fighter that collected the parachute drop and stored it after the war.
I had heard about it some time ago and would occasionally ask if it would become available. That paid off in May when I collected it. Took 5 months for the paperwork to get done.

Your rifle is special only because of the story, so I trust you've documented everything you possibly can for the future? Most WW2 veterans have now "been promoted", my Dad among them, and even their sons [like me] are getting old; so whatever you can record now is important - it will all be impossible to replicate in the future.
Rob

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Originally Posted by 30Three

local resistance fighter that collected the parachute drop and stored it after the war

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That's an awesome history! -- in the words of Neopolitan Dynamite - lucky

A real peach!

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Originally Posted by RobD

Your rifle is special only because of the story, so I trust you've documented everything you possibly can for the future? Most WW2 veterans have now "been promoted", my Dad among them, and even their sons [like me] are getting old; so whatever you can record now is important - it will all be impossible to replicate in the future.
Rob

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Thats some sound advise Rob, Its surprising when were looking for info etc and realise how much has gone to the grave. One thing I would say to 30Three after you document it, I'd keep it low profile .............if you did let everyone see, Im sure there would be a lot more rifles suddenly surface from the same source......

I know the name of the family, but will not publish that here obviously. The rifle came with a bandolier of ammo and the original spike bayonet; no frog or rifle sling; I suspect they were removed when they were greased up for storage.
I am trying to get a meeting with a 95 year old gentleman from the next village who had some ties with the resistance at that time. He hid a couple of airmen in his house and got them passed along to the escape circuit. The airmen were discovered hiding in a shed by my neighbours father, who was 14 at the time. Unfortunately he passed away 3 years ago.
I'm hopng we may be able to identify some of the fighters in the photo archive that I have of the liberation of the town.