Complete in crate, all matching Lee Enfield No 4 MK I Sniper rifle
- Thread starter mkrnel
- Start date
A bit of an aside on the sniper rifles. When i was in the army in the 60s and early 70s, we still had the T rifles in store. The odd one would come into the shop for inspection and we would go over the stored ones annually for RCEME inspections. The trouble was, they were not issued for sniper use. It was a strange change over time where we were using the FN as a sniper rifle. The FNs got a bit of a trigger tune and a scope mounted and that was all. It was never a good sniper rifle. Effective to about 500 yards but it was a battle rifle, not a sniper rifle (yes, I know. They could do better but not by much). So why were the Enfields held back? I have no idea. The FN C2 with a scope did better than the C1s but were not used officially in that role. Go figure.
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
On the trials No4Mk1T, they made slight miscalculation. After the rifles were produced they realized they had not provided any transit cases. Solution? modify Bren
Gun gun transit cases!
Gun gun transit cases!
I remember in the summer of 1972 I had just come back from a six month trip to Europe and Africa and was eager to save more money to go traveling again. In those days a plane ticket to London could be had for $200 and $100 was enough money to travel in Africa or Asia or Latin America for two months or more.
This catalogue came in the mail from a mail order outfit in Winnipeg, not SIR, and it had all kinds of surplus stuff in it including rifles. In there were Canadian army surplus sniper rifles with scopes in the crates for $99.99.
I didn't even consider it. I already had a deer rifle, my Ross M-10 .303.
This catalogue came in the mail from a mail order outfit in Winnipeg, not SIR, and it had all kinds of surplus stuff in it including rifles. In there were Canadian army surplus sniper rifles with scopes in the crates for $99.99.
I didn't even consider it. I already had a deer rifle, my Ross M-10 .303.
Sorry to you guys who do own them, but I hope the bubble bursts.
<Rant on>
There are a few guys here that can afford to spend $5000 on a rifle, but for most it is too much.
For me that is 2+ months pay, or more then all of my 16 firearms combined (12 are milsurps). At current inflation rates I'll never be able to afford a No4T. By the time I would save enough to get one the price will be even higher.
Eventually like everything else collectable, only the very well off will be able to afford them, hidden away in their private collections, never to be enjoyed by the rest of us.
<rant off>
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
<counter rant on>
You gotta pay if you want to play.
I am by no means well off, and I consider any of these purchases as an investment.
Not sure how the bubble can burst. As bolt actions they aren't on the gungrabbers agenda at this point, the market has survived the recent influx of reproduction scopes, mounts, and cans. As well, in the past the market has survived the influx of faked up scopeless Ts by US importers. There will, under the current laws, likely never be any amount of releases from the few nations that might still have them hidden away. Oh yeah, and they don't make them anymore.
Supply does not meet demand, so prices will keep going up. As investments, they sure beat the 1% the bank was giving me on my RRSPs. I can tell you from experience that anytime I needed to liquidate a T, the ad was never in the EE for long. That's if there was even an ad. In the circle of T owners, it would seem the temptresses are constantly making obscene offers for quality pieces.
Also, I don't hide mine away. I have shot both Brit and Cdn T's in milsurp matches, and let others try them out as well.
If you can't afford to play the Enfield game, maybe go over to Mosin Nagants. But I doubt they would command the attention (or display the accuracy) of a No4T at the range.
<counter rant off>
Coyote Ugly
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The internet, ePay, online auctions, greed, demand, gotta have it now, and instant knowledge to swell your head really changed things for the worse! Things were better without it, at least for the wallet! LOL
I like the old Districorp and Century gun mail order catalogues and the Gunrunner Newspaper for the prices that were civilized. My time machine is 88% completed!
I like the old Districorp and Century gun mail order catalogues and the Gunrunner Newspaper for the prices that were civilized. My time machine is 88% completed!
That was a beautiful rifle. However, the selling price, considering it has a Brit scope, bracket and chest) came out pretty high.
Obviously there is magic in a Long Branch, much more so than any Brit T.
I had my hopes up for a bit when it was sitting at $1600 for a week...darnitall...
Obviously there is magic in a Long Branch, much more so than any Brit T.
I had my hopes up for a bit when it was sitting at $1600 for a week...darnitall...
Yeah, but it is only just a plain old Longbranch sniper and I know how most of you guys are sick of looking at them by now. Okay I will put some pictures up of it too, just so nobody says I am playing favourites LOL!
Also they comment in the estate auction that it is one of the nicest that they have ever seen, so that may account for it's price too. The guy who had these in his collection must have been quite a Lee Enfield fan.
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MIRAMICHIER
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Miramichi,Nb
Nice piece of History.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
That was a beautiful rifle. However, the selling price, considering it has a Brit scope, bracket and chest) came out pretty high.
Obviously there is magic in a Long Branch, much more so than any Brit T.
I had my hopes up for a bit when it was sitting at $1600 for a week...darnitall...
If one were to work backwards, the LongBranch price gets especially high. At$7K selling price, without any fees, taxes or exchange let's do some math.
Take off the price of the scope and bracket (max would be $2K these days based on ebay prices, but more likely around $1600). That takes us down to $5K
Take off the price of the scope can. With a high of $600 (but often more around $400) that drops the price to $4,400
Take off the price of the Brit rifle chest. High of around $800, but more often between $400 and $600. Drops the remaining to $3600
Subtract another $100 for original lens cap cover. Now we are at $3500.
So that means that the LongBranch 90L rifle has a minimum value of $3500 US using this auction as a guide. Very impressive.
By the way, I have started a liist over on milsurps.com of all the observed 90L rifles with their original scope numbers if available, along with any other short observations. After only a couple of days we have a pretty good list of them.
in 2007 I had a mint 45 LB sniper for sale with a british scope.I was selling because I found a complete matching one to replace it.
I advertized for months at $3500.00 with no takers.In the end I sold just the rifle overseas for $2500.00.I kept the scope and crate.
should have kept it!
I advertized for months at $3500.00 with no takers.In the end I sold just the rifle overseas for $2500.00.I kept the scope and crate.
should have kept it!
A 91/30 sniper may not command the attention of a T but I bet it would out shoot it assuming condition was equal. It is also not as difficult as you would think to spend $5000 on mosin.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
I would take that bet.
So Nagants are finally on the climb? I have always thought of the snipers as a $600-800 rifle. Can you reference any auctions or sales showing this, I would be interested. It wasn't that many years ago SIR in Wpg was selling you the first one (non sniper nagant) for $50 with a second one thrown in for 1¢.
They are on the climb but not that much YET. The Fins are starting to command decent coin as are the Hungarians. At the rate the Russians are getting "personalised", they won't be long in coming either. A 1940 Tula m-38 sold for $1500 on the ee not that long ago. I am trying to acquire a comprehensive collection of Tulas & have spent somewhere in the order of $4000 in the last 6 months. It adds up & they won't be available in quantity forever.
As to their accuracy, I had a 1944 Tula in almost unfired condition that rewarded me with 1" groups at 100 using cast with me at the trigger. I have taken them to 300yrds and can say with supreme confidence they are very effective even with milsurp ammo.
As to their accuracy, I had a 1944 Tula in almost unfired condition that rewarded me with 1" groups at 100 using cast with me at the trigger. I have taken them to 300yrds and can say with supreme confidence they are very effective even with milsurp ammo.
