1944 BSA No. 4 Mk 1 (T) Less Telescope

[RCEMERalf]

What have I got? I have owned this one for just over 30 years. I have been meaning to post pictures following the lead of others who have contributed so much by doing so. This rifle is in very nice condition with a couple small dents in the wood and some chipped finish on the left side of the butt socket. Beautiful shiny, smooth rifling. Alloy butt plate. M47 marked on trigger guard, safety and bolt head. Magazine not numbered. Bolt cannot be removed without lifting the rear sight. The receiver has a course black finish as does the trigger guard and lower band which is marked "S126" in a circle. The bolt is finished a bit smoother as is the front sight guard and magazine. The stamped front band is shiny black. The metal end caps on the forend and front hand guard are smoothly blued as is the exposed portion of the barrel. There is a bit of both light and dark coloured grease on portions. I an expecting the pictures ( 25) to tell more of the story. An comments welcome. I also have a mismatched scope in a can, which I will also post in the near future. Thanks.

Information

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[Badger]

Although yours is marked as mfg by BSA, check the MKL and read this article by Advisory Panel member Lance, along with 165 pic photo montage to compare components:

1942 No.4 Mk1*(T) Savage Sniper Rifle (less scope)

The Transit Chest for "T.Less Telescope" as used when building and for storage of these partially completed snipers.

Regards,
Doug

[jmoore]

Having been staked and given it's vintage, you'd think it would have had a telescope at some point. At least before the Suncorite was applied. (Probably when the staking was done.) Any signs of a "ghost" number on top of the wrist?

Might be hard to see but this looks like a good candidate to inquire: Any marking on the top of the forestock under the front pad?

I.e.:


In this location but on top of the wood.

[RCEMERalf]

Thanks guys for your input. The Savage," Less Telescope" referenced above also has staked screws. Yes, "X" marking found on the wood under the front pad. No trace of ghost numbers on the top of small of the butt. There are fine transverse scratches that are very suspicious. The wood there is still proud of the socket, but not as much as on the sides. Again, lots of pictures.

[blurrededge]

I have a VERY similar 44 BSA Less T No4 to you, also in it's chest. It's in great condition as well. The markings are pretty much exactly the same, pads staked the same, alloy butt plate, same finish to the wood. The action has a thicker coating on it, the carbanised looking type, Brunofix I believe it's called, can't see the action side markings on mine. My front band is not the pressed style as yours is but is the same manufacturer! it looks like you have a solid type foresight block band as do I which SEAMS to be a feature of these 44 BSA T's (I found that bit of info in a previous thread on this site) in fact pretty much everything I know about the BSA Less T came from here, it's a slog trawling old threads but very rewarding.
I've even got the ENGLAND import stamp on the breech like yours so I guess mine had a holiday in the States years ago.

Thanks for your post, nice to see another one of these uncommon rifles and FWIW I think your rifle is spot on original

[RCEMERalf]

" Trawling old threads" I found this one, that is very useful in this case, by searching, "less telescope".
Questions About My No.4 Mk1 (T) Sniper Rifle [Archive] - Military ...
Also 15 MK1 chest is stamped (T. Less Telescope) on the front. But tag on the end of the chest mentions the MKIII scope. I am unable to locate ...
Questions About My No.4 Mk1 (T) Sniper Rifle [Archive] - Military Surplus Collectors Forums...

[Lee Enfield]

Thanks guys for your input. The Savage," Less Telescope" referenced above also has staked screws. Yes, "X" marking found on the wood under the front pad. No trace of ghost numbers on the top of small of the butt. There are fine transverse scratches that are very suspicious. The wood there is still proud of the socket, but not as much as on the sides. Again, lots of pictures.

Is that a (19)'56 breaching date in the 2nd last photo?

[boltaction]

I was just shown some pictures of an identically set up rifle, also in crate, marked the same, and it is serial number 37804.............

Ed

[jmoore]

Is that a (19)'56 breaching date in the 2nd last photo?

Unlikely as there's a distinct '44 marking in a photo just above and to the right.

Thanks for the supplemental photos. Very useful.

Would have to suppose the old scope number was removed when it was gone through and cased w/o scope.

[blurrededge]

I think your rifle was never set up with a scope and therefore didn't get the scope number stamped on the wrist or the T stamp on the action side, the cross grain sanded wood finish on the wrist top is exactly the same on my Less T rifle. Your rifle was put into Army stores as it is, less scope, in it's marked chest until it was disposed of. The scope my rifle came with is a very late 45 mk3 with unnumbered bracket which I believe were also placed in army stores to be issued as replacements, I have no scope info written on my Less T marked chest and I believe the scope was added to the rifle after it left service, unless anyone knows different. All this info is in Peter Laidlers book " The No4T An Armourers Perspective"