No. 4(T)

Caberhill

Well-Known Member
What should I be looking to pay of a Lee Enfield No. 4T? What would be the key things to look for other than matching serial #'s. I've seen some for 3-4K is this the norm/top notch or pear prices?

Should I expect a smooth action or are they all pretty rattly like my own No.4 mk III?

Thanks
 
I think Muir has one (no surprise), and am sure he'll see the title and chime in as well. :)

No. I got rid of mine. It became evident that mine was a very well done fake. I contacted the seller and he took it back. Beware when buying a No4T. There are some very convincing fakes out there made up from genuine parts.~Muir
 
What should I be looking to pay of a Lee Enfield No. 4T? What would be the key things to look for other than matching serial #'s. I've seen some for 3-4K is this the norm/top notch or pear prices?

Should I expect a smooth action or are they all pretty rattly like my own No.4 mk III?

Thanks

Yeah, they rattle. You have a No4 MkIII?? Describe it to me!~Muir

(Or did you stutter in the capitol "I" )
 
Yeah, they rattle. You have a No4 MkIII??

Describe it to me!~Muir

...I was wondering that too!!


KEY THINGS?

Have you read the books by Peter Laidler?
What about the Ian Skennerton books?
Have you read all the articles concerning fake 4(T)'s on the MilSurps Forum?

As with lots of things in life, research IS key - but with 4(T)'s - even more so!!
There are TOO MANY things to look for to allow a quick couple of lines reply on a forum post to guarantee that you'll not get burned with a repro.

Are you JUST after a 4(T) with scope, or are you after the C.E.S. in the correct transit chest with all the bells & whistles ??

How about another option?
One of the modern repro brackets - add reducing spacers - fit a genuine period Lyman Alaskan scope = just saved you about £3K
You then end up with a very close approximation of one of the variations that the Canadians issued...

Oh, IF you do go down the 4(T) route send me a PM - I make all the leather accessories for them & also a few others CES items like the correct chamber cleaning stick.

Jon
(Lovat Soc. member)
 
(Or did you stutter in the capitol "I" )

...I was wondering that too!!

Sorry change No4 mkIII to No1 mkIII, typo, sorry... But there was a No4 Mk III was't there?

With all the various conitations and manufactures it seems like there is a he'll of a lot to learn.

Sounds like I'm going to have to faily do my home work on this one...
 
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Sorry change No4 mkIII to No1 mkIII, typo... although with all the various conitations and manufactures it seems like there is a he'll of a lot to learn.

Sounds like I'm going to have to faily do my home work on this one...

If you can borrow a copy of Ian Skinnerton's book on Enfields it will help you identify your prospective "T" rifle and accessories. Considering the money you'll be spending, you might want buy a copy. I met Skinnerton in Pasadena, CA half a dozen years back and he offered to buy my minty No1, MkVI Trials Rifle for very little money.
uh, yeah.....~Muir
 
But there was a No4 Mk III was't there?

NO. There was no No.4 Mk.III; several versions of the Mk.I, the last version of the No.4 was the Mk.II


If you can borrow a copy of Ian Skinnerton's book on Enfields it will help you identify your prospective "T" rifle and accessories. Considering the money you'll be spending, you might want buy a copy. I met Skinnerton in Pasadena, CA half a dozen years back and he offered to buy my minty No1, MkVI Trials Rifle for very little money.
uh, yeah.....~Muir

Skennerton: has TWO main books on the topic in hand.
1. The Lee Enfield Story - a good general summary of the Lee Enfield series
2. The British Sniper - specific to the sniping rifles & equipment

It's the second of the two that you should look out for. You'll not get a copy for the thin end of £100 IF you can find one...but as with many similar books, you'll gain from the material it contains AND when/if you come to sell it on you'll not lose money; chances are you'll be able to sell it on for a profit.

The LAIDLER book is possibly better to buy for the No.4(T) info.
Peter trained as an armourer on these rifles. He knows them inside out. His book is SPECIFIC to the 4(T).
It is also still in print so is substantially cheaper than the Skennerton books
 
2. The British Sniper - specific to the sniping rifles & equipment

Managed to get a copy for £110 inc p&p from over the pond...

I'll give it a read and see how I get on from there. Thanks to you and Muir for your help.

I see that there is refernece to a No. 4 Mk 1/3 on the internet, what are they refering to with the 1/3?
 
Managed to get a copy for £110 inc p&p from over the pond...

I'll give it a read and see how I get on from there. Thanks to you and Muir for your help.

I see that there is refernece to a No. 4 Mk 1/3 on the internet, what are they refering to with the 1/3?

The No.4 Mk.1/3 was the conversion of the No.4 Mk.1* to the improved type of "hung" trigger mounting
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Lee-E...pt=AU_Non_Fiction_Books_2&hash=item3a79fff538

I can't justifiy two books at that price so went with the one you said I should look for.

The book on the British Sniper is the better of the two for what you need.
Get lots of Xmas stocking filler type hints dropped for his main book as per the Ebay link

Try to get the Laidler book on the No.4(T) as well

They both complement each other quite well when doing any in depth research
 
The book on the British Sniper is the better of the two for what you need.
Get lots of Xmas stocking filler type hints dropped for his main book as per the Ebay link

Try to get the Laidler book on the No.4(T) as well

They both complement each other quite well when doing any in depth research

I'll keep an eye out for it thanks,
 
Can't believe the money people pay for what is, basically, a Lee Enfield with a, by present day standards, a VERY POOR optic! I had one of these twenty-five years ago when they were too cheap to be ever faked. Mine cost me all of £240 from Aylestone Gun Company in Leicester and came with box, sling, 'scope, 'scope box and etc. In fact even the "hankie".

Some of the boxes even still had the regimental markings on them. My brother's No4(T) being ex Royal Green Jackets. What I would ACTUALLY look for is a good bore as a shot out No4(T) is just that...a shot out No4(T). No amount of wishing or hoping is going to make the rifling "grow back"!

That is important as replacement No4 barrels are now, ironically, more difficult to source than replacement SMLE barrels! Although twenty five years ago it was the other way about!

The later 'scope is said to be better as it is "gassed" I believe. Mine was a Mk2 and my brother's a Mk3. In fact I preferred my No3(T) as a more "interesting" sniper rifle!

Personally I'd actually prefer the later 7.62mm NATO re-invention of the thing, although again the optics are still 1940s. In its day the No4(T) was probably the best bolt action sniper rifle on WWII. But things have moved on...

Unless you've some keen desire to have one they aren't actually that accurate (the official grouping requirement was not earth stopping) AND the optics are poor.

Be aware that barrels used with cordite that are worn will shoot awful if you try to shoot them with modern nitro-cellulose powders. Something to do with burn pattern and how it causes the barrel to wear. I can't remember how it works though!
 
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