No4 MK1 T

[Roger Payne]

A most disparate collection of parts! I feel quite sure that the rifle itself is a genuine 4T, but it is very difficult to come up with an explanation for how it is now that fits in with what we have been told of the provenance. Every potential explanation I come up with I then find I can shoot full of holes with a little thought.

Is it possible by any chance that the good Colonel of the gendarmerie may have acquired it by other than official channels, & that the scope & bracket came from elsewhere? The re-serial numbering may indeed have taken place in Canadian service, but 'cloning' weapons with the numbers from rifles that have been scrapped is also something which goes on from time to time. And the Belgians, among other nations, received a lot of Canadian equipment after the war as we already know. There would have been plenty of Long Branch No4's in the Belgian supply system.......

And most curious that somebody has gone to the trouble of applying the S51 in the wrong font to the butt, as well as cleaning off the butt socket markings & reapplying the M47C 1943 & the new serial number. They even went to the trouble of using a different set of stamps for the serial number to the set used for the rest of the butt socket markings.

I was open minded about the GF marking, but PL was clear that it meant Gujarat Forces, & TBH I can't think of anything better.......I know it could be a foundry marking but this bracket is clearly a Rose Brothers variant & also bears the typical JG inspector's stamp.

I just wonder if skyder was given the full story about how the rifle was acquired......if maybe somebody felt the need to protect themselves...........or did it go through the hands of an unscrupulous third party faker on its way to the good Colonel??

Somebody with thorough knowledge of the Belgian military stores system, & specifically their practices in procurement, marking & disposals, would no doubt be able to shed more light on the issue, at least in knowing what normal practice was........