Greetings!
Got me a Grade "B" Royal Tiger No. 4 Mk. 1 w/bolt for $249.00. 

Turned out after I cleaned it up and scraped ALL the 'goo' and cosmo, rust and Ethernopian crap off of it, I had a RARE piece.  Mind you, I'm not a total noob to weapons.  Master Gunsmith, former Army Depot Level Small Arms Repairman.  However, Lee Enfields ARE a new venture for me.  This one in particular, from what I can tell:

1) It's a EARLY 1941 BSA-Shirley build.  I think from the date, it was one of the first 3250 they made of the No. 4 for testing and acceptance.  S/N on the wrist is "B48XX"  Stared at Bravo, with only 4 numbers.

2) ALL matching serial numbers, to include barrel/receiver (separate S/N stamped on each)  Bolt as well as magazine, (proper 'font/stamping' for the mag as well... astonishing that it's 84 years old!)  Literally a 4 point matching S/N weapon.

3) Great bore.  I went out and test fired it today.  It shoots like a dream.  The bore I'd rate Good-to-going-to-Fair for a few years.  I hit what I aimed for.  No keyholing.

4) The wood needed major clean up,. but as you can see, it came out great.

5) AND even if it pisses of the 'purists' out there, I restored the 'brit-black' coating on the entire rifle, making it essentially (outside of the dents in the wood that couldn't come out) a newly Depot-Level Refinished Rifle (which is what I do/did for the US Army for years... go with what you know)

My question:  Value?

With the exception of a new spring for the bolt (the old one was shot) and refinishing it (as the old 'finish' if you could call it that was rust, ass and bare metal), it's completely original.  I'm looking to maybe sell it to start my next restoration project.

What say you?
Many Thanks.

There was a large number of “French Resistance” No. 4 Maltby rifles sold a few years back, all original, matching serial numbers, most never used, captured by the Germans and put into storage, excellent condition.  They were selling for $1200.  So, I’d think your rifle might fetch $800 to $900.  Might be someone willing to pay more if he was looking for an early BSA. 

Could you make out the rifle serial number on the underside of the forend? Should be between the sling swivel band and front band.

IMO very few collectors who need “this one potentially rare” rifle would be willing to pay $900+ for a refinished example.  Even the French “resistance” rifles came down in price & were available on the secondary market for less than their initial retail prices.  And those were not refinished, which was part of their appeal.

Welcome from Ontario Canada

I also  have a 1941 BSA # 24XX

If your serial number reads with the B in front of the first number then yours would be #248XX.

 if not and the B is up with the date 1941, then it is indeed # 48XX off the assembly line. Either way nice find.

 A total of 270,000 made in 1941. `41 serial went to 9999 then repeat with alph prefix

0001-9999

A001-9999

B001-9999 and so on to the 270,000th then in `42 they went to 5 digits same format

This is from http://www.rifleman.org.uk/No4serial_numbers.html" rel="nofollow - www.rifleman.org.uk/No4serial_numbers.html

Might have to cut and paste if link dosn`t work.