Fitting a Scope and sling on a 4T

[Robert303]

Merry Christmas to you all. I have mislaid my copy of Capt. Laidlers VULB and need some advice. Am I correct in saying that when you fit the scope onto a 4T you tighten the REAR screw first?. I have a Bren sling for it. Is there any 'Correct' way of fitting it or was that left to the individual user?
Thanks

Information

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[Badger]

If you're referring to the leather sling found on No.4(T) sniper rifles, there's an entry in the MKL, showing how to install the 1907 on a No.4(T).

1952 Instructional Pamphlet for No.4 Mk1(T) sniper rifle

Regards,
Doug

[Peter Laidler]

Re the sling. Even today the course are shown the methods of fitting as per the book but like the fitting of the butt length (spacers today of course) and hand stop, the sling is a matter of personal preference. The proof of the snipers preference being in the '.......scores on the doors' as they say, at the end of the course. But in real life, the instructors are always hovvering over you or just sat/squatting behind you as you are shooting and they'll offer advice if the fit isn't there or just ain't right.

Just as a bit of an aside. I used to go 'into the classroom' during the shoots and act as a student while the new instructors were doing their tutorial practices. Really just to shoot the L96 that I was about to acquire and have a go on the big .338 at someone elses expense of course. I thought I knew a lot about bog standard shooting but the instructors were always pretty good about personal preferences just so long as you were safe, observant and came up with the goods.

A good course - not that I ever completed one - and nice blokes although they were all a bit more ruthless at the end. Enough said there.............

[Robert303]

Thanks for this but can I ask about fitting the bracket to the rifle? Is it tighten the REAR srew first? Or does it not matter?

[Brian Dick]

Tighten the rear thumbscrew last.

[Peter Laidler]

Good Q Rob. Rear screw last. Tighten each up a turn or so at a time making sure that the last turn is to lock the rear thumbscrew.

I never really understood this course of action although I always followed it. It was SAID to be that this ensured that the telescope always matched the bore while setting up on the boresighting/calibration screen. But that is a bit of a myth in my experience because even when the rifle was locked up in the Enfield rest prior to accuracy testing one of the tests was to remove and replace the scope a couple of times to test for collimation within the set parameter. Regardless of which thumbscrew was tightened first or last, the tele would always collimate on the 28 foot screen. Anyone else any ideas as to why?

[jmoore]

I do the rear last as I have a couple of rifles that are a bit worn at the spigot interface. Tightening the front first with the rear snugged allows me to push the front down better. Thus preventing or minimizing shifting under recoil. One rifle will put the second and following rounds about 2 MOA higher than the first round if not done in the above sequence.

[Peter Laidler]

We had a repair method for worn out front mounting spigots. Just a kinute....., I think I detail it in the little No4T book! It was very simple and gave lots of No4T's and L42's a new lease of life

[jmoore]

We had a repair method for worn out front mounting spigots. Just a kinute....., I think I detail it in the little No4T book! It was very simple and gave lots of No4T's and L42's a new lease of life

Read about that ages ago in a little tome, but tramming everything in still gives me the heebie-jeebies. I've learned (the hard way more than once!) not to trust threaded hole locations except under loose tolerencing. Referencing off the unworn portion might do, but if the spigot's sheared off, then... At any rate, my L42s are far more gently treated than they were in service, so minor issues aren't a huge bother.

[Brian Dick]

FYI: The "No.4T An Armourer's Perspective" by Laidler/Skennerton is now out of print and sadly, there's no plan for more. I've just had more of the "Telescope No.32" booklets by Laidler printed and a large shipment is on the way to DS Solutions in England who are the only other place to get them. If you don't have a copy and plan on shooting and learning these telescopes, I highly recommend it.