N° 8 Mk I trainer fitted with an A. J. Parker 8/53 sight attachment

[tr63]

PH No 5D was used for the No8 it did not use the threaded hole as used for the ejector on the No4 .It had a higher mounting arm than the PH 5 and used threaded holes on the left side of the receiver. One that was much higher then found on the .303 cal. No4 and the hole just in front of the safety . that is not found on the No4 .

Information

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[Mk VII]

Some, at least, of them, had a shorter windage arm with less adjustment (because with .22 you were not going to shoot with huge amounts of wind). Some appear to have used the standard PH5C one, which may have been clearup of parts on hand.

https://www.rifleman.org.uk/PH_Service_sights.html#5A

[Didier]

Some, at least, of them, had a shorter windage arm with less adjustment (because with .22 you were not going to shoot with huge amounts of wind). Some appear to have used the standard PH5C one, which may have been clearup of parts on hand.

https://www.rifleman.org.uk/PH_Service_sights.html#5A

Thank you for the explanation and the link.

[Didier]

Many thanks to both of you for this first hand information - these are the details that we do not read much about on the Net although they give us a better understanding of how and why these PH and AJP sights were used.

[30Three]

Didier, to shoot the Service Rifle Trainer class here in France; you will need the standard rear sight.
But rest assured that it' a competitive rifle in it's class; the only slight downside compared to the MAS45 is that it's a single shot.
The magazine feed of the MAS is an advantage when shooting in the standing position.

[Patrick Chadwick]

But rest assured that it' a competitive rifle in it's class;

A few years ago I took part in a BDMP competition for scoped .22s. A BR50 competition. Who would use a military trainer for that?
The No. 8 came 6th in a field of 38, with 245/250, beating about 100k-worth of luxury goods.

No it's not just competitive. It's the best .22 trainer there ever was.

Just my humble opinion, of course!

Patrick

[Didier]

A few years ago I took part in a BDMP competition for scoped .22s. A BR50 competition. Who would use a military trainer for that?
The No. 8 came 6th in a field of 38, with 245/250, beating about 100k-worth of luxury goods.

No it's not just competitive. It's the best .22 trainer there ever was.

Just my humble opinion, of course!

Patrick

Well, Patrick, this No. 8 rifle clearly outshoots my MAS 45 - I have had a go at it at the range a few days back and I must say I was particularly pleased with its accuracy and how comfortable it felt against my shoulder. The AJP sight did a very good job and, all things considered, I do not see the point of spending big money on a state-of-the-art PH peep sight.

[Didier]

I have some additional questions about the serial number ranges of Fazakerley-made No. 8 rifles - I have done some research on the Internet and have come to the conclusion that the serial number of my rifle does not fall readily within the usual serial number range of these trainers/target rifles.

The serial numbers I was able to record so far:

F49 – A10403
F50 – A11001
F50 – A17160 (ejector screw hole present)
F50 – A2243 - a change in the numbering of these rifles seems to have occurred some time during the year 1950.
F50 – A4412
Fxx – A5679
F51 – A5685 (FTR Enfield 1966)
Fxx - A5938 (FTR Enfield 1966)
F50 – A63xx
F51 – A7106
F51 – A8192
F51 – A11490
F51 – A12499
F51 – A12663
F51 – A13288
F51 – A14255
F51 – A14360 (FTR Enfield 1970)
F51 – A14924
F51 – A16559
F52 – A18954

Mine is serial # 5685 and was made in 1951. My question is the following one: is there any remote possibility that 1966 FTR'd rifles were renumbered at Enfield?



Apparently, the serial number had been electropencilled on the receiver wall before it was engraved :



Another such instance of a 1966 FTR'd No. 8 rifle:



A couple of 1970 Enfield FTR'd No. 8 rifles:


(imported by Frankonia Waffen Würzburg)

[Didier]

Didier, to shoot the Service Rifle Trainer class here in France; you will need the standard rear sight.
But rest assured that it' a competitive rifle in it's class; the only slight downside compared to the MAS45 is that it's a single shot.
The magazine feed of the MAS is an advantage when shooting in the standing position.

I am well aware of that, but it is not my intention to take part in competitions for the time being - I am more of a leisure shooter, actually.
My other trainers do include a MAS 45, though.

[Mk VII]

The body will always retain its number, unless it's been obliterated and its not possible to recover it. There is no reason to do otherwise.