Enfield police sniper rifles

[mrclark303]

They certainly used No4's F10, I would imagine both mk1 and mk2's

The RUC used them and they were avalable for use by mainland police forces too, I don't know how many used them though?

Back in the 1970's a local farmer to me had to call out a Police Marksmen with a No4 to "despatch" a totally crazy breeding bull that went on the rampage... Big game hunting in the Cotswolds!

Information

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[Gil Boyd]

To be absolutely honest, many of our jobs were crazed bulls that had escaped from abatoirs and run amock in towns. We soon learnt that Hatton rounds delivered by shotguns were the only way to stop them dead, right between the eyes..........however, you had to be very brave
7.62 simply didnt stop them and bounced off with no effect

[mrclark303]

Very thick sculls Gil, I believe they went for heart and lungs shots around here ... Several of them, crazy takes some stopping, even when rule .303 is applied!

[Flying10uk]

The reason that I ask is that I have a U.K. deactivated No4 mk2 with the normal U.K. military markings etc that would be expected but it is the only No4 rifle that I have seen with a butt disc. This butt disc is made of plastic but appears professionally fitted by inletting it into the butt and it has a number marked on it, presumably a rack/armoury number. I will try to post some pictures later when I get time, perhaps at the end of the week. This deac is quite precious to me because it was the first one that I purchased and it is a fully matching numbers rifle apart from the mag; even the wood is number matching. It doesn't appear to have had too much heavy use, it's just used.

[mrclark303]

Sounds interesting F10, please do post pics, it's worth remembering that your rife might have served with any of a very large number of countries, so it could be a foreign rack number...

[Flying10uk]

Here are some pictures of my U.K. deactivated No4 mk2 rifle and it is a 1996 dated deac. As mentioned previously it is the only No4 rifle that I've ever seen with a butt disc and while I could have removed it, it seemed better to leave it as is, part of the rifle's history. I did wonder if this butt disc was fitted by a Police force or a Private School's Combined Cadet Force but this is pure speculation on my part. Whoever did the deactivation work got a little carried away, because the locking lug has been completely removed from the bolt, as can be seen in the picture. Any further information relating to this rifle is greatly received, thanks.

[mrclark303]

Here are some pictures of my U.K. deactivated No4 mk2 rifle and it is a 1996 dated deac. As mentioned previously it is the only No4 rifle that I've ever seen with a butt disc and while I could have removed it, it seemed better to leave it as is, part of the rifle's history. I did wonder if this butt disc was fitted by a Police force or a Private School's Combined Cadet Force but this is pure speculation on my part. Whoever did the deactivation work got a little carried away, because the locking lug has been completely removed from the bolt, as can be seen in the picture. Any further information relating to this rifle is greatly received, thanks.

Interesting F10, assuming the rifle hasn't been restored, I would say taking it's general excellent cosmetic condition into account, its service must have been very brief.

I wonder if there's a Maritime connection here, the rack number and excellent condition perhaps relating to a ships armoury??

[Flying10uk]

I don't think that it's ever been restored; all I've ever done to it is give it a clean and an occasional oil. There doesn't appear to be any foreign markings on it which I can see.

[Gil Boyd]

A great deal of care is taken when these number plates are sunk into butts, so one has to, from that, assume it was in a rack, honed to an individual who could abstract it easily. From there its just guess work as to where or who would have done that. We have all our weapons numerically plated in The Parachute Regiment museum and that is so members of the public can refer to them easily from a description card nearby which I feel might be the explanantion in your rifle.
Certainly, IMHO I wouldn't see that happening in an Army unit generally, but Armourers on here may be able to help.
CCF/ACF units maybe if it was deactivated at the time and only used for acquaintance use!

[Peter Laidler]

Marking like that, by routing the butt would not be permitted in the Army/forces generally in my opinion. Maybe we're getting a bit carried away...... It looks like a normal rifle club rifle to me. Ex-Military, a lick of varnish over poorly finished wood and paint over the bare patches. I'd like to see more of what is/seems to be under the quick paint job - last 2x photos, 13 - 14