Scope for a No.4

[safetyfirst]

Nice work!

Were you in Mike's tunnel or the tunnel in Dorset?

Mikes tunnel is cold in August! Always worth a pair of gloves and a flask of tea that place, great range.

[Dougan]

Thanks SF.

It was the one near Lyme Regis...it's a nice facility, and ideal for initial set-up and load testing.

We knew how cold it would be, so we all (went with some other club mates) wrapped up, thermals and all, but then were warm enough that we didn't want the heaters on...in hindsight it would have been better for the scopes to have had them on...

[Glemhamnorris]

Hi,

If the No.4 is a very good example with numbered woodwork I would be hesitant in drilling holes and fitting a repro "T type" cheek raiser. Other options are:

1. Buy a new stock and fit a repro cheek raiser. Keep original stock in store. Complete original woodwork seta are currently available at very reasonable cost - £50.
2. Fit a repro Garand leather cheek raiser - they are ex India and work ok if you soak them in lots of leather oil :). £20.

As to scopes I purchased a Pecar 4 x 32 copy of a No.32 15 years ago. Unfortunately they are no longer in business. A brick sh**house scope and better than the original British scope IMHO.

Regarding "no gunsmith" mounts select steel mounts, no aluminium ! I use a set from Fultons but I would think expensive these days. Those who sell aluminium mounts don't understand the maths of stressing and deflection of metals. Again 15 years old.

I hope you and your father enjoy shooting your new rifle. You can now investigate reloading to suit your weapon :).

Peter.

[Glemhamnorris]

OOPS!

Sorry for the post above. I did not realise how many pages there were........ much water has gone under the bridge.

[Dougan]

No need to apologise Glem...comment and advice from new members is very welcome

Just to put your mind at rest; I bought the rifle from Pukka Bundhooks, which is owned by Dromia on here...if I do anything to damage the original rifle he'll have my guts for garters!

The reason we went for a modern scope (with turrets) in the end is that the rifle will be my dad's main gun for club days, which are usually 300 and 600 on the same day, and I want to do some McQueens with it (200 and 300) so it needs to be reliably wound up and down regularly...

...I'm still interested one day (when funds allow...) to have another more traditional scope and mount for it - It's interesting what you said about Pecar copies of No.32s...didn't think (and know next to nothing about old scopes) about there being earlier copies...

We're enjoying having something new to load for - My SMLE is spot on at 200 yards (the main distance I shoot it) with a nice mild load of 39gn of N140, but recon we'll need a bit more velocity for results at 600...the 40gn load was good at 100, and we're going to try that at 200 and 600 in a few weeks...if necessary we can still work it up a little from there.

[Dougan]

Well we finally got to give the new No.4 a proper outing

We could see that it had a good bore when we got it; and it didn't disappoint - Our SMK loads were the best (no surprise there), and we got it nicely zero'd at 200 yards - Then out to 600, where it kept a very consistent elevation...and despite quite a tricky wind we managed to clip the central white disk on an F-Class target a couple of times.

Thanks again Adam for an excellent shooter - My old man sends his best regards...here's a piccie of 'Comrade Dadski' enjoying his new favorite rifle...

[saddler]

Hi,

If the No.4 is a very good example with numbered woodwork I would be hesitant in drilling holes and fitting a repro "T type" cheek raiser. Other options are:

1. Buy a new stock and fit a repro cheek raiser. Keep original stock in store. Complete original woodwork seta are currently available at very reasonable cost - £50.

Not seen ANY wood sets at anywhere near £50...I'd be interested in your sources.
Buttstocks seem ten a penny...I've got at least three spares of my own.

quote="Glemhamnorris"]2. Fit a repro Garand leather cheek raiser - they are ex India and work ok if you soak them in lots of leather oil :). £20.[/quote]
No such beast, as a Garand Cheek RAISER...and I'd put Dromia s last ten shilling note on ANYTHING of Indian origin (leatherwork wise) having still had a pulse at this time last year.
The leather Garand cheek-REST had the job of lining up the shooters face with the fitted scope...in a sideways direction, not upwards.
Garand = clip loading = top fed only = scope mounts ALL off-set, to the left of the receiver.

The leather cheekRAISER as used on the Swedish Mauser, or the very rare wooden one used on the NKVD's Russian M91/30's (held in place by a leather strap) would allow a good cheekweld without permanent damage to the original butt.

[dromia]

Hi John, I am so glad that you and your father are pleased with the No4.

It shot well for me when I tested it, put about 8000 rounds through it and it never missed a beat, another couple of thousand and it will be getting ready for a clean.

All the best to your father, tell him he deserves the gun after putting up with you all these years.

[waterford103]

Bushnell x 10 tactical , large knobs and very crisp glass .A relatively short scope and good eye relief . Can be had used from £130 , I know , I have 2.

[Dougan]

tell him he deserves the gun after putting up with you all these years.

Indeed he does! Though I'm worried he's starting to lose it...he said he thought you were a "good bloke" the other day... razz