No4Mk2 Questions

[fullm3taljacket]

All,

I am a big, huge dufus. There was some doubt (including by myself) as the the originality of the bolt to the rifle, partly based on a two-digit number that I had cited in a previous post. Upon further inspection, they all match, the rifle's serial number is electro-penned on the arm of the bolt knob. The style of the electro-penning is identical to the type on the rifle itself. The original two-digit number is a 49 and it's location is on the cocking piece.

Should I take this to mean the bolt truly is original and should require no special fitting? Also, purely out of curiosity (I AM keeping the rifle, I don't want to replace this one ever) what would a conservative estimate of value be?

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[SpikeDD]

To a collector, such as myself, to own the earliest known 4/1949 Mk.2, I'd say easily in the $400.00+ range. If the serial number you found on the back side of the bolt handle is electric penciled and the same number as the receiver, then the odds are in good favor it is original to the rifle and no special fitting should be required. Excellent find!

[Seaspriter]

Should I take this to mean the bolt truly is original and should require no special fitting?

Sounds like the bolt was original. I'd be reluctant to change anything on this gun -- it could ruin the value. Less is better. Clean, preserve, oil, and little else.

The lightened bolt (hole in the ball) was used on the No.5's (which ended production in '47), and also on FTR's (Factory Thorough Repair) on No.4s in the late 40's (I have two post-war FTRs with lightened bolts on war-time production rifles). Apparently the lightened bolt versions that were still in inventory were used on both FTRs and new production (as SSJ ascertains) until the stock ran out in the early 1950s, when they reverted back to the solid ball bolts.