No.4 Mk1(T) M.47 1944

[jmoore]

Hambone's bracket has that little vertical joggle just forward of the rear ring like Roger Payne's "old" unmachined example. I was looking at my N92 brackets and none had this feature. ( It's not like I've got a trunk load of them, however; they are in the minority in my collection.)

So that's two tell tales- more surface porosity and a non-flat LH side. Feel free to shoot holes in my observations, it's all interesting stuff!

Oh, one other oddity- the scope ring screws aren't staked. I'd expect this on this rifle esp. w/ the S/N on the bracket, yes?

Aside from the bracket, I like this rifle's metal bits so far. (Even though I've long ago quit trusting any marks on woodwork, there's little clues that make it look OK, if somewhat too pretty.) There's just no substitute for "hands on", dagnabit!

Looks like pads were resoldered or the surrounding area "scrubbed" a bit, I wonder what is going on there? The inner portion of the screws (visible above the bolt head and body) look "good".

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.

[Hambone]

Oh, one other oddity- the scope ring screws aren't staked. I'd expect this on this rifle esp. w/ the S/N on the bracket, yes?

I see staking on the screws on the scope ring screws, except the rear.

[Roger Payne]

Hambone,
Thx very much for the extra photo's posted.....they are very helpful & I agree, although the very roughness of the casting suggests it, I do not think it is one of mine, (unfettled) even from 15 yrs ago. The absence of a slight step immediately above the top of the dovetail at the rear of the bracket is one giveaway. What does surprise me though, is the state of the machining of the mating surface for the front spigot; remember this was NOT done by Dalgleish, but at H&H. A most unusual specimen. Perhaps Surpmil is right & it just represents a low point in the prettiness of British kit. Do you think the top clamps are original or replacements? They certainly look to have been heavily filed/linished, but they could be originals that have just had a lot of meat removed from them.

ATB

[Hambone]

Tks Roger. The rings are stamped with the same sequential numbers as the cradle portion, so whenever it was built those would seem to be the rings with it, and the whole unit was blackened together. I think the rings were simply filed / ground heavily and not finish polished. Looks like file marks on it in spots. The last 4T rig I had, sold last year, had a much much nicer (prettier) mount.
Regards,
Craig