MOSSBERG 42M-B US Training Rifle………SOLD
Created on October 26th 2011
A U.S Lease Lend Mossberg M42B Training Rifle in .22RF
These rifles were ordered by the British government in June of 1941. The initial order was for 10,000 rifles and they were supplied under the U.S. Lease Lend programe. The first 2500 bore no serial numbers but the following batch did after the Mossberg factory finally got that part of the process set up.
The Mossberg was selected because of the minimum amount of alterations needed to produce a simulation of the British Enfield in service at the time. The most obvious alteration was the change from sporting stock to full length stock. The general bolt action characteristics of the rifle lent itself to the job and needed little attention.
The sighting system was a receiver mounted appature type once again chosen to emulate the No4 Enfield rear sight. This rifle also has the original sporting sights retro-fitted after the conflict. The main difference between the weapons was the vast weight difference and in this was the Mossberg was far less realistic than the other trainers out there at the time, but budget and desperate situations require solutions and it was the best they could do at the time.
A steel buttplate protects the wooden butt-stock and has a trap for the spare magazine. The action is the Mossberg S102 receiver and bolt, this bolt having its dust cover intact, a rare find. There is a simple colour coded safety behind the bolt and a removable 5-shot magazine under. This rifle has its spare magazine and one other. It also has the alternative fore-sight parts which are usually absent. This rare rifle has its 1941 war department marked canvas military issue sling with brass fittings, which is in very good order with no fraying along the edges and is properly marked thus.
This is a rare rifle with a good bore that has retained the accessories it was issued with for the period and one that is easily passed over by an inexperienced eye.
Stock code: f 270
£360.
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