At the last Salmon Arm Gun Show I picked up a No4 Mk1* with an MP stamp on the left side of the receiver. The serial number is verifiable from a Crown Assets Disposal purchasers copy bill of lading dated to Lever Arms, 1968. There is a very good chance I unpacked those rifles and cleaned them up to go into the old Dunsmuir St. store display racks. That was a long time ago but I do remember them and one other order. From there on everything blurs. I unpacked/cleaned/brought up hundreds upon hundreds of No4s.
I have often thought about those rifle and wished I had purchased one of them. The thing is, they were at one hell of a premium for a used No4. If memory serves they were around $60 each at the time and new in box rifles were around half that or less, depending on manufacturer.
This rifle doesn't seem to be special, other than it has a five groove ball burnished barrel, and has been bedded for accuracy. There is one thing about it that bothers me and that is a drilled and tapped hole on the left side of the butt socket about half way down. I went onto Milsurps Knowledge Library and Badger had pics of three rifles there. One of the three had a hole drilled and tapped in exactly the same location as the one on my rifle.
Does anyone here actually know what those holes were drilled for?? I am assuming some sort of target sight but I know the RCMP rifles had No4 and No5 Parker hale sights on their match rifles. Neither of these sights would require such a hole. Maybe for a lanyard ring??? Doubtful.
I have often thought about those rifle and wished I had purchased one of them. The thing is, they were at one hell of a premium for a used No4. If memory serves they were around $60 each at the time and new in box rifles were around half that or less, depending on manufacturer.
This rifle doesn't seem to be special, other than it has a five groove ball burnished barrel, and has been bedded for accuracy. There is one thing about it that bothers me and that is a drilled and tapped hole on the left side of the butt socket about half way down. I went onto Milsurps Knowledge Library and Badger had pics of three rifles there. One of the three had a hole drilled and tapped in exactly the same location as the one on my rifle.
Does anyone here actually know what those holes were drilled for?? I am assuming some sort of target sight but I know the RCMP rifles had No4 and No5 Parker hale sights on their match rifles. Neither of these sights would require such a hole. Maybe for a lanyard ring??? Doubtful.
