Mystery (to me) No 4 mk 2

[Peter Laidler]

The modified fore-end with the squared insert as opposed to the usual factory rounded and dovetailed insert is indicative of the Indian Mk1/2 conversion process. As indeed is the abysmal number stamping.

Whether the subject rifle N-1329 is a late body can only be ascertained by looking down, plan view, from above

[Brian Dick]

I have sn. N1310. It has the late body as mentioned by Peter. It's a DCRA conversion, (sn. 430), to cal. 7.62 as done by Canadian Arsenals, Ltd.

[Frederick303]

Please be aware I have not seen anything to back that up, and as such it must remain a ? In particular two things have always bothered me about hat explanation:

1) On the rifle I have seen I can see no sign of any canceled out arrow in U or M in U marking.

2) The rifles with the stock discs have a different set set-up on both the serial number and the added stock disc. The chap was quite specific the stock disc was for the BSAP and the ones with the 4/xxxx and 1/xxxx were for No4 and SMLE rifles respectively for some guard/secondary military organization. Why would they be marked so differently ?

That said I have been told there were imports form Rhodesia and other than the FN police shotguns and cut up FAL, no one seems to have identified a SMLE/No4 variant, so it might be true.

[polaris]

here are pictures from the disassembled wood set (all shiny due to raw linseed oil)





will post more pictures of the rifle once it is reassembled.

Cheers

[polaris]

please delete double post

[Peter Laidler]

Hey, Brian, your thread 12. The fore-end would appear to indicate that N-1329 is an EARLY Mk2 body - unless Polaris puts up a plan view of the body as I suggested,

Make sure that you thoroughly grease the body and barrel where it fits into the wood before you assemble it. And the SCREW, tie, fore-end at the rear only needs to be nipped up. NO monkey wrenches!!!!!

[Brian Dick]

Interesting Peter. N1310 has the late Mk.2 body with a late Mk.2 forend. You'd think it would be vice versa! It still has it's original numbered .303 magazine fitted too.

[polaris]

to indicate that N-1329 is an EARLY Mk2 body - unless Polaris puts up a plan view of the body as I suggested,

I am not sure what you mean by "body".

[RobD]

Frederick .303: you write
"rifles supplied by SA to Rhodesia in the 1965 to 1970 time frame" and "In particular two things have always bothered me about that explanation: 1) On the rifle I have seen I can see no sign of any canceled out arrow in U or M in U marking..."

FWIW, South Africa stopped using the U stamp when she ceased to be the Union of SA and became the Republic of SA on the 31st May 1961.
That date was significant, it's the anniversary of the day the Boer republics signed the treaty to end the Boer War (in 1902) and the day that the 4 provinces unified into the Union of SA (in 1910).

[Peter Laidler]

The body...... It's the body of the rifle - as in the parts list