Help with questions on No.4(T) sniper rifle...

[Desertwarhawk]

Moderator Edit: This member is looking for feedback on two posts he's made in the New member introductions thread. I've copied them here and added photos he emailed me so other members can jump in and help him, if they can.

New member, I have been a casual collector for many years. I aquired a family heir loom No. 4 MK1. I am looking for history, and accessories to finish the rifle properly. Read the website and found it to be very infomative. if anyone can help I figured this website could. Thanks!

I am of New member to your group. Short Story for the membership. I am researching a rifle that has been in my family. My Grandfather was a WWII vet. From my childhood I was promised the rifle which I just found out today by joining your Group is a MKI No.4(T). I will not explain how or why my family used it for endless deer huntings in PA. I always freaked everytime it left on a hunting trip. I am wanting to add the right equipment on it to completely restore the rifle to its correct configuration. The cheek rest is missing, I need the scope, and the tool kits. Can someone point me in the right direction?

I happened to take it to the shooting range to BZ the frontsight. i need the frontsight post tool to bring it back to the left some. Other than that she is fully operational. All the wood is original and the hunting trips did not give her many scratches. Thanks for the website and the informational formums.

Semper FI

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[No4Mk1(T)]

Nice rifle! I wish my heir loom rifle was a T! From what I can see your rifle looks correct but has been through an FTR (Factory Repair) most likely in Brittan judging by the Suncorite paint though the FTR stamp almost looks like one applied in India. Thankfully I don’t see the dreaded Ishy screw so all is good.
Does it still have it’s correctly marked “S51” butt stock? An old scope number just behind the cocking piece on the butt? Rifle serial number on the lower part of the for-arm just back of the outer band? I see the correctly marked “SM” back sight and the screws for the back mounting pad were milled after installation.
As for parts to restore your rifle it depends on if you want to use original parts or reproduction. In the case of originals you will just have to keep your eyes open at local gun shows and shops as well as on the online auction sights and keep plugging away until you find all you need. Many of the parts you will be looking for show up regularly on eBay but be prepared to pay a premium.
As for reproduction parts there are quite a few different people offering items for sale but I personally have never used any of them. I seem to remember a few threads in the “Gunsmithing for Old Milsurps’ section that may help you. I would prefer members who have had experience with these items to comment further.
Gunsmithing for Old Milsurps - Military Surplus Collectors Forums (Click Here)
Start here:
1952 Instructional Pamphlet for No.4 Mk1(T) sniper rifle (Click Here)
Your rifle should look like this one when done:
1944 Enfield No.4 Mk1 (Click Here)

[Desertwarhawk]

Thanks for the feedback ....

The underside markings are somewhat different than what Terry's article describes. I tried taking pics.( I am an engineer not a photograpgher ). To me it appears to be a queens symbol 6C and then an tipped on the side "E" directly underneath the 6C. Than approx 1mm below it is another symbol stamped it appears to be another "E" in the appropriate fashion then a 36. (I think) My question is i have not heard anyone comment on this particular ID stamping. So now I am wondering what I have. I called my dad about the stamping on the upright side. He stated that he did not know of any tampering. There is signs of a slash mark across the telescope ID, may have been scarred in a hunting trip; however, there is a number that can faintly be seen. It looks like a 1 or a 2. you can look for yourself the other numbers are somewhat legible. I threw the barrel stamping at the end of the muzzel out there as a point of curriosity.

Let me know your thoughts.

[No4Mk1(T)]

Thanks for taking to post the extra photos. I suspect your butt stock has been changed in service assuming it has the screw holes for the cheek-piece. The “S51” mark I was referring to looks like this:
Photo 49 of 134, 1944 Enfield No.4 Mk1(T) #R33872(Click Here)
The marks stamped into the wrist area of your rifle are inspectors marks. The “E” imposed “D” is from Enfield for example. The presence of the scope number, however faint, stamped into the upper wrist area at least shows the stock was replaced in-service.
In a nut shell what you have is by all appearances an original No4Mk1(T) that went through an FTR where at the very least the butt stock was replaced. When the rifle was sold out of service it was commercially proofed where the stamps were applied to the muzzle end of the barrel. It is also likely that that is also when the rifle was separated from it’s scope and other accoutrements.
Now a comment re fitting your rifle out to original spec.: It will cost you a small fortune to complete your rifle to original condition and in the end all you will have is a mismatched rifle worth less than what you are likely to pay for the parts. You also need to be careful as the pads and bracket were milled together in order to zero the bracket to the rifle. You could wind up with a rifle/scope combination that has little or no windage adjustment in one direction and you are unlikely to have a number of original brackets to chouse from. Having said this that is what I would do. I feel that all those parts floating around the world should be mated up to rifles to at least create representative examples IMHO.