Mossberg 42M-B US Property marked

[Promo]

I got this rifle for quite cheap money, didn't have any time to do research on it but I took it on my risk. Find attached pictures of this rifle, I hope someone can help me with it. Especially the impressive amount of threads in the receiver and also the bolt - what are those for, are they original and which scope mount (?) belongs to that?

Also, during which period were those rifles being used and is there any possibility to (roughly) date it? And for which rifles was this the trainer?

Thanks,

Georg

Information

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[Kirk]

Here's an excellent Mosberg site. http://home.epix.net/~damguy/index.html Your rifle should be from a March, 1942 contract.

[GUTS]

Your rear sight is missing, should have been an S series Mossberg sight unless it's a lend lease rifle, then it could have had a Parker Hale on it. My 42M-b is a lend lease with a Parker Hale PH16 rear sight and it is a wonderfull shooter. Check for British proofs.

[Promo]

No, it's *NOT* one of the lend-lease rifles, therefore the sight is correct. It does have a normal rear sight on the barrel, check the first picture, there's just no detail picture of it.

Can someone tell me what for the drilled threads are? And what scope would fit on this rifle?

[GUTS]

None of the US Property 42M-b rifles I've seen have had a leaf sight on them, only micro adjustable sights, so this is new information for me. If you browse the site Kirk put up your questions should be answered.

[MK1111]

Your rifle has the incorrect front sight. Can't be sure but the front sights sorta looks like off the Mossberg fold-down forearm rifles from the 1940-1950's.
The #4 reciever sight is missing for the holes on the rear of the reciever on the left side.
The holes on the left side of the reciever were for the Mossberg scope mount but they look over size now.
The holes in the bolt are for attaching the dust cover.
Your rifle was a British Lend-Lease rifle. Since it doesn't have the British Proof Marks it just didn't go to the civilian use after the War. The British Proof marks were not installed on the firearms until it was released for civilian use.
Made 1940-1943. Approx 46,000 made for Britian. It appears the last 1,000 never went to Britian and all seen are in very good shape with no British Proof Marks. I have one of those last 1,000 rifle and I just seen another one this weekend and it is the same as mine.
The rear barrel sights were all taken off by the British. Very late rifles had no barrel sights installed by Mossberg. Your rifle has the rear barrel sight because someone took off the # 4 reciever sight.
The Parker-Hale sights were not installed until the Military released the rifles for civilian use.
Is that a thread protector in the end of the barrel? If so you have one of the rare seldom seem threaded barrels for civilian use silencers. The Military never used a silencer.

I hope this helps.

Frank

[Simon P]

Its a slightly different to the one we have just taken in which has been hidden / lost since WW2.

militaryb

[Promo]

I bought a scope for this rifle and was lucky enough that the threads on the left side of the receiver matched exactly for a Mossberg type 8A scope. Looks perfect, doesn't it?

[emmagee1917]

Yep , I have the exact same set-up except mine has the bolt cover and the #4 sight . You should try to pick those up to complete the rifle. The peep arm swings 90 degrees back to allow the scope to mount . Excelent little shooters . Mossberg knew how to make barrels , that's for sure.
Are you allowed suppressors where you're at ? If so , I'd recommend thinking about a modern made Maxum style ( offset to hang below the barrel so you can sight over it ) to go with it. I had one made for my WW2 Reising M65 and it's a hoot to shoot.
Chris

[Promo]

Chris,

Thanks for your advise. No, we're not allowed to use suppressors, but that's no problem because I'm mainly using subsonic .22s which are quiet enough for shooting without ear protection (they even don't scare the birds away).

Do you have any picture how the bolt cover should look like? I'd definately like to recomplete the rifle, the scope was only the first part.