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Serial Number Question

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Floyd View Drop Down
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    Posted: September 18 2007 at 7:22am
I recently purchased an Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 made at Fazakerley in 1943. The serial number is DB29317A. Can anyone tell me what the "DB" means? I was told that the "A" means there is something not "correct" although I'm not sure what this could mean either. Thanks for any help you can give me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cookie Monster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 18 2007 at 8:51am
Floyd I will research this for you? What are the other proof marks?
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cookie Monster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 18 2007 at 9:08am
Oh the "A" is part of the serial Number I do not think it means something is incorrect. I looked thru my armorer's marks and "A" is not there.
 
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Floyd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Floyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 19 2007 at 1:44am
Hi, Sorry to be so long replying! I appreciate your willingness to help. I did check a book on the Enfield and you are right, the "A" doesn't mean that something is incorrect, simply that the parts of that particular rifle don't interchange well with other No. 4's.

There is a crown and what looks like crossed swords on the band on the stock just under the bolt handle and a mark that looks like a number 7. Hope that helps.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Green Mist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 19 2007 at 5:28am
Hi Floyd, according to the tables in strattons book, a prefix BD was used in 1943 by ROF Maltby, could you have read the mark wrong? cant find the DB reference anywhere. B
When all else fails, call in the Artillery.
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Floyd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Floyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 19 2007 at 6:48am
No, it definitely is DB which is very perplexing. I have checked several sources on line for serial number series and it doesn't show anywhere. Yet it is very clear on the bolt and the band on the stock under the bolt. Thanks for trying to help! Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jona Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 19 2007 at 10:33am
Each plant was assigned a range of numbers to use for se3riallizing their rifles.  They made MANY more rifles than they had numbers for , so they were given letter prefixes.  they would start with A12345 and work through the alphabet.  when the end was reached, they would atart over with AA12345, so on and so forth.  Yours with a DB prefix was a late manufactured rifle.
The "A" suffix, indicates it contains non-standard parts, something that required hand fitting.  This would alert the armourers to that so they could expect to run into them.  that part could be anything, no way to tell which one.
jona
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Floyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 20 2007 at 12:44am
Thanks, Jona, I appreciate the information! 
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