A Strange (and somewhat cobbled) No.4 Mk.2

[Maxwell Smart]

No, but almost by definition, a British No.4 Mk.2 IS a Fazackerly, because they were the last British No.4 producer.

Yes, quite so, I should have phrased my question a bit differently...

What I am really curious about is whether or not the "scoop" of metal out of the side of the left hand receiver wall was in fact unique to late- and post-war bodies made on the Fazakerley machinery. (Ian Skennerton's latest LE book shows a picture of a POF No 4 Mk 2 with the "scoop" - POF Mk 2 likely built on ex-Faz machinery?)

None of my North American or Maltby rifles have this "scoop" or groove, yet all of the No 4 Mk 2's I see at the local range do have it.

I have a No 4 MK1/2 which was apparently converted by BSA in 1954, the original manufacturer's markings have been removed - but the presence of the scoop modification to the body makes me wonder if it was in fact originally made at Fazakerley.

[jmoore]

If you refer to the additional cut just behind the breech ring, I don't think it's unique to Fazackerly- BSA rifles also often have a bit of extra material removed as well, but it's not altogther uniform or as large. ROF(F) may be the most "overboard". (It would certainly make fitting a scope pad a little more challenging w/ this much variation in "d.o.c.")

I haven't made a "scientific" study of this area, though- interesting detail- if you're a machinist or engineering nerd type (like me).

It might be worth a new thread- esp. if folk will take pics and make measurements of both "regular" rifles and exceptions of the various mfg.
Feel free to do it- my plate's kind of full right now, I can't even work on ongoing projects due to vast amounts of time spent at my "real" job.

[jmoore]

Well, I'm slow AND take odd pics, but here's (parts of) the most recently aquired post(?) production Fazackery No.4 Mk.2:










How annoying is it that there sits a scarce early fore stock which is now entirely inappropriate for an early rifle?
Note that there's no boss on the lower RH front of the receiver body- but there IS a gaping recess where the fore end wood is relieved for same (not showing here).

[jmoore]

Odder thing: The bolt is numbered THREE times on this one (one is the usual donor Long branch S/N):



Note that the number on top and the bottom of the bolt match the numbers on the butt stock- the bottom bolt number matches the receiver body number as well.





And the barrel ISN'T a Long Branch this time:





Finally, No.5 rifle trigger guard was converted to No.4 Mk.2 spec.:



Of course, "odd" is a relative term- I've only seen three examples to date! (Plus the photo of Thunderbox's buttstock shown on pg.1...)