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A page for posting questions
relating to British & Empire firearms, edged weapons, research and collecting.
E-mail inquiries/answers to:
idskennerton@hotmail.com
Q&A’s to be posted, usually about every few months.
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Question ...
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Hi,
Had two questions for you on the Enfield revolver.
1. What do the cylinder markings, e.g. 'SPT 41' mean?
2. Was there a grip variety that had a non-brass (blue/black colour) disk?
Thanks! John
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Answer ... |
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Dear John,
1. The cylinder
markings, I am informed by my compadre Mark Stamps, denote the steel batch
number on out-sourced material received by RSAF Enfield. Mark suspects these are
from 1940-42 vintage revolvers of the No.2 Mk I* variety as he has noted this on
a few of that particular group.
2. The steel marking disc normally denoted a drill purpose firearm although I
recall having seen them on some rifles and pistols that I do not consider to
have been normally drill purpose or non-firing firearms.
Cheers, Ian
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Question ...
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Dear Ian,
We have a nice No.4 rifle that a customer wants to know more about. Markings on the left side
are BX over M1944 over 17252 on the butt socket strap. On the left side of the receiver is
marked NO 4 MK1 (F) FTR/47 over BX17252. On the barrel is the importer's markings from
Century Arms. The rear site is an adjustable peep site like on the 03-A3. I thought that the
standard sight on the No4 was a flip up peep like on the jungle carbines?
Regards, Valerie
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Answer ... |
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Dear Val,
This rifle was made by ROF Maltby as the serial numbers commence with a '1'.
Check out the info on my Archive page for details of No.4 rifle serial numbers.
'M1944' also indicated Maltby, made in 1944. NO
4 MK1 (F) FTR/47 means it was Factory Thorough Repaired at ROF Fazakerley in
1947. The rear site sounds like a Mk1 with vertical screw adjustment. No.4
backsights are marked to 1300 yds while Jungle Carbines are marked to 800 yds.
There are 4 different marks of aperture backsight found on the No.4 rifle. Check
out the differences of all the component parts in my SAIS #2 on the Rifle No.4,
and/or SAIS #4 on the No.5 Jungle Carbine.
Happy
New Year!
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Question ...
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Dear Ian,
Seeking some assistance in identifying 'TW 44' markings on the base of a 50 cal casing found
in the Northern Territory. (a B24 Liberator base). I assume it is off an RAAF or USAF aircraft.
Hoping that TW is Tocumwal, Toowoomba or similar.
Regards, Jim Eftos
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Answer ... |
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Dear Jim,
The .50 cal case was made in the good old U.S. of A., at the Twin Cities
Ammunition Plant in Minnesota.
I don''t think that the .50 Browning round was manufactured here in Australia
during WW2, at least I have not seen any MF, MG or the like with WW2 dates. I
have an MF headstamp BMG round dated 86, however. But I am
not an ammunition specialist... I am sure there are some good cartridge
headstamp references, or web sites, out there.
Happy
New Year!
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Question ...
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Dear Ian,
I just purchased a No4 Mk 1/2 which started life as a BSA 1943. On the receiver, the No4 Mk1
is struck through by electro-pencil and above it is marked in electro pencil, /52 AK 2673 FTR.
My questions are:
1) Can you tell by serial number where this rifle was converted to Mk1/2?
2) This rifle has a Long Branch front sight guard with a windage adjustment screw on the front
like my Mk 1* rifles. Was this added by a previous owner? It also has a Mk 1 rear sight with
an F on the ladder and an F on the knob with B65 on the underside of the sight.
3) This also has a Mk 2 rear sling swivel which I have never seen. Is this correct for this rifle?
Over all the gun is perfect with hardly a scratch. I took it to the rifle range and shot a nine-shot
group that I can cover with the palm of my hand.
I am very happy with it. This is Enfield number 15 for me, hopelessly hooked!
Tim C. in PA.
