Interesting find not yet found

[drache]

I decided to visit my uncle today and he had a bunch of people over there sitting around drinking. Over the course of a few beers a friend told me that he has his grandfather's rifle from the second world war (.303). I started talking to him and he's telling me that it has a place to mount a scope. Now Im sort of even more interested when he tells me that it was like that from the war and nothing was ever done to it.

So Ive been invited to go look at it some time.

I was told that his brother broke the stock when carrying the rifle and wrecked the motor bike he was riding on a hunting trip (original stock)

So could this be a real WWII sniper rifle?

What is the best/easiest way to tell if it's real or not? I know the grandfather very well could have just added the scope mount afterwards so how do I tell if it's original?

 

[fat tony]

.303? sniping rifle? it could be a #4T, there were other .303 sniping rifles used during WWII, the Australians made one on their #1 MKIII rifles, but from what I heard are extremely rare in Canada.

 

[LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1]

If its a real No.4 MK1(T) then you have a real find there. original reasonable condition (T)'s are HIGHLY sought after by collectors (me included, but I cant afford one) and can fetch well over two to three grand, with the broken stock it does drop but still a find. It should say right on the receiver No.4 Mk1(T). but there are a lot of fakes out there, and I find it hard to believe the Canadian Military would let a soldier keep his issue rifle.

 

[RRCo.]

I find it hard to believe the Canadian Military would let a soldier keep his issue rifle.

That would be a first. Many soldiers have "lost" theirs though...

 

[PerversPépère]

If his brother broke the stock, he was probably carrying it on the bike's handlebars and tried to pass between two trees.
I've seen one such stupid event; it bent a beautiful double trigger Mannlicher-Shoenauer custom rifle . The moron escaped without a bruise... his older brother (the rifle owner) is still making him pay for it everytime he gets the chance.
Your still unseen T has probably suffered the same fate.
PP.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Milsurp Knowledge Base on milsurps dot com has an amazing text, expert commentary and photo gallery on the No.4T rifle. Find the Canadian section and scroll through the knowledge. Bring a bucket to mop up the drool.

 

[shortandlong]

good luck

 

[sunray]

"...let a soldier keep his issue rifle..." They weren't.

 

[5440fight]

My money is on a bubba'd Lee Enfield. Throw a scope on it and every nube thinks it's a WW2 sniper rifle. I hope otherwise for your sake , but...

 

[Ganderite]

The sope base for the military sniper rifle is very differnt than any hunting scope base. You will be able to tell quite easily.

Alos, if the rifle is stamped with a "T", then it is/was a sniper. But to be complete, you need the scope and rings. That would cost over a grand.

 

[drache]

Ok I total forgot I created this thread and just found it.

1) He was British not Canadian
2) I never stated it was real, I can only go by what Im told
3) I never said he was allowed to keep it, just stated that it was his
4) He is NOT interested in selling it for any price! I've already asked
5) His mother "confirmed" the rifle's history, still no proof it's real

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Well, let him be content with his story. In the meantime, use this as a research project on your way to tuning your BS filters. Sight unseen, but reading between the lines, he probably has a very ordinary No.4 sporterized rifle with a no-gunsmithing scope mount. All in worth maybe $300 with the scope.

 

[BadgerDog]

So could this be a real WWII sniper rifle?

What is the best/easiest way to tell if it's real or not? I know the grandfather very well could have just added the scope mount afterwards so how do I tell if it's original?

Check these two Knowledge Library entries and compare what he has against the pics (markings etc). Familiarize yourself with what they look like and that will give you a pretty good idea.

1944 Enfield No.4 Mk1(T) Sniper Rifle http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=89

1945 Enfield No.4 Mk1*(T) Long Branch Sniper Rifle http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=7

Regards,
Badger

 

[drache]

Well, let him be content with his story. In the meantime, use this as a research project on your way to tuning your BS filters. Sight unseen, but reading between the lines, he probably has a very ordinary No.4 sporterized rifle with a no-gunsmithing scope mount. All in worth maybe $300 with the scope.

And WHERE did I ever ask what it was worth? I already stated that he wasn't going to sell his grandfather's rifle no matter what it might or might not be worth.

As for "tuning my BS filter", it already works as I didn't believe him and before going to look at it figured I ask to find out how to tell if it would be real or not.