Magazine drama

[BlitzKrieg]

It finally happened , in the purchase of a No.4 rifle, I did not check to see it had the correct magazine and sure enuff....at the range I found out it had a No.1MkIII magazine stuffed in the rifle.

If anyone has a spare No.4 mag, pls email me as I am in a panic to find one.

This is what happens when you let yourself be dazzled by a great rifle and don't stop to check things out like you should. I am flogging myself...I know better than do this kind of stuff and like a novice, I leaped on the rifle and bought it.

Well, not to justify my lack of thinking here...it was the only Maltby No.4Mk1, all matching , perfect bore, no import marked, 98% condition Maltby I ever saw in my 69 years and ...I lost my head about it ~!

PS: Its a 1943 dated Maltby, pretty incredible one of that mid war date survived in this shape

[Merc]

There are 4 No. 4 mags for sale on eBay. If you're interested, you might check with the sellers to see if any are without the original serial numbers. Some were left blank which would avoid having obviously mismatching components. Parts are always available for No. 4s. The condition of the rifle is what's important.

[SMOKEY]

Liberty tree collectors has them. That is where I got an original for my No.4

[Sunray]

A No.1 Mk III magazine can be converted by grinding off the bottom locking lug on the back.
There should be no S/N's on a No. 4's mag. The mag was not intended to be removed for anything but cleaning.
Brownell's is listing Pro Mag No. 4 mags at $23.99 each. Haven't heard anything good about 'em though.

[WHG]

SUNRAY
I'm not sure when they started doing it, but quite a lot of No. 4 Enfields had their magazines stamped with the rifles serial number. I have two Fazakerly manufactured in 1955 that I got still in the arsenal wrap that have their magazines stamped with their serial numbers. I also have one made 8/43 and another 3/49 by Fazakerly with stamped mags. One made by B.S.A in 1943 and one by savage in 1942 all have matching stamped serial numbers on their magazines. I don't know if Maltby stamped their magazines since I don't own any.

[Merc]

Sunray,

My Savage 1944 No. 4 Mk 1* has the rifle's s/n stamped on the bottom of the mag. However, I recently looked at a 1943 Savage No. 4 Mk1* for sale at a gun dealer and its mag wasn't stamped with the rifle's s/n. My guess is the unstamped mags were replacements.

There was other interesting differences between my No. 4 and the one that's for sale. Mine has a brass butt plate and the other No. 4 has a steel butt plate. It also had the remnants of a sling although only metal sling clips remained and we're still attached to the sling swivels.

BTW, thanks for the information on the Greek and British cartridges.

[JB White]

Magazine numbering began during production of the No5 rifle. Post WW2, all rifles remaining in BRITISH service were to have their magazines numbered when convenient. During repairs or sent back into depots etc. Not every rifle remained in British service and not all made it back for numbering.

Merc, are you certain it's a steel buttplate and not a Zamak or Mazak alloy? If a magnet sticks then the next thing to do is look for Canadian markings.

[Merc]

Merc, are you certain it's a steel buttplate and not a Zamak or Mazak alloy? If a magnet sticks then the next thing to do is look for Canadian markings.

Not certain, JB, it possibly could have been an alloy. I didn't buy it. The receiver was stamped with "US Property" and the square S indicating it was made by Savage. I found it strange that Savage used brass to make the butt plate on my No. 4 instead of steel.

[JB White]

Merc, we should probably address your buttplate in a separate thread