No. 4 MK I T Sporter *PICS*

[thrawnformbi]

Hello gents - I just came into this No. 4 sporter that seems to have all of the hallmarks of a former T sniper. In my miniscule experience I made the judgement that it was likely an original H&H conversion and not a fake based on the fact that someone attempted to dress it down from its sniper configuration as opposed to dressing it up and passing it off as a real deal rifle.

Just seems less likely someone would try and fake a sniper and put it in sporter configuration but hell I guess anything is possible. Someone may have sportered a fake at some point!

Easy to get in the weeds here so I figured I'd consult the experts who are more likely to recognize the minutia of the stamping and the milling and everything else that goes into verifying provenance.

The barrel has been, sadly, cut down to 24" so that will obviously need to be replaced. But I've got a good bracket from Roger (and a set of Fultons pads that I guess I wont need). Warren has kindly taken a look at the reproduction RSM MK III scope I recently purchased so hoping that Chinese tube will be useable and collimate within acceptable limits. I have a nice set of timber but part of me would like to try and rescue the buttstock and keep the serial along the wrist. Too bad the S51 is obliterated - if it was ever there that is.

Based on the images how does it look to you? Worthy of a restore?

I've included an imgur link just in case the photos dont upload properly

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[thrawnformbi]

Attachment 116281Attachment 116280Attachment 116271Attachment 116270Attachment 116272Attachment 116273Attachment 116274Attachment 116275Attachment 116276Attachment 116277Attachment 116278Attachment 116279

[30Three]

I'm no expert; but that looks like the real thing to me. I'm expect our resident expert's will agree; (or put us right).
Looks like a great one to restore and worth the investment of a new barrel. I would love a project like that!

[Roger Payne]

It would make a lovely restoration project. It is as honest as the day is long. Just a shame that Bubba got at it. However, the rifle body is unmolested, it retains its original bolt, complete with zero bolt head & so you have the basics for a nice rebuild. It also has its correct rear sight which is a bonus. You'll need a barrel, a set of woodwork, & some furniture such as barrel bands, triangular front trigger guard swivel & so on........but it is all doable.

If you don't want it I'll give it house room.........!

[Brian B]

Thrawnformbi,

Looks like you bought it. I saw that one earlier today. Appears to be a very worthy restoration project. Congratulations!!

[Surpmil]

Highly restorable, and you could probably restore the barrel to full length with an over-bored sleeve made from the end of a junked barrel. Turn the existing one down in a lathe up to half way through the foresight lugs, then turn and bore the sleeve to fit and epoxy or solder on so that the other "half" of the foresight lugs are on the sleeve and they "meet in the middle" so that the join is centered on and covered by the foresight base. The base will then help to hold it all together. A thermal fit would an option: cool the barrel and warm the sleeve and drive on. With a sufficiently large counter-bore it should be quite safe to shoot IMO.

[BurtonP]

Lovely. I'd definitely keep the buttstock, and might consider keeping the forestock too. I've got better at replacing, splicing, and matching the missing bits of forestocks than I have at bedding rifles. If it's going to be shot, and accuracy is important to you (and with a 4T I'm sure it is), the bedding is a consideration.
Cheers,
Burton

[thrawnformbi]

Thanks for all of your input so far chaps. I am committed to undoing as much of bubbas work as possible. Once the buttstock was removed I noticed that it still retains the serial number stamp. A quick wipe with turpentine also showed a much crisper scope number stamp so I'm adamant about making the buttstock serviceable. I've had to remove a considerable amount of wood to glue in a patch but I think with a few brass pins it should hold fine. I generally use West Epoxy at varying viscosities for my wood repairs but decided to go classic wood glue this time around as I got the block in very very tight. I used a padded vise to fit the block tight. Unfortunately I didn't have a large enough piece of walnut so I was forced to laminate a few pieces to make a block thick enough. Also milled out the wood patch in the swivel recess.



Attachment 116450Attachment 116451Attachment 116452Attachment 116453

[Roy]

Nice clean wood and a good fit with waterproof wood glue and that is not going anywhere. If you plan to take it to Burma then maybe a couple of hardwood pegs would help.

[thrawnformbi]

Attachment 116457

Ready for some stain and RLO.