BSA Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk I (M47C) .303 British, 1944 — BSA Shirley WWII Production, S51-Stamped Butt, 25.2 in Barrel, Micrometer Sight, Added Cheek Piece and Side Mount Base
This 1944 Birmingham Small Arms Co. (BSA) Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk I, marked with the wartime M47C code from the Shirley factory, is a WWII-era rifle chambered in .303 British with classic No.4 features. It retains its milled micrometer rear sight and protected front blade, and it shows a buttstock stamp 'S 51' associated with the Holland & Holland No.4(T) sniper program. Thoughtful additions include a screwed-on wooden cheek piece and a receiver side scope mount base installed on a drilled-and-tapped receiver.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Excellent - Clean, mirror finish, no signs of wear.
Bore Rifling: Excellent Rifling - Sharp lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The rifle presents in good to very good shape with age-appropriate wear. This variant originally used a scope; however, the original scope and mount are not included. The receiver has been drilled and tapped and fitted with an aftermarket side base, and a screwed-on wooden cheek piece has been added.
Built at BSA Shirley in 1944 (wartime code M47C), this No.4 Mk I reflects WWII production with a blued/phosphate finish and a 25.2-inch barrel in .303 British. It uses the standard 10-round detachable magazine and is designed for charger loading, offering a 10+1 capacity when chambered.
The rifle retains key No.4 features: a milled micrometer rear ladder sight, a protected front blade in squared ears, and the No.4-pattern spigot bayonet boss at the muzzle. A brass buttplate with trap and sling swivels round out the field-ready configuration.
Custom touches include an added wood cheek piece secured to the buttstock and a receiver that has been drilled and tapped with an aftermarket side scope mount base installed. Length of pull measures 13.0 inches.
Markings and proofs include the British commercial nitro proof 'NP 18.5 TONS' at the muzzle and a butt underside stamp 'S 51' associated with the Holland & Holland No.4(T) sniper program. The rifle wears its two-piece hardwood stock with full-length top handguards, including a fluted upper handguard.
What’s Included
- 1x 10-round detachable steel Lee–Enfield No.4 pattern magazine
- Installed wood cheek piece on buttstock
- Installed receiver side scope mount base