Lee Enfield No.4 Mk1* with R.E.L. No32TP scope

[Badger]

There's a new ad been posted in the For Sale and Auction Elsewhere section of the Quartermaster Stores.

Lee Enfield No.4 Mk1* with R.E.L. No32TP scope (click here)


Seller Says:

$8,825.00 U.S.

LEE ENFIELD NO4 MKI* (T) SNIPERS RIFLE; 303 British; 95% blue, excellent bore, very good stock, 25.25'' barrel, Canadian No4 T rifle built on a Long Branch MKI* 1942 dated rifle, Matching bolt and forend, Birch stock, Small parts are correct LB parts, R.E.L. No32TP receiver mount is C /I 57 marked surrounded by a sideways U, Lyman Alaskan 2.5X scope with excellent optics, Mount is mis-matched numbered 74L0139, MKIII stamped rear sight has the battle aperature removed, Front trigger guard screw has been replaced? Not having the sling swivel, Mount screw heads are buggered a bit and one receiver mount screw has a broken head, The British Sniper pp 179-183, s/n 8L21xx

So, in order to save some unsuspecting Enfield collector a lot of money, how about some feedback in this thread as to what's wrong with this ad?

Regards,
Badger

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.

[Claven2]

For starters...

It should have a Mk1 sight modified to T spec, not a MkIII. The scope is m/m. The seller claims birch, looks like maple of beech to me, either way - it should be walnut.

The mount is either missing a screw, or the screw is twisted off in the receiver (broken).

Looks like a put-together to me. Also, the most important inspection stamps are not shown in any pics.

[Cantom]

For starters...

It should have a Mk1 sight modified to T spec, not a MkIII. The scope is m/m. The seller claims birch, looks like maple of beech to me, either way - it should be walnut.

The mount is either missing a screw, or the screw is twisted off in the receiver (broken).

Looks like a put-together to me. Also, the most important inspection stamps are not shown in any pics.

All of the pictures I've collected of the LB TP sniper rifle show a stamped rear sight with no battle sight aperture. Either a Mk III or a Cmk3 sight, can't see which.

Does anyone have a pic of a TP rifle with a Mk I sight?

Pics of these rifles are not plentiful. The Cno67 pictures are even scarcer. Anyone have any?

[stencollector]

I'll concur with the put together bit. The Lymans were all done in a nice neat batch in that 74L series. I can't see the serial number on the scope to see if it falls in the proper range for the Canadian purchase of Lyman's.

In my opinion, it is a Lyman bracket on an original rifle mount, but the rifle is just any old LongBranch. Several of these mounts were sold on ebay about 3 years or so back.

If the Lyman is in the correct serial range, you have maybe $2000 worth of collectible optics on what was a $300 rifle. If the cheekpad is original, you might see another $125 or so on a good day.

Oh yeah, the front band screw is on backwards....screws should go from left to right.

[Lance]

Shame to of wasted a nice '42 8L rifle with maple

[Lee Enfield]

Scope appears properly marked, rings are real, base looks real.

Rifle really appears parkerized, which would certainly imply post 1950 Canadian FTR; and as pointed out ALL of the T.P.s are in the 74L block.

There was an abberation though, a few years ago there was a discussion about 71L block rifles with MkI brackets serialized in the 74L block.

Apparently the serializer misread or forgot to change the pantograph from 74L back to 71L, as the last 4 digits of the serial were correct.

[Warren]

71 series are a reality....as are another few serial numbers, but they will not be published as the "humpers" will have them on the market within the week...
Same as the REL series. There are several that do not fit into the "accepted" sequences, but Clive and I discussed this when he was writing/researching his book on the Canadian sniper and decided the numbers would stay private...for now

[303sniper]

Hi all,

I have to agree with all of you. It looks to me like an "buba rebuild".
The scope could be an fake too, there isn't an picture showing the all important s/n from the scope. If I can see it correctly in the one picture the s/n is stamped behind the nam "Alaskan". The real ones have the serial number stamed in anothe place (I can tell you were because I have one in my collection as Lance knows).
The screws which are used to attach the mount are "screwed up", an armourer would have replaced them because they wouldn't have passed the inspection. You already mentioned the s/n on the rifle, the TP's were all in the 74L range.

The mount on the rifle looks to me as an fake too, its to neat te be that old!!! It more looks like an repro made by Skolie (I hope remeberd his EBAY name correctly). He sold some originals in the past (three to be precise) and is now selling repro's.
The scope rings are the only real deal as far as I can tell from the pictures.

My advise would be : offer the seller 500US$ for the scope rings and tell him to sell the rest as an Bubba Rifle that looks like an TP32.

[Warren]

You are still alive !!! Drop me a private email....
Cheers,
Warren

[tiriaq]

See p. 39 in Without Warning, rifle with 32TP scope has modified Mk. I sight. Rifle with C67 type scope on p. 45, and rifle with experimental 5X scope on p. 41 also have altered Mk. I sights.