1942 Fazakerley No4 Mk1. Really nice rifle

[Surpmil]

I've seen the photos as well as you have. I've done parkerizing and I don't see it there.

[browningautorifle]

I don't see it there.

Interesting...

[martin08]

I am just so glad that I quit drinking in 2004, several years before I joined the internet. Otherwise, I might ask where the good stuff was sold!

[Surpmil]

This one looks like it was built this week.

Anyway, what can the experts tell me? Don't be bashful. Thanks.

I am just so glad that I quit drinking in 2004, several years before I joined the internet. Otherwise, I might ask where the good stuff was sold!

Personally I never started, so I never had to quit - or any other substance misuse or abuse for that matter.

But glad you made it onto the wagon, though I hear it can be a bumpy ride at times!?

Speaking of substance, I'll be happy to discuss the substance of my remarks with anyone.

PS: As you probably noticed, the bolt body should be painted as well, at least along the main recoil lug.

[martin08]

Personally I never started, so I never had to quit - or any other substance misuse or abuse for that matter.

But glad you made it onto the wagon, though I hear it can be a bumpy ride at times!?

Speaking of substance, I'll be happy to discuss the substance of my remarks with anyone.

PS: As you probably noticed, the bolt body should be painted as well, at least along the main recoil lug.

I most certainly asked for input, and I'm happy with the bounty of replies.

I knew it was 'different' before I posted, but it seems others have seen different ones much like it from the 1990s.

[Brian Dick]

Rob,

The phosphate of the day was zinc and very light grey. I agree the rear sight is a replacement but it's also light grey zinc phosphate and most likely replaced in service, but I could be wrong. That rifle would have sported a Mk.2 sight as original so it would have definitely been changed. I had many of those first British post 1986 No.4 imports straight from Donnington to IAC to the distributors and will also stick to my comments since there were several exactly like it. The serial number on the butt has been encountered before and confused me too until I was told that the Armourers in later years didn't do things exactly the way the old hands did. I've also seen it on L42A1 rifles and a few of what appear to be original Maltby rifles. So, we can agree to disagree but when I see the wood off and original grease and paper shims and such, it tells me it's been worked on legitimately but honest. If Bubba had got hold of it, you'd know as the first thing they do is clean the XG279 grease off. I never could understand that.

Come to Carolina and we'll teach you how to drink!

Brian

[Surpmil]

I wouldn't see us disagreeing often Brian, but are you saying it's an FTR rifle or something less: lick o'paint and a sand 'n oil job? I wasn't aware of any lesser level of "service" myself, not on a mass scale at least.

No markings to reflect the work because only cosmetic? Hardly makes sense to take a rifle to bits and refinish it without checking the critical tolerances one would think? To say nothing of knocking off the sharp edges.

Numbered butts... I can't gainsay what you were told, but the EMERs are the EMERs are they not? Was such a step ever specified therein? If such were going to be applied, the logical place would be under the wrist you'd think, although if rifles were stored in vertical racks as the RN did one could see the preference for being able to read the SN's from that position.

Weren't numbers on the wrist SOP for all the L42's as per the No.4(T)?

Anyway, we all know books and rules exist to be ignored by some!

Was at a house the other day where the empty Jack Daniel's twenty-sixers were lined up in platoon strength. The trouble with substances is while they may help you forget what you want to, they also do the same for what you don't want to!

These days we're more waiting for NC to come up here; just make sure you bring the 2nd with you!

[Brian Dick]

My word is not gospel. I'm saying I've had several just like it from the same batch of rifles purchased and imported directly from the MoD by Interarms in the 1980s. Their markings are clearly stamped on top of the Suncorite paint as it's chipped away that very tough stuff. I'd speculate that they were inspected post war, if the original barrel was in spec, they received a basic trip through workshops for a phosphate and paint job along with a scraping and sanding of the wood. Rustproofing is a bit more than cosmetic. It was the spec. Rifles with the Mk.2 sights were upgraded to Mk.1, (it is marked with a small Broad Arrow if you look closely). When PL first visited in the early 2000s, I showed him a '42 Maltby from the same batch that is virtually new condition. The metal hasn't been refinished as that rifle skated somehow from hard use. Thinking it was untouched, he was quick to correct me that it had certainly been disassembled, inspected, gauged, preserved and restored to reserve stores, possibly several times. Considering these were the last No.4 service rifles released for commercial resale by the MoD, they may well have been inspected into the 1970s. This rough old wartime Fazakerley looks like that's exactly what was done. Refinishing the original blackened finish was a given because it wasn't too durable in the first place and the standard rustproofing became phosphate and baked paint in 1944.

The butts were probably numbered so that the same wood went back on the rifle that it was removed from during servicing. Or possibly as you say to ID it in a rack. As far as the No.4T and L42 goes, the number that we expect to see on the wrist is the telescope number, not the rifle serial number. That being said, I had a few L42s through here with the rifle number stamped there too. I don't think I've ever seen a No.4T done like that. He attributed it to younger Armourers not adhering strictly to the EMERs but just getting the job done. At least that's how I remember it. If he's reading this, maybe he can comment and correct me if I'm wrong. Anyhow, after looking at the pictures, it was easy for me to form an opinion on this one.

I'm in SC not NC. Not to breach the rules on politics, but we're still a free state, diverse, full of military retirees and very friendly. The cities have problems with crime as they all do. I'm not in one and never will be. Read up on the Old Edgefield District if interested. It's a very historical place founded by Scottish immigrants in the 1600s. General Longstreet is born and buried here. I know many folks, some both friends and clients of all colors and faiths and we all get along great. A Mexican guy was here on a crew replacing my ac units this week. I chatted him up when he was putting in the new thermostat and his story and mine are very similar as naturalized immigrants to the USA. Him from the south and me from the north! We are getting inundated with folks moving in from out west and the northeast to escape the leftist nonsense and high taxes. I just pray they vote accordingly when they settle here. It's sure driven the property values up for sure.

I'm not a JD or big bourbon drinker. I don't drink hard liquor much to be honest. I only drink whiskey with a few very special friends. Some Scotch and I like Canadian 40 Creek which isn't the mass-produced blended stuff made in Windsor. An ice cold beer suits me better after a day of woodworking in the sun or tending to my overwhelming outdoor chores.

[Surpmil]

Interesting Brian! My mistake on the scope vs. rifle numbers on the wrist - it's not like I didn't know that after all.

Politics? Here we are collecting, restoring and discussing the implements of the ultimate political event: war. Other forums seem to get along with a space for such discussions, even thrive. Perhaps that's part of the reason this place is so quiet? It's less and less easy to ignore "politics", and that's the result of too many of us having done so for too long.

As you know we in Canada seem to have, or had, a certain natural cultural affinity for the old South and to some extent, New England (the region, not the state).