Of the 1500 No4 trials rifles converted to snipers

[flying pig]

BritishFasteners.com was where I found the screws for my repro build. They were cadmium plated but as Peter stated a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar removed the plating and left a bluable steel fastener.

[breakeyp]

This rifle was purchased from Val Forgett after he had sold most of the L42 rifles he obtained from Britain. He had retained it for the markings and that it was still painted in its working colors. The vertical rack shows trials No.4 (T) rifles as noted by the visible presence of magazine cut off knobs. Hopefully these might be of interest.


Attachment 46480Attachment 46481Attachment 46482Attachment 46483

[PrinzEugen]

Thanks a lot for that breakeyp and XL39 - loving those L42 from trials Ts - you don't get much rarer than that! Surely they'll be high up there in that most expensive Lee Enfields thread discussion - not that you'll ever find one for sale.

Bit of an odd paint scheme on the last one - what would be the thinking behind that? Looks a bit shiny for a service camouflage job.

[Surpmil]

I can think of at least three that turned up in BC/WA. I owned two of them. Knew someone else with two that he sold south of the 49th. They were probably found out here originally. I've found bits of a trials No4 in a friend's parts stock, so that's another one that was probably made into a target or hunting rifle decades ago. Stuff is around.

Here's a nice picture from the IWM to look at anyway. LCpl. A.P. Proctor, 56th Div. Italy, 1943. Notice the cutoff is still fitted.

Attachment 46500

[Roger Payne]

.....and it's fully cocked! (Am I allowed to say things like that on this forum??).

[jmoore]

.....and it's fully cocked!

That's in case a safety Nazi shows up. Makes quicker work of 'em.

[5thBatt]

That's in case a safety Nazi shows up. Makes quicker work of 'em.

Cutoff open so can dispatch the first ten quickly & efficiently.

[chosenman]

Hi All,
This is my 1931 trials T which as I understand spent the war in Canadian hands and was FTR'd in 45.

[Peter Laidler]

I wouldn't necessarily agree that Pauls ex trials L42 left service in the green as shown. I say this because - and I know Tankie and Skippy will agree here - but when equipment such as the L42 is returned to Ordnance, it was returned via what we call and RSSD because in this case, it wasn't obsolete, but OBSOLESCENT and destined as War Reserve Stores for 10 years. That is why that had a programme to rebuild them and indeed, procured more parts such as brackets, eye caps and fore-ends (that were even more dire than the originals!) plus some other parts of the CES. When they've been through the RSSD they go back into War Stores, Reserve Stores or Mobilisation stocks. And it is the job of the examiners (and Ivan Cooper, kinown as Ivan the terrible, was one of the small arms examiners) there to ensure that when they go back on the shelf so to speak, that they are in serviceable or EMER condition.

And green paint ain't! I think that the paint is someones afterthought. That's only my personal opinion based on absolutely nothing more than experience.

But if we didn't have these checks, you would end up getting supplied from Ordnance with someones returned absolutely worn out trash. Mind you, that happened occasionally too, mainly with vehicles!

[chosenman]

---------- Post added at 03:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:00 PM ----------

Hooooooorah, there's my Trials T!!!!

---------- Post added at 03:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:01 PM ----------

Hooorah!!!!! there's my Trials T!!!