My First No.4 Mk1*

[RobD]

In the UK you need to be a member of a club and after about 6 months you can get your firearms certificate.

Your family doctor will also be contacted to make sure you are not known to be unstable, drug addicted, etc.

Now, I was at Bisley shooting today and I was literally the only person shooting at the huge range - just because it was raining.

IMHO there are 3 main reasons why so few people shoot or collect firearms in the UK:
(1) In the first place, they aren't interested.
(2) In the second place, they can't be bothered with the [entirely achievable] paperwork / bureaucracy and the 6 months wait.
(3) In the third place, they weren't interested in the first place.

Rob

[bigduke6]

Some of the above forgot to mention Section 7.1 and 7.3...... which I highly recommend....... (only just started with Sec 7.1 myself but quite a quick and painless process to be honest) only downside to this is it has changed my future collecting habits slightly..............

[roundyuk]

Congrats on a nice find. That gal has had an interesting life. Made in the US, then shipped to somewhere in the UK, finds it's way back to the US via Century Arms. Finally makes her way back to the UK. How cool is that!

Yes, I thought that when I saw the CAI stamp! I assume CAI wouldn't have imported it back to the UK when they were "handed back" to the US? (the CAI stamp is much later yes?)

[BruceHMX]

Correct but how it made it's way back to the UK is a real mystery. I doubt the rifle was returned to the US under Lend Lease agreement. Was probably imported in the late 80's or 90's to Century Arms when they were still in Vermont.

[Brian Dick]

I exported quite a few, (hundreds), of No.4 rifles back to the UK in the past 10-15 years. It could be one of those.

[roundyuk]

Do you keep records :-D 65C8920

On my rifle, the "B" under the serial is the inspection mark in Britain before it would have gone into service yes?

[Stanforth]

Some of the above forgot to mention Section 7.1 and 7.3...... which I highly recommend....... (only just started with Sec 7.1 myself but quite a quick and painless process to be honest) only downside to this is it has changed my future collecting habits slightly..............

In my previous post I said that cartridge loaded handguns were difficult. Without mentioning it I was referring to Section 7 of the Firearms act. I have had pistols under section 7/1 since it came out. When the law changed I had, and still have, a serious collection of Colts. I still have most of them and the only difference is that I can't shoot them.
The image shows just one of my 3 cabinets of Colts.

[browningautorifle]

The image shows just one of my 3 cabinets of Colts.

Those are nice guns Geoff...you know we'd love to see some of those close up too?

[roundyuk]

Does anyone know the background on the proof marks my rifle has on the muzzle? Would that be a normal place to stamp? It's an NP stamp, which is London Proof House I believe, is that normal on a US rifle; or has mine been re-barrelled possibly?

[browningautorifle]

Would that be a normal place to stamp?

All firearms leaving the UK had to have those proofhouse inspections. That's a normal mark. They aren't done by the US.