N° 2 Mk IV* .22 LR |
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Deejay
Newbie Joined: December 03 2017 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 17 |
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Posted: June 10 2018 at 2:05am |
Here is my newly acquired N° 2 Mk IV* in .22 LR calibre. It was built on a 1916 BSA SMLE III* frame, but, unlike most other .22 LR conversions, bears no N° 2 Mk IV* marking anywhere on the timber. According to what I have read here and there, this rifle is part of an Air Ministry contract for the RAF, which explains the AM prefix of the new serial number. The conversion was made by Parker-Hale in Birmingham. A large quantity of these .22 trainers were imported from Ireland to the US in 1991. Mine was imported into continental Europe by Hege (Germany) in 1991 too, judging by the proofmarks. Some say the rifles were converted after 1936 and before April 1945 and then sold to Ireland in the late 1940s. I have read somewhere else that some of these rifles were kept in RAF armouries up until the 1980s or 1990s, so I am a bit confused as to the ultimate origin of my N° 2 Mk IV*. Could anyone on here tell me more about this "batch" of .22 LR SMLE trainers ? |
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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none of mine are marked on the timber - all are marked on the wrist , most of mine were navy "N" marked but im no expert here - i just know my 1892 cond II is navy marked conversion in 1912 , and my 1910 BSA no2 mkIV* was converted in 1921-25 for the navy , it is actually a no2 mkIV no star but stock got changed and the volleys are gone sometime along the way ,
my 1905 no1 mkI*** rifle did the ireland tour and was renumbered with an altered ER serial number , parker hale did a good number of conversions , ive not been lucky enough to come upon one of those with sufficient funds yet , but ill keep looking ,
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Zed
Special Member Donating Member Joined: May 01 2012 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 5585 |
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It look's like a very clean rifle. I am surprised that it's not stamped No2MkIV* on the wrist; would that be normal for this period?
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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
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Deejay
Newbie Joined: December 03 2017 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 17 |
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Well, apparently, all of the N° 2 Mk IV* rifles with this AM (= Air Ministry?) prefix in their serial numbers have unmarked wrists and stocks. Worthy of note is the fact that not a single marking is to be seen on the wood.
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Deejay
Newbie Joined: December 03 2017 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 17 |
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Some more pictures : The German proofmarks show that the rifle went through the Ulm proofhouse in 1991 after being imported by Hege. The stock was repaired at some time - damaged during WW1? |
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Deejay
Newbie Joined: December 03 2017 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 17 |
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An update :
I have found ONE marking on the timber, a faint SRG in a triangle, which is supposed to mean "South Rhodesian Government", but it doesn't add up, as this trainer is, in theory, an ex-RAF training rifle sold to the Irish in the late 1940s! |
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