No4 Mk2 Fazakerley 1955

[the running man]

Lauire what was the serial number.....I hope it ain't the bsa smle I bought last year!!!

[Laurie]

I couldn't tell you that at this distance in time. There were a number around at one time and they went cheaper than a standard Mk III*. I paid £125 for mine when you'd expect to pay £150-200 for the standard military issue rifle. (I don't think this situation still applies?)

Mine had had the buttstock cut down severely for a small statured individual, maybe cadets or a slightly built lady. It had a very eroded throat - presumably thousands of rounds of cordite Mk VII down it. It would shoot very well indeed nevertheless for at most 10 shots then after that elevations rose markedly with every shot. With the half-MOA click twin-zero rearsight, it was a 'click' down every second shot for the second half of matches and even then I'd usually lose some points with high shots.

I always enjoyed shooting it though, and it was an unusual piece at the time.

[the running man]

Ah that's a relief...it's not the one I have!

[DaveB]

Long Branch (or Canadian Arsenals Limited to give it it's proper name) was a great asset to Canada. In addition to the No 4 Mk 1* they also built all the C1s C1A1s, C2A1 and the C1 SMGs. Last C1 SLRs went out the door in about 1968 as near as I can tell - serial numbers in the 8L range. Certainly in all my years of service I never saw a later date on a C1 rifle than 1968. The last batch were C1s with C2 foresights and were mostly issued to the various unit rifle teams. Every unit both Regular Force and Reserve (TF) that signed up a certain number of soldiers as part of the unit rifle team, got issued 6 or 8 of these. Initially they were kept well separate for competition use, but over time the teams disbanded and the rifles went into the general unit pool for issue. I am not a big SLR fan, but sure would like to get my paws of one of those 8L C1A1s.

CAL was located in Long Branch, Ontario a suburb of Toronto. Nothing remains now except the water tower and the stop-butts for the testing range. The buildings are long gone. I have friends who go there daily to use the site as a dog park.