You may be asking yourself, "How can a No. 4 Enfield have a 1933 date, when production didn't start until 1941?"
Following WWI, design improvements were sought for the SMLE (later designated No. 1) Mk III and Mk III* rifles. Trials began with the approval for the SMLE Mk V at RSAF Enfield in 1922, with approximately 20,000 units produced. In 1926, the No. 1 MK VI rifle was approved for trials, and was the leading design for the transition to the No. 4 rifles. Approximately 1,000 A-prefix serial numbered guns were built in 1929 and 1930. Some of the changes included a heavier barrel, a rear receiver aperture sight, strengthened action and bolt body, button style cocking knob, redesigned front sight protector, and a barrel supported bayonet vs. the nosecap mount system.
In mid-1931 through 1933, with only minor changes (elimination of stock checkering and safety catch recess, higher flat left receiver wall) from the Mk VI, the first Trials Rifle examples with the No. 4 markings were produced, again beginning with A-prefix serial numbers. Approximately 2500 No. 4 MkI Trials Rifles were produced, eventually leading to the model's acceptance as the principle service rifle in 1939. No. 4 Production began in 1941 at the Royal Ordnance Factories of Fazakerley, Maltby, and BSA in England, Savage in the US, and Long Branch in Canada.
With the pressures of war, approximately 1,400 of the No. 4 Mk I Trials Rifles were converted to sniper configuration in 1940, and the letter-T was applied as a suffix to the model designation. The following link to the Knowledge Library of Milsurps.com is an excellent summary of the sniper conversion.
http://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=190-1933-No.4-Mk1%28T%29-Sniper-Trials-Rifle
And the following link is to the spreadsheet for the five dozen known surviving examples of the Trials Rifles.
http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=50282
My No.4 Mk I Trials Rifle was built in 1933, converted to a sniper around 1940, and later rebuilt in non-sniper configuration. Some of the key original Trials Rifle features include a 'waisted' front sight protector, stamped magazine cut-off, and button cocking piece. The scope pads were retained from the conversion. At final rebuild, the walnut stock was replaced with beech, small parts and rear sight were replaced (Savage bands, Long Branch rear sight). The bolt body was renumbered with an A-suffix. It did not have a mag when purchased.
Some pics, and thanks for looking.
Following WWI, design improvements were sought for the SMLE (later designated No. 1) Mk III and Mk III* rifles. Trials began with the approval for the SMLE Mk V at RSAF Enfield in 1922, with approximately 20,000 units produced. In 1926, the No. 1 MK VI rifle was approved for trials, and was the leading design for the transition to the No. 4 rifles. Approximately 1,000 A-prefix serial numbered guns were built in 1929 and 1930. Some of the changes included a heavier barrel, a rear receiver aperture sight, strengthened action and bolt body, button style cocking knob, redesigned front sight protector, and a barrel supported bayonet vs. the nosecap mount system.
In mid-1931 through 1933, with only minor changes (elimination of stock checkering and safety catch recess, higher flat left receiver wall) from the Mk VI, the first Trials Rifle examples with the No. 4 markings were produced, again beginning with A-prefix serial numbers. Approximately 2500 No. 4 MkI Trials Rifles were produced, eventually leading to the model's acceptance as the principle service rifle in 1939. No. 4 Production began in 1941 at the Royal Ordnance Factories of Fazakerley, Maltby, and BSA in England, Savage in the US, and Long Branch in Canada.
With the pressures of war, approximately 1,400 of the No. 4 Mk I Trials Rifles were converted to sniper configuration in 1940, and the letter-T was applied as a suffix to the model designation. The following link to the Knowledge Library of Milsurps.com is an excellent summary of the sniper conversion.
http://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=190-1933-No.4-Mk1%28T%29-Sniper-Trials-Rifle
And the following link is to the spreadsheet for the five dozen known surviving examples of the Trials Rifles.
http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=50282
My No.4 Mk I Trials Rifle was built in 1933, converted to a sniper around 1940, and later rebuilt in non-sniper configuration. Some of the key original Trials Rifle features include a 'waisted' front sight protector, stamped magazine cut-off, and button cocking piece. The scope pads were retained from the conversion. At final rebuild, the walnut stock was replaced with beech, small parts and rear sight were replaced (Savage bands, Long Branch rear sight). The bolt body was renumbered with an A-suffix. It did not have a mag when purchased.
Some pics, and thanks for looking.
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