N04 (T) build up

[Gunnie]

RobD: thanks for that mate. Agree re having a good sound base to work from in the first instance. Plus I certainly don't want to ruin a good example of a rifle that has some value in its current form.

I'll hit the local gun shop in the next day or so and see what they have sitting the rack.

[gsimmons]

Get an already sporterised one. They are cheaper aswell, and won't feel bad altering a collectable rifle.

[bigduke6]

Gunnie,

gsimmons, sums it up in one, and with the advice of RobD you cant go wrong, when I get down to a Militaria fair here in the (UK) you can see many nice examples of Martini Henrys, and its only when you pick them up for a closer look you see someones home handywork, its a shame but this probably happened when MH rifles were common as muck, eventually and its sad to say that will be the same as the No4 in years to come, It sounds like you have two nice rifles and I would keep them that way.

[Gunnie]

Gents,

OK, the 4(T) build is still going, slowly albeit over the last few weeks thanks to work, heavy rains and a slow Licensing branch wrt issuing a permit to acquire. Anyway, have managed to source a 1942 BSA No4 with a 5-groove bbl. I bought the rifle from a local dealership for $500 as compared to $800++ from other dealers in the region. I'll work towards getting some decent pics to post.

Have managed to track down a smith in the region, ex-army armourer who does a fair amount of gunsmithing and is happy to do the 4(T) build. Plus I will provide a print out of the data from Pete Laidler re assembly etc and he will also have another friends 4(T) to use as a sighting example.

The scope goes in to another local optical restorer, Malcolm Eames, for a service and check over this week. Once it's back then the whole lot goes up for final assembly.

Starting to get excited now.

PS: Managed to snap a couple of pics of the scope.

[Peter Laidler]

While the scope is being worked on, ask him to collimate the grat to the optical axis of the bore of the scope tube too. That way it'll be dead right for when the main man starts the pad fitting process

Incidentally, while I don't have telescope 7387 recorded as having been seen or known to me, I do have its older brother Kodak 7386 as having been fitted originally to No4T 4C-0271

[Gunnie]

Cheers Peter,

I'll pass on your info to Malcolm so he is fully aware of the specifics of the scope. I'm keen to cross al T's and dot all I's in this process to give me the best chance of a decent end product.
Will keep you all informed.

[Peter Laidler]

If I was going down this road of making up a good useable No4T repop for a friend again, based on experience, I'd follow the example of a friend who was restoring an old MG Midget. I'd set about it in a methodical planned way and write down and photograph every step of the way. Then, at the end of it, make the whole lot into a little booklet, privately printed and soft bound. Then he sold copies of the booklet which NEARLY covered the cost of the restoration. Feel free to use my basic groundwork.

Maybe I ought to be suggesting this to Badger so that the forum could publish the small booklet based on my previous blurb and a forumers 'I've-done-the-job' experience and camerawork.

Anyone else any thoughts?

[Ridolpho]

Peter: The booklet would be a great idea and I, for one, would be willing to make a donation to help see it done but- I think the photographic content would be best if it were of your own buildup of a new one. Any chance? A compilation of members efforts might be best set up as a sticky thread as it might get quite voluminous. This might also constitute the start of a bit of a "registry" of replicas which, if it got big enough, might help mitigate against some future efforts to sell as "real".

Ridolpho

[aussiedave]

My scope is No. 7311 , the scope tin has the rifle serial No. painted onthe lid which is D35575.
The lid also has what I assume is a unit marking which is 2.I.LM. . I don't have this rifle as my rifle should have scope No. 19599 a much later scope.
Dave

[Peter Laidler]

Nothing on 7311 nor 19599. Nearest is 19602, an L1A1 at RM Trg Centre Lympstone