Bought two Enfield No4 Mk1 (T)’s sort of by accident...one matching scope to rifle.

[corco]

Bought two Enfield No4 Mk1 (T)’s sort of by accident...one matching scope to rifle, both with transport and scope cases.

I put in sealed bids on two Enfield No4 Mk1 (T)'s with transport cases and scope cases, one matching scope and scope bracket to the rifle. It was for more than I wanted to spend but it was still a lot lower then what I thought these two Enfield’s would ever go for. I thought that there was not a chance at all that I would get either one of them for under what I bid. Well it turned out that only one or two other people bid on them late at night and I ended up winning the auction for both of them.

This is why posted earlier asking how often an all matching (T) with transport case ad scope case comes up for sale. I have not seen too many.

I verified that these two rifles have all the markings that this web site The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum, Peter Laidler and Ian Skennerton talk about in their book "An Armourer’s Perspective: .303 No.4 (T) Sniper rifle and the Holland & Holland Connection", Peter Laidler's book "Telescope Sighting No. 32...An Inside view of the Snipers rifle telescope" and Charles R. Stratton's book "British Enfield Rifles Volume 2 3rd Edition, Revised, Lee-Enfield No.4 and No.5 Rifles" state they should have. One or two small things are different than what a book says but my research looking and cataloging all the (T)'s I came across on the Internet shows that most (T)'s have the same fore-end parts as these two. I am guessing that the last time they went through the armory before sale to the public they decided to use MK2 block instead of the older Mk1 and they also used the Mk1* or Mk3 foresight blade instead of the Mk2 foresight blade. I do not see too many with the correct Mk1 block and the Mk2 foresight blade sold in the past 20 years on the Internet.

I hope that the experts and published authors on this great forum can help me convince my wife that this was a smart long term investment.

I made a chart using sales of different (T)'s I found using Google going back the past 20 years and using that as a guide I think I came out ahead on this purchase. It looks like in the past 5 years there has been a slight jump in price maybe due to inflation or increased interest in these historic rifles.

The only things I found that my detract from the rifles are:

On the Matching scope and bracket to rifle one the fore-end has been replaced and the rifles serial number was not stamped into it. Since the scope bracket was not stamped with the rifles number until 1950 I guess it can be assumed that the fore-end could have been replaced sometime after 1950? I figure the armory would have stamped the rifles serial number into the fore-end?

On the Non-matching scope and bracket to rifle the serial number of the rifle is stamped into the wrist of the butt stock for some reason instead of the scope number.

So did I do alright on these?

Pictures-
Matching scope and bracket to Enfield:

Lot 1535 X30041 Photos by bsdncorco | Photobucket

Non-matching scope and bracket to Enfield:

Lot 1565 X33742 Photos by bsdncorco | Photobucket

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.

[snipershot1944]

I'd be proud to own them. As to how you did, I guess that depends on what you paid.

[corco]

Thank you Snipershot1944. I forgot to mention that they will be shipped next week so when I receive them I will add more up close and detailed pictures to the photo bucket links.

I am finding out that certain words or sayings have slightly different meanings in different countries as well as the diff parts of the US. What I meant to ask was do you think I made a wise choice in deciding to purchase these two specific (T)'s? Do you think they check out ok as originals?

[snipershot1944]

I'm not going to claim to be an expert. There are others here whom I would defer to. But I don't see anything wrong with them. The rifle number on the flat of the rear stock is a bit odd, as that is where the scope number normally goes. But it does not seem to be a huge issue to me.

The price you paid will determine if you did well, or paid too much.

Just my $0.02.

[Roger Payne]

I think snipershot hit the nail on the head. The rifle serial stamped into the butt is a little unusual & is non-standard, but does not detract from the fact that it is most definitely a 'right' rifle. (Though it isn't the only one I've ever heard of like this). Indeed both rifles are very nice, & so it comes down to the purchase prices to determine how well you did!

ATB.

[snipershot1944]

Littlejohn's June auction apparently.

[corco]

Littlejohn's June auction apparently.

Yes. Items sold for the total price below which includes the auction premiums.

Lot 1535 - 4972.50

Lot 1565 - 4025.00

I think the shipping costs will be about 300.

There was a 17 % premium on the matching one and a 15% premium on the other on top of the sales price. The premiums on the icollector web site is incorrect. I did not buy it through them.

Also during this particular auction if you ever wanted a late 1800's lever action rifle they were going for 1300 plus the auction premium all night.

[WarPig1976]

Submit them to the Advisory Panel. You'll get the thumb up or the dreaded thumb down.