No.4 MK2 modded target rifle

[Mdwysc]

Hi y'all again

I have a 303 that has been modded to turn it into a target rifle, not sporting or a Parker Hale job. It looks like a normal No.4 from a distance. It has PH 5C front and rear target sights on it, the sling swivel just forward of the magazine and most Strange, the wood work has been reworked to make the barrel a floating one. The barrel has not been changed. It has a silver shield imbedded into the stock, (see below) but unfortunately the hallmark is not readable. I did take it into a jewellers for them to have a look, I did ring first and tell them I was bringing in a rifle!
It shoots very well just a strange rifle, may have been a prize rifle etc. the RFD I got it from did not know anything about it, he had had it for over 10 years and couldn't remember much. I will take better pictures and put thr, up but all I have is my iPad at the moment.
Serial No is PF 284** it has its sold out of service marks etc

Cheers

[hitchphil]

South African special forces motto is "We fear naught but God" - close, but could be some unofficial regimental or club motto?

Its a Fazakerley (Liverpool) post war target rifle conversion probably from your serial number PF 284 abt 1954 - 55. The floating barrel improves accuracy from 4 MOA out of the factory, to 2MOA & that can be improved again by 'fettling' to about 1-1.5 hence the target rifle sights.

To check the float put gun on its butt on ground, hold firm with one hand, & put palm on muzzle rotate hand it should float round in a gentle circle without touching anything & come back to centre.

Mine is PF828 so the 3rd before last batch made. If you can keep original barrel it may be worth more in time, mine has matching bolt & barrel / action but not wood, some dick head changed the wood stripped & varnished it! one day I will remove the varnish & just oil it so its at least got the right feel / look.

Bet it shoots well!

[Mdwysc]

South African special forces motto is "We fear naught but God" - close, but could be some unofficial regimental or club motto?

Its a Fazakerley (Liverpool) post war target rifle conversion probably from your serial number PF 284 abt 1954 - 55. The floating barrel improves accuracy from 4 MOA out of the factory, to 2MOA & that can be improved again by 'fettling' to about 1-1.5 hence the target rifle sights.

To check the float put gun on its butt on ground, hold firm with one hand, & put palm on muzzle rotate hand it should float round in a gentle circle without touching anything & come back to centre.

Mine is PF828 so the 3rd before last batch made. If you can keep original barrel it may be worth more in time, mine has matching bolt & barrel / action but not wood, some dick head changed the wood stripped & varnished it! one day I will remove the varnish & just oil it so its at least got the right feel / look.

Bet it shoots well!

Thanks for that. Yes the barrel float is as you describe, a bit disconcerting to be able to move the barrel around like that. I am also sure the trigger has been breathed on but nothing major it seems a bit better than other Mk2's I have shot. When I bought it the RFD had to have it proofed as no he could not find a mark on it. It does shoot great, it's an enigma, maybe I will find out more one day.
Thanks for the info.

[Charlie Muggins]

The floating barrel improves accuracy from 4 MOA out of the factory, to 2MOA & that can be improved again by 'fettling' to about 1-1.5 hence the target rifle sights.

4MOA from a new No4Mk2? Wash your mouth out!

And as for floating barrel improving groups with the No4, the jury is still out on that one. Mention it around Captain Laidler and see what happens. I dare you...

[Steve E]

The floating barrel improves accuracy from 4 MOA out of the factory, to 2MOA & that can be improved again by 'fettling' to about 1-1.5 hence the target rifle sights.

4MOA from a new No4Mk2? Wash your mouth out!

And as for floating barrel improving groups with the No4, the jury is still out on that one. Mention it around Captain Laidler and see what happens. I dare you...

Fully floating a No4 barrel for Target Rifle disciplines ( the discipline of TR only came about with the demise of sr(a) and sr(b) and the adoption of the SLR for all service shooting) was a fully approved process and the methods used were listed in NRA Bibles and in the the individual service,s rifle associations rule and appropriate armourers pamphlets and notes of the period.

Even No1 and No3 rifles had approved methods of either packing or floating the barrels.

[Daniel11]

The Motto/ Shield could be a school? or a long since disbanded rifle club or similar?

[Mdwysc]

The Motto/ Shield could be a school? or a long since disbanded rifle club or similar?

Great idea's not thought of schools, plenty of old rifle clubs that are no longer around. Maybe someone at Bisley might be able to help.

[Charlie Muggins]

The floating barrel improves accuracy from 4 MOA out of the factory, to 2MOA & that can be improved again by 'fettling' to about 1-1.5 hence the target rifle sights.

4MOA from a new No4Mk2? Wash your mouth out!

And as for floating barrel improving groups with the No4, the jury is still out on thaheavy profile barret one. Mention it around Captain Laidler and see what happens. I dare you...

Fully floating a No4 barrel for Target Rifle disciplines ( the discipline of TR only came about with the demise of sr(a) and sr(b) and the adoption of the SLR for all service shooting) was a fully approved process and the methods used were listed in NRA Bibles and in the the individual service,s rifle associations rule and appropriate armourers pamphlets and notes of the period.

Even No1 and No3 rifles had approved methods of either packing or floating the barrels.

Aye and " fully floating forward of the reinforce" was an approved stocking-up procedure late in the war when forend wood was none to stable -- except for telescope rifles. Mid-barrel packing and all sorts were popular in TR and proto-TR circles. Nevertheless despite exhaustive testing the Army found no accuracy advantage over "front and back" bedding until the l42 and it's heavy profile barrel came along.

[Gaz]

The floating barrel improves accuracy from 4 MOA out of the factory, to 2MOA & that can be improved again by 'fettling' to about 1-1.5 hence the target rifle sights.

4MOA from a new No4Mk2? Wash your mouth out!

Factory reject standard was greater than 4MOA. Most new No.4s did better than that, apparently, though I read somewhere (probably in one of Laider's various missives on the state of Fazackerley industrial relations) that late production rifles from Faz were proofed and then rushed out of the factory for unit armourers to set up, rather than staying at the factory for final bedding - and getting delayed thanks to all the strikes of the time. This supposedly explains why some brand new Mk.2s shoot relatively poorly until properly bedded.

This is all third hand, so take it as you will.

[Steve E]

The floating barrel improves accuracy from 4 MOA out of the factory, to 2MOA & that can be improved again by 'fettling' to about 1-1.5 hence the target rifle sights.

4MOA from a new No4Mk2? Wash your mouth out!

Factory reject standard was greater than 4MOA. Most new No.4s did better than that, apparently, though I read somewhere (probably in one of Laider's various missives on the state of Fazackerley industrial relations) that late production rifles from Faz were proofed and then rushed out of the factory for unit armourers to set up, rather than staying at the factory for final bedding - and getting delayed thanks to all the strikes of the time. This supposedly explains why some brand new Mk.2s shoot relatively poorly until properly bedded.

This is all third hand, so take it as you will.

Never a truer word said Gaz.
I have seen several of the mummy' wrapped Mk2s from 1954/55, that when the owner went to shoot them found that they would be lucky to get a 24" group at 100yds until the fore end was fitted correctly. I even witnessed one (of the so called Irish Contract) that when unwrapped and shot would only just keep all shots on the 4 foot screen on Short Siberia. As you said many of these rifles were rushed out to units in the hope that the units would set them up. Often the units could not be bothered and they were returned to store.
My own Mk2 when I first got it would only shoot a 12-18" group at 100yds. The fore end was badly fitted and the hand guards were tight on the barrel so that there was no barrel movement.
Once I had sorted the fit of the woodwork out it would shoot a 3" group at 100yds. The new barrel on it does significantly better.