T less t's

[Roger Payne]

As mentioned some photo's might help, as would the knowledge of whether there is a scope serial on the butt or not. If there is the serial would also be useful.

I've never seen a No4 (T) that had got as far as being fitted with pads at H&H that was a 'reject'. Very few were rejected. It is likely that it is either a conversion to a rifle 'less Telescope' or a full conversion that escaped getting the receiver side wall T. The H&H marking system evolved during the course of production, but had pretty much been standardized by late 1943. Additionally BSA moved from marking their rifles from a simple 'B' followed by the date, to M47, & then to M47/C, all during the course of 1943 & in that order. I would agree that a rifle bearing the M47/C suggests production in lateish 1943, & so might be expected to be more likely to bear the full complement of markings, but in my experience it is unwise to be too pedantic about these things. Depending on what the OP can tell us additionally about the rifle we may never know for sure, although if it retains it's original butt bearing a serial number of a Mk1 or Mk2 scope then it probably just missed the 'T' or was one of those rifles that came off the production line 'the week before' they standardized! If the butt bears the serial number of just one scope but it is of a Mk3, then it is likely a 'less Telescope' rifle that was subsequently scoped up. If it bears more than one scope serial number; a Mk1/2 followed by other(s), then it is probably a completed 'pre-T' or 'missed out on a T' rifle that was subsequently re-equipped with a later model scope.

I don't know whether this helps much........