No 4 rear sight with aperture milled off.

[mr.e moose]

I recently purchased a No 4 action that was stamped on the receiver ring, ALF. PARKER BIRM. Underneath that was a Crown, BNP and 19 Tons. Butt socket was stamped with serial 1728?. Why would it have a Mk 1 rear sight with the rear battle sight milled off? Sight is stamped with a B in a diamond.
Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

Information

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[hayboy]

This modification to the rear sight was originally done when converting to a No. 4 T.

[Peter Laidler]

.......... so that the battle aperture part wouldn't foul the rear of the low-slung telescope

[CINDERS]

If that 1728 is the serial of the scope would be interesting to see where it is pictures of the action and butt would help the guys here with the knowledge but in all fairness it is unknown if they were ever an item that action and the stock

[Roger Payne]

Alfred J Parker must have reworked thousands of SMLE's & No4's over the years, & commonly scrubbed the body of the rifle & applied their own serial number. We can't be sure without photo's but I suspect this will more than likely be the case with yours. As mentioned above the battle aperture has been removed, so perhaps your rifle was fitted up with a scope by Parkers at the time of its reworking.

ATB

P.S. & with a 19T proof it would have been rebarrelled to 7.62mm. Does the receiver still bear the original manufacturer's markings & date of manufacture.....? (Just curious).

[mr.e moose]

The butt socket has no original manufacturer's marks it has been ground and a new serial has been stamped. The left side of the receiver is marked No 4 Mk1. Besides the ALF. PARKER. BIRM., BNP, 19 tons it has no other markings. This is just a receiver with a unnumbered bolt that has never been drilled for a scope. I imagine since it has the 19 ton BNP it must have had a 7.62 barrel at one time but why does it sport a No 4 T rear sight since it never had a scope?

[browningautorifle]

why does it sport a No 4 T rear sight since it never had a scope?

Since they aren't magic to change, perhaps it was added along the way? It's not hard to do.

[Roger Payne]

Yes, I doubt the sight is one modified during WW2 for use on a real 4T. AFAICR all unadulterated BSA Shirley 4T's I've seen have had Singer made rear sights; early examples bear their initials & the date; SM41, SM42 & SM43. On later BSA rifles the sights are still Singer, but bearing their wartime factory code of N67. Savage 4T's generally bear Savage made sights; Maltby rifles also usually bear Singer sights; Long Branch rifles can bear either LB or Savage sights. Of course Enfield made Trials rifles will have Enfield made rear sights. Have only ever seen B (& F) made sights fitted as replacements.

Hope this helps.

[Enfieldlock]

I have a Savage sight with the battle sight milled off. I have it on good authority it was used for trials.

[mr.e moose]

Yes, I doubt the sight is one modified during WW2 for use on a real 4T. AFAICR all unadulterated BSA Shirley 4T's I've seen have had Singer made rear sights; early examples bear their initials & the date; SM41, SM42 & SM43. On later BSA rifles the sights are still Singer, but bearing their wartime factory code of N67. Savage 4T's generally bear Savage made sights; Maltby rifles also usually bear Singer sights; Long Branch rifles can bear either LB or Savage sights. Of course Enfield made Trials rifles will have Enfield made rear sights. Have only ever seen B (& F) made sights fitted as replacements.

Hope this helps.

This sight has a B in a diamond . So would I be correct in assuming that it was a replacement sight ? I just do not know enough about 4T's as to if it is a original sight. Should I pass it on to someone ?