Enfield No. 4 sniper in Vietnam

[841NER]

I've seen NVA propaganda footage of a No4T being used by a VC sniper. May have been a recapture the Major was carrying.

[Surpmil]

I think he has just fired a round, and the bolt has popped open in good old SMLE style. Being a No1 MkV, the rearsight has also self-adjusted itself forward! Interesting that the VC? shooter does actually appear to be taking aim properly through the sights; he's obviously a bit more aux fait with firearms than some of the Africans and Arabs I've tried to train in the past....

Rifles does appear to be in very good condition.

I think you're right on all counts.

[Peter Laidler]

Sorry to disagree chaps but I think the apparently partially open bolt is due to camera angle. The pic is taken from slightly behind and low. You can see this from the angle of the F/S protectors. As a result, the bolt looks as though it's popped open. Not so! I think we discussed this phenomena at some length and while the bolt does tend to 'unwind' when dry-fired, it doesn't do the same when live firing - and certainly not to the extent shown!

If there is a sight that's folded down during recoil........., where is the upright 'battle sight' part of the sight. I think that this is one of those thousands of Mk5's that were unfinished when the project was abandoned in favour of the Mk6 and then...... Well, the rest is history........

Personally, I think that it's a posed picture as if he's firing, he's certainly not recoiling and the pic certainly doesn't illustrate any such movement, even muzzle smoke

As an afterthought, he's not flinching and if it'd just been fired the trigger would be at the back of the trigger guard.

[Thunderbox]

It'd be great if someone could find a better resolution copy of this photo. I've tried to enhance it, but there is very little detail available.

I still reckon the backsight is there - the whole slider assembly seems to have moved up to the charger bridge end.

Still looks to me like the bolt is partially open - a black line seems to indicate a shadow under the bolt rib, and the "hump" of the bolt handle is clearly raised above the line of the bolt body.

[onlycrimson]

Mosin Nagant missing the hand gaurd in the background?

[browningautorifle]

I think that's the flute of the folded bayonet that's playing optical illusion.

[gew8805]

.....................
Perhaps it came the route of the Australians in Vietnam as the book states a close relationship with them and U.S. Army Special Forces in that conflict.

It could be, Australia sent 30 advisers to Viet Nam in 1962 and their forces slowly rose to battalion strength by 1965, then task force strength in 1966 but did the Aussies ever use the No.4 Sniper? Maybe Peter can comment? China received, IIRC, 40,000 Savage-made No.4s from the US as aid during the Second World War but none were sniper rifles, they were simply standard rifles. Since the Chinese were prime suppliers to the NVA by the late '60s, it is possible that some of the Savage rifles and even some Rifles No.1 were used. But, of course, that doesn't answer how a US officer got hold of a No.4 sniper..... Maybe it was a personal rifle that he purchased as surplus in the US? With his rank a personal weapon was not an unheard of thing.

[Peter Laidler]

My Battalion had No4T sniper rifles in Malaya but that was because the pooled Ordnance stocks were supplied by the Poms. I never saw a No4T used anywhere else and the Battalions in SVn The 'sniper rifle' there was a telescoped M-14 and Cpl Bond was i/c the snipers section in 8RAR. They weren't true 'snipers' but more 'good shots'

There was a lot of weaponry sloshing around but the battalions stuck to the order of battle

[Terry Hawker]

But, of course, that doesn't answer how a US officer got hold of a No.4 sniper..... Maybe it was a personal rifle that he purchased as surplus in the US? With his rank a personal weapon was not an unheard of thing.

gew 8805,

That's an easy question to answer.

Special Forces in those days was, (and probably still is), a bit different to the rest of the Army as far as weapons use was concerned. Within reason, SF troops were allowed to carry pretty much whatever they wanted - enlisted personnel, or officers. In acquiring a Weapons MOS, we trained on most foreign and domestic weapons, from WW II forward. I remember cadre telling our Weapons class, "When you get to 'Nam, get yourself a Browning High Power!" My brother-in-law, a veteran of CCN, carried a Swedish K. Different strokes...

Weapons of all types, eras and national origin were available. This officer obviously had excellent taste.

Terry

[onlycrimson]

I think that's the flute of the folded bayonet that's playing optical illusion.

I see that now. Probably an m44 or other carbine then.