Ideal no.4 mk.1 what would you pay?

[Dr.D]

So.... A non ftr, original barrel, original non painted walnut woodwork, bs a, no.4 mk.1.... 1945 x prefix, in superb condition,,,,, what would you pay?

[desperatedan]

So.... A non ftr, original barrel, original non painted walnut woodwork, bs a, no.4 mk.1.... 1945 x prefix, in superb condition,,,,, what would you pay?

Kind of depends on many things for me. Am I specifically looking for a Mk1? Does the bore gauge as new (i.e. .3025 or thereabouts)? Do I want shoot it regularly and am I worried about detracting from any "collectors grade" value by using it? A factor for me might be who the seller is in terms of a fair price (private or dealer?). Early No4's from a less prolific manufacturer (such as Maltby) would appeal to me more than a BSA.

For me I'd say £500-600 seems fair - anything much more and to my mind you're just paying excessive profits for someone else.

Just my personal opinion but hope it helps.

[Dr.D]

Cheers, I have a certain affinity for SMLE's but this no.4 cropped up, and the fact is it totally original appealed and not ftr'd.... Tempting me but is a bit more than £600 nearing £1000 so.... That's why I am deliberating....

[desperatedan]

A factor might also be the historical dimension - are you looking for something that's likely to have seen service? Perhaps a 1945 rifle might have gone straight to store, hence the good condition. I must admit I do rather like the appeal of the 1950s Fazakerly made ones, many of which can still be had in like new condition.

However my main shooter is a 1943 Maltby that I know some history of (it came from a resistance cache in France). It shoots great, it's not pretty, I'm not afraid to use it a lot, and what I like most about it is the originality.

Good luck with your deliberations - at the end of the day if it's what you want and you'd be happy owning it, perhaps think about whether would you kick yourself if you missed it and then regret spending ages looking for another as good or better?

[Sim G]

A number 4 for 1000 pounds?!! Am I missing something?

[Dr.D]

I know, debates shooter, better, newer barrel, cheaper... Collectable., matching numbers, original etc... Whatever floats your boat......But it's taken my eye, and what's the point in money if it's not there to spend if it makes you smile. But I know £1000 on a no4......is there any justification?

[Rearlugs]

It would have to be completely unused and museum quality for that price range!

When i have them, I sell 100% original walnut wartime No4s for about £380-ish tops. After all, they did make millions of them, and there are a fair few clean originals still around - even more so, now that the older shooter generation are giving up and selling off their mint Ma Parker No4s that they bought decades ago.

[desperatedan]

At that price it must be a dealer. (As the saying goes - google is your friend!).
Fair margins and all that with a business to run but for £1k I strongly suspect a 100% markup or more so it wouldn't be for me thanks!

[Gaz]

£1,000 for a No.4? You're being taken for a mug, fella. As Rearlugs says, £380, £400 tops. I'd stretch to £450 for an unfired Mk.2 but for £1,000 I'd want identifiable photos of the damn thing on the assembly line.

[huntervixen]

As Rearlugs said, it would have to be a museum standard "as new" piece, even then that's too much in my opinion, assuming the above and sold as a collectors piece it might be around the £650-750 mark. ( still too much, but they do sell for that)

What assurance has been made or documentation shown to verify its history?

Even then , if it is what it claims to be, you have the quandary of whether to shoot it or not.