Value of No7 RAF

[Alan de Enfield]

Alan-- At one point, I had three of the BSA No7 MKI .22LR rifles. I gave one to my twin brother as a birthday gift. All of the rifles had steel butt plates and were later built rifles in the 2300 and 2400 serial number range. All the parts looked like new. The serials numbers do not match and they are within two or three numbers. The rifles did not come with bolt heads and magazines. I was able to get several bolt heads and modified a number of BSA sportmans .22LR magazines so the rifles can be used as a repeater. I purchased the rifles as shooters and both have match Parker Hale sights on them. They are real excellent shooters at 100 yards with good match ammunition. I do not know the story behind the rifles other than they were built for the RAF in 1948. I remember purchasing the rifles from Springfield Sporters in the late 80's early 90's.

Sounds like the ones that were sold off as parts rifles at the end of the contract.
As I understand it of the original order for 2500 only some 2000 were actually buit and assembled, the contract was then cancelled with parts and part built rifles still in the BSA 'system'.
Never built and never issued, were sold off at auction with (mainly) US dealers getting them.
I'd suggest that the steel butt plates were put onto the rifles after arrival in the US, as I mentioned Brian Dick had a few of them and had all the missing parts manufactured for him.

I sold several BSA Sportsman 5 magazines to the US via Ebay, and even modified some myself, quite a simple mod, just turning the locking tab 'upside down' and trimming the case to suit.

Obviously being designed to 'push up into' the action from underneath the locking tab was on the bottom of the mag, now they were to be 'pushed in downwards' the locking tab needed to be at the top of the magazine.


I bought several BSA Sportsman 5 rifles at auction, just for the magazines - took them out and left the rifles for disposal (otherwise they would have had to be listed on my licence), the Auction house were not best pleased, but sold the rifles (without magazines) at the next auction and I actually got most of my money back. (The complete rifles only made GBP £8 to GBP £20)





A BSA Sportsman 5 magazine and a No7 MK1 magazine.

Information

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[Warren]

Brass on the British No.7
Steel on the Canadian No.7's
and steel on the British No. 9 with one zamac.
Brass on the No.5 trials in .22
and of course rubber on the No.8

[Roger Payne]

I've had a few UK pattern No7's go through my hands over the years, & as far as I recall, all, or certainly all that looked to be unmessedabout with, bore gunmetal (brass) butt plates. I was always under the impression that steel butt plates on No4's & (& presumably their derivatives) was a specifically Canadian thing........though I haven't made a particular study of butt plates.

[husk]

I believe the OP said he is importing the No.7 , so it isn’t in the US yet.

[Warren]

Some very nice Lahti's there and what looks like one Canadian contract 45.
Might also be a Colt .455 RAF contract.
Very nice!!!!!

[capt14k]

Some very nice Lahti's there and what looks like one Canadian contract 45.
Might also be a Colt .455 RAF contract.
Very nice!!!!!

Besides the 1911 Colt and 1911a1 Remington Rand I already had there is a 1916 Russian Contract Colt 1911 and a 1942 Kongsberg Colt made for Nazis under occupation.



---------- Post added at 08:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 PM ----------

Nice looking handgun collection, they'd be worth an extended picture heavy thread.

I can do that.

[browningautorifle]

Nice looking handgun collection, they'd be worth an extended picture heavy thread.

[capt14k]

When it rains it pours I may have a chance at buying another one but the stock looks refinished on this one. I'm waiting for more pics.

[Alan de Enfield]

When it rains it pours I may have a chance at buying another one but the stock looks refinished on this one. I'm waiting for more pics.

In times of war 'hoarding' was a criminal offence - between you and fjruple you'll have most of the No7 Mk1 not already in 'collector captivity' - an endangered species.

[Promo]

There is currently one up for auction on EGun with a seller from Germany: https://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=14410343