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Answer ... |
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Dear TIm,
Your conversion was done at ROF Fazakerley in 1952 as it was the only factory
working on No.4 rifles by that time. Apart from the year indicated by '/52', we
don't have lists of serial numbers and dates converted. There were tens of
thousands of them! FTR indicates Factory Thorough Repair.
Windage adjustment? On the front sight this can be done with a tool. The various
front sight mounts are illustrated in SAIS #2 on the No.4 rifle. The 'F' marked
on the backsight indicates Fazakerley manufacture. Not sure what the 'B65' is
but it is likely to be Fazakerley quality control or inspection.
Generally, post war Fazakerley refits replaced any wartime expedient parts with
the better made ones although I have noted the Mk 2 sling swivel on some of the
'hung trigger' conversions (Mk 1/2 & 1/3). Good to be hooked on Enfields!
Check out my Archive page for details of No.4 rifle serial numbers.
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Question ...
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Greetings Ian,
Here is the weird Enfield Mk III (?) I mentioned.
A 1916 Enfield SMLE Mk III (?) made out of a SMLE Mk I* body! I have
a two Indian rebuilds of Mk I bodies to Mk III, but this is an Enfield marked
receiver. At the height of WW I, would Enfield rebuild old bodies? Do you
think this is a receiver they found and merely threw into the mix?
Unfortunately it
appears to have been reworked in India at some point due to green paint on the
barrel under the wood and the elevation knob is of Indian design with a
screwdriver blade slot instead of the two holes. It is all matching and
all the parts are EFD stamped though! Serial
no. is L 31xx.
What is your
opinion? Lance
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Answer ... |
Hi Lance,
Certainly is an odd one, thanks for the photograph to confirm it really exists.
Why a Mk I* body was made at Enfield in 1916 is beyond me. I would suspect
though, that the Mk III configuration as a conversion, was the work of the
Indian factory and it was fabricated as a Mk I* at Enfield during the Great War.
Maybe they had some black receivers (unfinished) and had some orders for Mk I*
SMLEs, hence the 1916 date. To be a Mk III SMLE it needs a charger bridge and
post 1907 style backsight and it does not appear to have been set up as such at
Enfield, but rather as a Mk I*.
Keep 'em coming!
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Question ...
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I just picked up a 1943 No.4 MKI* Long Branch with matching serial numbers. All parts have
the Long Branch proof marks except on the bottom of the Buttstock, I noticed a Square S
Savage stamp, and the magazine appears to have the square S on it as well. Are these parts
added on or could Long Branch have used Savage made parts??
T. Carricato
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Answer ... |
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Dear Tim,
I have heard of other Long Branch production rifles with some Stevens Savage
component parts. I was advised that on closing up the Chicopee Falls No.4 rifle
production, Savage shipped their remaining parts across the border to Toronto so
that would be in keeping with the markings on your rifle. There is always a
possibility that some Savage components were used during regular service
replacement too.
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Question ...
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Dear Mr. Skennerton:
I hope that you may be able to identify my
"new toy". I have just purchased this carbine from a gentleman
in a town just north of me. The Snider has been in his possession since
the 1960's. Description as follows:
1. Overall condition very good metal, and
wood. Roundel marked w/"1"
2. Lock marked 1870. Bbl. marked 9/70.
All other markings are correct.
3. Heel of butt (brass) plate marked as
follows: R4 over F over 46
4. Has both cleaning rods in the trap.
5. Has Mk111 stamped on shoe.
6. Has five (5) groove bbl. Very fine
bore.
7. Has brass sidenail cups. However,
they are not like the rifle pattern, but look like the type used for the
sling bar. The lobes are even pointing in the proper direction.
They look as if they were filed down.
8. The trigger guard was cut just to the
rear of the back screw. An iron finial was fitted (rather poorly)
with a screw, and a stud, and ring were screwed into the whole affair.
The stud has a wide skirt where it attaches to the iron finial.
Any information that you could sent would be
greatly appreciated, not many Sniders around here to compare.
Respectfully,
Michael O'Dea Montgomery, Camp
Verde, AZ
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