Please help identify
 

Could anyone shed some light on what the intended use of this box was?
Thanks,
Barry

That is the box for the no32 telescope used on the Enfield no4mk1(T) sniping rifle. The serial number stenciled on the top is in the range (3xxxx) for British made snipers. The top of the can should read "case tel stg no8mk1" along with the manufacturer and the year produced. If it has the braket inside for the telescope mount, it is a fairly pricey item. There should also be a paper laminated onto the inside top with the rifle and scope numbers There are repros of these cans, but anyone with a sniper would far rather have the real thing. I would suggest it's value as between $400 to $800.



There are two British variations. Some have round corners, some have square corners.

No.8 scope can
 

Rob beat me to it. There is a matching service for No.4T rifles and No.32 Mk III scopes on www.milsurp.com. You might be able to find the rifle or the scope. With the leather strap present suggests it was a set up that went back through depot, because the armourers apparently took the sniper's advice and would lose the strap as unnecessary.

Yes, part of a No.4 Mk.1T kit.

Thanks for all the input guys. I was gathering stuff to sell at the OMVA April swap meet in Oshawa and came across this. I probably knew what it was when I bought it but that could have been 50 years ago :eek: and the old memory isn't what it used to be. Brian pointed out I should have taken a photo of the inside but the leather strap was tight so I didn't bother. I will bring it in the house today to warm it up and get a photo of the inside.
Thanks again
Barry

Here are photos of the inside. It is just as Rob described with the rifle and scope number but sadly no bracket.
Barry

The bracket is in there. That can looks complete. Not sure a vehicle exchange is the best place to sell it. Fire it off to Switzer's next auction and you may do a lot better.

Rarity and value
 

No one has reported looking for C35929 or 28, nor 23802 on the matching service. Which only rules out one slice of internet connected collectors.

The bracket Rob mentions is a cast iron mount with split mounting rings on one plane and thumb wheel screws on the other, separated about 4" apart. The two threaded holes which are present received the screws to hold the scope on its side inside the metal case.

If the references are to be believed, plants in Canada, US and UK made about 4.1 million No.4 rifles. One information survey had BSA Shirley with serial number prefix C in 1944. The letter C inside the number sequence identifies Canadian Long Branch production. Yes, Canada made No.4(T) rifles, but the numbering and naming conventions were distinctive. The second number is from the middle of the 12,500 odd range of No.32 Mk. IIIs by A. Kershaw & Son.

Between 29,000 and 30,000 sniper rifle kits were made up. Once assembled at Holland and Holland or Long Branch, they were never to be separated. IMHO, you have the empty case for a British sniper rifle, which has been separated from its two companions. Either sold as surplus when the scope was lost, broken or condemned. Or kept by a returning soldier as a nice souvenir.

There are reproduction cans around. I bought one to complete a No.4(T), and paid a healthy price at the time for an ordinary stamped sheet metal box. A genuine piece will command a healthy price even now. A number better than you could devine to put on a price tag.

Terry: The bracket I was talking about is the sheet metal bracket inside the little can that the telescope bracket would be fastened to. Often, if a military can or chest is re-purposed, someone will remove the internal brackets and hurt the value of the can.

For once Rob, we're both right. In several British references the terminology for the telescope base is bracket, and in North America it is the mount.

Rob I have found more of this kind of stuff so I think I had better do as you suggested and start a pile for Switzers.

You are just going to miss the deadline for their next auction. They are releasing the listings in a couple days for the auctions which occur in a week or two. But there will be another auction after that. The returns are too good, with the auction house charging the seller 25%, and the buyer paying another 15%. But the prices on this stuff have gone to stupid levels over the covid.



Lucky you to have saved up some of this stuff. I suspect you will see a nice return on it. Enfield sniper stuff is always hot.