Basic Enfield Identification and the Facts about S |
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Tony
Moderator Group Moderator Joined: April 18 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3256 |
Topic: Basic Enfield Identification and the Facts about S Posted: October 22 2009 at 2:50pm |
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Basic Enfields at a Glance Here is a simple shadow board
depicting the 4 most common Enfields. Serial Numbers, Model, Mark
and Manufacture Identification
Over the years I have
received many emails regarding serial numbers. The volume of serial number
inquiries has prompted me to fashion this page together and try and explain how
best to identify a particular rifles manufacturer. Truth be known about Enfield
serial numbers is simply, the serial number was used more for production
counting than any other reason. For official references, usually the finished
and issued rifle was tracked by its rack number and of course these records
have long since been destroyed or lost forever. This is not to say that SMLE rifle
manufacturers were given no serial ranges to begin or end production with, so
it is possible that two rifles may exist with the same serial number produced at
different factories. Some SMLE’s may be found with as little as a 3 digit
number and high as a 5 digit number. Once the initial range of numbers was
maxed out a letter prefix was added and the numbering began again.
Seen in the picture above are the places where the
serial number and manufacturer can be found. Along with the manufacturers name
both the date of manufacture and the type and mark of the rifle is also shown.
SMLE’s will have serial numbers stamped on the bolt, receiver, barrel, nose cap
and the underside of the rear sight. They may or may not have the serial
stamped into the front part of the fore-end and in the case of the Australian
Lithgow’s it may be stamped into the butt as well. When reference is made to an
“all matching” SMLE the serial numbers must all be the same. No4 and No5
rifle were given a starting number that may be used to identify manufacturers,
but again there was no set serial blocks. British No4 rifles were set up with a
5 digit serial number system with 1XXXX being allotted to Maltby, 2XXXX Fazakerley, 3XXXX BSA Shirley. Yet again, once the sequence
of numbers caped out letter prefixes were used to start the sequence over. In
the case of Savage Stevens the serial numbers began with a 0C1 and for In the case of
the Jungle Carbines, they were set up with a 4 digit numbering system. No5 were
only produced by BSA Shirley and ROF Fazakerley, serials began with a B at the
Shirley plant and an F at the Fazakerley factory.
Seen in the picture above are the normal spots to find
the serial number and manufacturers’ information on the No4 and the No5 rifle.
Places that will have the serial information is on the bolt, receiver and
normally the barrel. They may have the numbers stamped into the front portion
of the fore-end and on the bottom of the magazine. Manufacturers will be noted
either on the left side of the receiver or on the left side buttsocket. The
mark and type of rifle will be stamped onto the left side receiver wall. Like
the SMLE an all matching No4 or No5 will have all the serial numbers matching
wherever they are found on a particular rifle. Certain serial number prefixes were reserved for trial
rifles and specific rifle types. These prefixes can be used to authenticate
these rifles if found in a gun shop or personal collection. The most common of
these were: XP was used for the
Shortened and Lightened Australian Lithgow (No6 Jungle Carbine) rifles, A was used for No1 MkVI trail rifles, BS was used on the British No7 small
bore rifles, and T1 for the No5
small bore rifles. There are more but again I would suggest reading either Skip
Stratton’s or Ian Skennerton’s books on the subject. |
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Rottie (PitBulls dad.)
“If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons Born free taxed to death!!! |
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