French Resistance No4Mk1.

[30Three]

I acquired this 1944 No4Mk1 in May of this year, but it's taken until last week to complete the paperwork. Hence my wait before showing you the rifle. It was part of a parachute drop to the local resistance in the Eure and Loir region around the time of the invasion. It has been properly preserved for over 70 years. It is quite frankly in spectacular order. There are a few marks on the woodwork; but no rot at all. The metal work still had traces of cosmoline; and hardly any signs of wear at all.
Took it to the range yesterday. It is accurate and the whole thing; trigger, bolt etc, just feels like new. Not bad for a 73 year old rifle.
Attachment 88111Attachment 88112Attachment 88113Attachment 88114Attachment 88115

Note: I removed my prescription lenses from my safety glasses for the second set of 5 shot's. Makes quite a difference when you can see properly!(I use them for pistol shooting)

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.

[Homer]

Is it a long branch?

[fjruple]

Is it a long branch?

Homer--

It says Maltby on the target.

[enfield303t]

Nice find.

[mrclark303]

I acquired this 1944 No4Mk1 in May of this year, but it's taken until last week to complete the paperwork. Hence my wait before showing you the rifle. It was part of a parachute drop to the local resistance in the Eure and Loir region around the time of the invasion. It has been properly preserved for over 70 years. It is quite frankly in spectacular order. There are a few marks on the woodwork; but no rot at all. The metal work still had traces of cosmoline; and hardly any signs of wear at all.
Took it to the range yesterday. It is accurate and the whole thing; trigger, bolt etc, just feels like new. Not bad for a 73 year old rifle.
Attachment 88111Attachment 88112Attachment 88113Attachment 88114Attachment 88115

Note: I removed my prescription lenses from my safety glasses for the second set of 5 shot's. Makes quite a difference when you can see properly!(I use them for pistol shooting)

Really well done, great find (been looking forward to these pics). A fine rifle with French resistance pedigree, I hope your fellow shooters appreciate it at the range mate...

I still hold out hope of procuring a resistance used K98 or No4 one day...

[Miller Tyme]

Fantastic find, color me green with envy.

[usabaker]

Wow nice! Where did you find that one at?

[30Three]

This came to via a friend who knows the son of the local resistance fighter that collected the parachute drop and stored it after the war.
I had heard about it some time ago and would occasionally ask if it would become available. That paid off in May when I collected it. Took 5 months for the paperwork to get done.

[RobD]

Your rifle is special only because of the story, so I trust you've documented everything you possibly can for the future? Most WW2 veterans have now "been promoted", my Dad among them, and even their sons [like me] are getting old; so whatever you can record now is important - it will all be impossible to replicate in the future.
Rob

[usabaker]

local resistance fighter that collected the parachute drop and stored it after the war

That's an awesome history! -- in the words of Neopolitan Dynamite - lucky