Gray paint on wood case????

[Vincent]

I have this wood case and I am wondering about the gray paint.



The gray paint doesn't look original. But I know not of these things.

I am wondering if I should strip it, repaint it, or just leave it the ugly gray?

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

Quite a few of the No4T chests seem to turn up in grey paint. I don't know why as it was never in the Army spec. It wasn't the RAF type blue either. I we knew the disposal point, we could pin it down to an Ordnance Depot...............

[Edward Horton]

Mr. Laidler

Our American Navy painted everything "Navy Gray", did the British Navy or the Royal Marines use the No.4 (T)

[Thunderbox]

Battleship Grey = RN?

I remember ships pistols being kept in a grey box of this identical colour. I think RN grey was made by mixing one part black and nine parts white; if that matches your transit chest then this might be a clue...

Going onto a quick thread hijack: Peter, did you ever see a transit chest in raw wood? This one is in poor condition, but does not appear to have been paint-stripped - there are not even the tiniest flecks of paint in the grain of the wood, just some surface dust. Interestingly, the chest carries a 1944 date stamped or branded into the wood:

[Edward Horton]

Thunderbox; Battleship Grey = RN?

I remember ships pistols being kept in a grey box of this identical colour. I think RN grey was made by mixing one part black and nine parts white; if that matches your transit chest then this might be a clue...

Going onto a quick thread hijack: Peter, did you ever see a transit chest in raw wood? This one is in poor condition, but does not appear to have been paint-stripped - there are not even the tiniest flecks of paint in the grain of the wood, just some surface dust. Interestingly, the chest carries a 1944 date stamped or branded into the wood.

I hate it when the British beat me to the answer in forums.....................

Time for a little history lesson to complement my visit to Lake Champlain Battery Park Yesterday

[KIMBO65]

HI, I WAS TOLD THAT A J PARKERS HAD LOADS OF THESE TRANSIT CHESTS YEARS AGO & THEY PAINTED THEM GREY???.I DON'T KNOW HOW TRUE THIS IS! . I'VE HAD 2 GREY TRANSIT CHEST IN THE PAST, BOTH THE SAME SHADE OF GREY.

[Nate]

My matching #4mk1T also had a grey chest. There must be something to this. I considered painting it the expected green but thought better of it and let it be.

[spinecracker]

On an aside, I seem to remember that Mr. Laidler mentioned that No.4 T chest manufacture was, in part, done by Elliotts of Newbury. I was born and raised less than 1 mile away from the Elliott's factory, and remember seeing it before it was pulled down in the 70's. Elliotts also produced ammunition boxes during the First World War, and produced components for aircraft, including the Supermarine Spitfire, Tiger Moth, De Havilland Mosquito, the Airspeed Oxford and the Airspeed Horsa glider. Only just up the road in Thatcham was the Army Depot where many No.4 Ts (and L42A1s and L39A1s) spent some time. I spent my youth surrounds by military history and didn't even know it!

Useless trivial, but it is a tiny part of Lee Enfield history, and I like it

[Vincent]

So it's a No4T chest.

I am not sure about the rifle. Is it a No4T?

[Peter Laidler]

Looking at the wood Thunderbox, I would say with more or less certainty, that the box has been pine stripped in that weak caustic soda based stuff that they use.

And Vinny............. If you didn't already know it, that's a No4T that you've got in your grubby little mitts! They are very common and cheap and only worth a few dollars. So I suggest that you sell it to me cheap.