Early No.4 Mk.1 Cocking Pieces

[Charlie]

I have a early 1941 LB and a very early Savage 1942, No.4 Mk.1 (not Mk.1*) both have the Button Style cocking pieces. I have two very early 1941 BSA (Shirley) rifles (first run no prefix letter) both have the slab type cocking pieces. I don't think I have ever seen an early Brit built No.4 Mk.1 with the button cocking piece. Were they ever used in production rifles at the English factories ? As an aside, the LB and Savage mentioned above both have South African property marks and are in excellent ++ condition.

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.

[jrhead75]

I've got an early ('L' prefix, IIRC) Maltby bolt with a button style CP. Unfortunately, I still need to find a rifle to slide under it.

[barbarossa]

My No.4 rifle is a BSA production example dated '41, serial number 611 likely manufactured in October 1941 IIRC with all matching serial numbers. It has a RSAF Enfield made trials pattern cocking piece which I believe is original to the rifle.

[limpetmine]

I have a roll stamped 1941 Fazakerly with a button knobbed bolt.

[jmoore]

Not a good side view to be found, but IIRC it's Singer mfg'd.

They look a little different from the 1930's Enfield , the Long Branch, and the Savage cocking pieces.

[Peter Laidler]

Just because a rifle has one NOW shouldn't be an indication that it's always had one. I'll tell you why. If we had 400 No4 rifles in for a big Base Repair, then they'd be fully stripped and only the bolt would remain wired to the rifle and the fore-end/magazine case which would be identified by serial number to go back onto it. The remaining parts would be examined and accepted or rejected. One reject for cocking pieces was a ribbed or worn sear bent (the front sear nose area) and these would go to the machine shop where an Armourer or machinist would just skim a gnats knacker (or for you wild colonials or great unwashed antipodeans, that's the equivalent of a RCH) off the surface. Then they'd all come back to the assembly bay where the rifles would be assembled. The only 'original' in-inspected parts that would go back on the rifle was the bolt,fore-end and magazine. But even then, if the fore-end and/or magazine was defective, they'd be changed too.

Likewise, if a pile of mix and match cocking pieces came in from Ordnance, then the obsolete ones would be scrapped but the remainder, even if they were obsolescent early patterns would be used just the same.

Just another bit of 'how it really happened' info for you..............

[Roger Payne]

Charlie,
Yes, as JM & others mention they are found on Maltby (& BSA) rifles. I have both Maltby & BSA 1941 manufacture T's with the button cocking pieces fitted, & which so far as I can ascertain, are original to the rifles. They were made by Singer. Singer also produced waisted foresight protectors & these are often found on early manufacture rifles. They were probably fitted to Faz rifles as well, but I have not owned very many of these. No doubt someone out there will have one.....

ATB

[MK Wheelie]

Until recently I had never even heard of the button type cocking piece. (doesn't mean much as I don't know that much about LEs) Then a few years back, I picked up two LE's, a No,1 and a No.4. The No.1 came with two bolts, each of them with the button. Due to head space issues, I picked up a third one. It too was the button type. Oddly, the No.4 also came with the button type.

I don't have anything interesting to add about them, just verifying that there are a few of them out there for the No.4.