NON-IRISH Contract Rifles

[Roadkingtrax]

I'm going to be looking at two rifles, both mid-1950s Mk4 NO.2.

One is still wrapped and in a cosmoline cocoon. The other was only wiped off, and fired 20 times. Is there any opinion on these rifles, the so called "Irish" contract that never was?

Since I'm not looking for an evaluation of a particular rifle...perhaps I can ask, what to mummified rifles typically go for in the open market? The unwrapped rifle is just as perfect (I assume).

Information

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[Parashooter]

I'm going to be looking at two rifles, both mid-1950s Mk4 NO.2.

First off, you've got the nomenclature bass-ackwards. It's Number 4 and Mark 2.

Market price depends on location and the relative desperation of buyer and seller. Around here in New England, if you really, really had to have them, you might pay over $1000 each. If the seller really, really needs cash, the pair could go for $500 or less. Some lost souls would even pay - or demand - more for paper and grease!

[Roadkingtrax]

First off, you've got the nomenclature bass-ackwards. It's Number 4 and Mark 2.

Market price depends on location and the relative desperation of buyer and seller. Around here in New England, if you really, really had to have them, you might pay over $1000 each. If the seller really, really needs cash, the pair could go for $500 or less. Some lost souls would even pay - or demand - more for paper and grease!

Too many numbers in these rifles.

[jmoore]

Too many numbers in these rifles.

Then maybe too many numbers in price?

[Peter Laidler]

What you're REALLY looking for is a value for both rifles isn't it? Just look at past gunbroker or similar auction sites and identify wrapped rifles that have been sold and that'll give you some idea. But they are getting fewer and fewer every year.

As for the unwrapped rifle, you only have the sellers word that it's fired 20 rounds and unless you are an experienced barrel viewer (and very few of us are.......) then the average enthusiastic amateur, even with the Armourers gauges, would be hard pushed to tell the difference between 20 and 2,000 rounds approx. (this is in what Armourers call its 'first quarter of life'). It is just an extremely good condition used rifle. On the other hand, you KNOW that the sealed one has only fired one (or two) proof rounds. Just my 2c's worth

[paulseamus]

Pay the required price, buy them both and get on with it.

The mid 55 rifles are beautiful to shoot.

I only have one, and wish I had many more.

That's my 5 cents wort.

Paul

[Frederick303]

I would just comment that the so called non-irish contract actual was a contract......Er............somthing like that.

In any case they did buy 50,000 No 4 MK 2 rifles, if you do a search on this forum you will fnd the details, they have been posted with the full serial number ranges and the debate over what is and what could not be an Irish contract rifle.

---------- Post added at 01:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:24 PM ----------

Here is a link to the thread on this topic:

Couple new No 4 Mk 2's

[Peter Laidler]

As a little aside and not disputing the fact that Eire did have them, 50,000 rifles would equip every man, including the Officers, attached personell, cooks, storemen and bottle-washers in 66 FULL Infantry battalions. That is arming EVERY man with a rifle when in real life, 20% would have a pistol or a sub machine gun! That's 2 battalions per Infantry Brigade = 33 full Infantry brigades or at 1 Infantry battalion per Armoured brigade, that's 66 Armoured brigades. At Division strength, that's 10 Infantry Divisions or 3+ Army Corps and so on. That's a LOT of rifles for a small nation

[drweiler]

Hello Roadkingtrax, Don here in Mesa. I bought a lovely blonde '55 (not a PF Irish contract) at the Rio Salado members swap meet for $300, not long out of the wrap. That's a really good price in the Southwest. Cheers, Don

[Roadkingtrax]

Thanks for the advice, and sarcasm aside.

I'm certainly not ignorant of rifles, I know very much about M1 Garands and 1903 Springfields...Enfields certainly have their ins-and-outs as well. I had hoped to delete the thread entirely as I found countless sources of information outside of Milsurps and here at home.

UF55A2517 and the unwrapped is UF55A25324

I have confirmed that the rifles are outside of any Irish contract, and know that I was speaking out of ignorance when I started the thread. Not too many numbers in the price, just seems that whenever I think of the model codes...my latent dyslexia gets the better of me. No insult intended if perceived.

I have also discovered that these rifles are not common, but certainly are not rare to any extent...the price reflects what I consider to be about mid-range, with the unwrapped rifle being less. Everyone says they shot 20 rounds out of gun, but I have no reason to doubt him until otherwise proven after inspection. There are tells of a well used rifle...as we all know.

Thanks for the info...and the mods are welcome to delete the entire discussion if necessary.