A mint unfired 42 Maltby, Trying to value it

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Originally Posted by 30Three

This has been an interesting post. I can see the rifle is in fabulous condition; but how can you be sure that it is unfired apart from proofing? Unless you've personally picked it up from the proof house and stuck it in the safe.
I have a Maltby that was stored for over 70 year's; it was a parachute drop to the local French Resistance in the summer of 1944. It came with a bandolier of the original ammo and the original bayonet and oil bottle.
When I got it; there were no wear marks on the magazine plate or the bolt rail edge. But I know for a fact it has been fired; not enough to show any real wear and tear; but fired all the same.
It cost 750 Euro's.

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30Three, Yours sounds like a real nice rifle also and with a great history. Mine may just be a little unique in being minty and still as it just it came off the assembly line, less the unknown stock stamp, and having the disposal parts and no England or import stamps. Can't be too many like it you think?
As to being unfired, you are right on that claim, and which means probably no rifle can not claim to be unfired after proofing as there probably is no way to prove it. Firing is firing, I will never use that claim again, Lol, Ray

In my area it's a $500 or $600 max... I purchased a early 1952 no4 mk2 that's wasn't a contract rifle for $400 this year and it's a beautiful example of a no4 mk2. I thought I paid too much at the time but it's condition has convinced me otherwise. In general the smle, no4 mk1 and no4 mk2 will go for about $400-500 after negotiating prices. Jungle carbines are higher for some reason... a LGS has a very very rough condition ishapore SMLE for $100... It's beyond repair IMO. Im in the show me state.

Quote: Fruler. In my area it's a $500 or $600 max... I purchased a early 1952 no4 mk2 that's wasn't a contract rifle for $400 this year and it's a beautiful example of a no4 mk2. I thought I paid too much at the time but it's condition has convinced me otherwise. In general the smle, no4 mk1 and no4 mk2 will go for about $400-500 after negotiating prices. Jungle carbines are higher for some reason... a LGS has a very very rough condition ishapore SMLE for $100... It's beyond repair IMO.
Im in the show me state. Quote:

Well, here' a show me...Lol

And just for information, it just got sold it for $1100. Which is probably still under value for what it is and a good buy for the new owner. Before people make value opinions they should really do some research first. Knowledgeable British collectors knew the value as seen post #24. I'm sure the rifle is probably even more rarer in the states, Ray

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Originally Posted by rayg

Quote: Fruler. In my area it's a $500 or $600 max... I purchased a early 1952 no4 mk2 that's wasn't a contract rifle for $400 this year and it's a beautiful example of a no4 mk2. I thought I paid too much at the time but it's condition has convinced me otherwise. In general the smle, no4 mk1 and no4 mk2 will go for about $400-500 after negotiating prices. Jungle carbines are higher for some reason... a LGS has a very very rough condition ishapore SMLE for $100... It's beyond repair IMO.
Im in the show me state. Quote:

Well, here' a show me...Lol

And just for information, it just got sold it for $1100. Which is probably still under value for what it is and a good buy for the new owner. Before people make value opinions they should really do some research first. Knowledgeable British collectors knew the value as seen post #24. I'm sure the rifle is probably even more rarer in the states, Ray

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Great job rayg. People just in general everywhere do not know what they have. I saw a old man recently walk into a lgs wanting $300 for a vintage colt sp1 a1 type rifle. Guy behind the counter said, " well i dont want to rip you off, ill do $350 . " sold to the gun store. They put it on gunbroker and it went for $1500 i believe.

Well the buyer backed out. Because when I first got the rifle it was missing the sling swivels. I had replaced them with the same condition ones when I first got the rifle. The missing swivels may have something to do with the initials on the stock, Ray

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Originally Posted by rayg

And just for information, it just got sold it for $1100. Which is probably still under value for what it is and a good buy for the new owner. Before people make value opinions they should really do some research first. Knowledgeable British collectors knew the value as seen post #24. I'm sure the rifle is probably even more rarer in the states, Ray

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That sale did not go through because of the replaced parts (the sling swivels) that you didn't mention. It was advertised as a "rare" factory original and unaltered rifle. With swapped out / replaced small parts it is not that. If you are going to place great weight upon its factory originality as the ad "hook" to get top dollar, you need to divulge that you replaced / added parts. The missing swivels was a discussion you had long ago which popped up on a search for the "FNP" stamped in the stock. Swapped out small parts and such are not a big deal on a $300 No.4. Once one gets into territory north of $650 then one expects a factory original rifle, particularly if it is so advertised, which is the significance of its extreme "rarity" and "no other one like it." Again, not a big deal except when one gets well past median price range.

Those swivels were missing when I first got the rifle many years ago when I had posted they were missing when I first got the rifle and I replaced them, but didn't recall this until you jogged my memory. I have since changed my inventory listing indicating such. Outside of the replaced swivels, the rifle is otherwise a minty condition and a scarce Malty being in the condition it is especially made with all the original expedient parts and having no import stamps. There may not be many maltby's like it around, if any. I still wonder why the swivels were purposely removed. There must have been a reason, maybe connected to the stock letters, parade rifle, Naval, range etc? In any case it looks that it possibly was not fired after proofing. Ray

They aren't that scarce. No import stamps usually means that the rifle was surplused prior to the 1968 Gun Control Act. In the case of the No.4, your rifle may well have been culled by the military because something is out of specification. I hate to burst bubbles here but this is a fact although there were some good rifles surplused too prior to 1968. The No.4 was kept in reserve stores until the 1980's in the UK and other Commonwealth countries. The best ones I've seen, (British rifles), were surplused directly from Donnington in the late 1980's and arrived in the USA via Interarms in the early 90's. Then the South African reserve stores which were also imported via Interarms. I have a 1942 Maltby just like yours and have seen many others. I have two 1941 Maltby rifles that are also excellent but I'd never advertise them as "mint" or "unfired". It just ain't realistic. This horse has been flogged to death in my humble opinion.

So there are a lot of 41 Maltby's in what appear to be in unused, minty, condition with no visible wear on any of the parts, like mine still around. Sorry, I had no idea, I thought it was something special. Well as they say, you live and learn. Anyway it was a fun thread, Ray

Peter, Brian, completely independent of the "rarity" of the OP rifle, what do you make of the "FNP" ? My best SWAG was that it was a foreign police force of some kind, old Commonwealth, or recipient of war aid or post war surplus aid which was then surplussed into the US pre-1968, hence the lack of BNP proof, etc. I seriously doubt that the lack of swing swivels has anything to do with shipboard use as if there was any place where a sling was necessary it would be shipboard (boarding, gangways, ladders, etc.). I research it a great deal and never found anything close to British or significant Commonwealth (e.g., Oz, Kiwi, Canadian, SA, etc.) use.
Thanks,
HB