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What factory made - No 4 MK 1 - serial # AM

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LukeWools View Drop Down
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    Posted: January 03 2018 at 11:47pm
Hi,

I’ve had a Lee Enfield NO.4 MK1 1943 passed down to me, and I’m trying to figure out which factory it would’ve likely been made at. Why? No real reason, I just want to get to know her a little better. I’ve done all the ‘googling’ I can handle and thought someone here might have an easy answer?

The serial number is AM9269. The best information I can track down is that it’s probably an early BSA Shirley make - apparently they did an early production run that used only four numbers, with a prefix from ’A’ to ‘Z’ (e.g. Axxxx - Zxxxx).

However; I can’t find any information on BSA Shirley making any multi-letter (‘AM’ in my case) prefixes during this time... Has anyone got any guidance or knowledge they can offer me?

Thank you - Luke
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 04 2018 at 12:45pm
Welcome to the forum uke.
A 1943 rifle would not be early production. The umber you mentioned does not look like a normal No4 rifle serial number to me.
 Usually the first number after the prefix letter identifies the maker for the British made rifles. 
e.g. 1 would be Maltby, 2 Fazakerly and 3 BSA (also stamped M47C which was the wartime identity code for BSA)
I suggest you try and post some photos of the rifles main parts showing the stamps. Wrist, left hand side of the receiver, bolt handle etc.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 04 2018 at 1:51pm
Sounds renumbered to me too.
The wartime codes indicated specific things, for example the "M" in M47C indicated the Midlands. A geographical area in the U.K.

Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 04 2018 at 7:14pm
welcome to the site , we will help to the best off our ability , photos make a huge difference and lotsa info on the markings help , 

i think we will find your rifle was sported , by an importer , please correct me if im wrong and this is in full wood military dress , i would love to see photos some of these sporters are the finest of the craft - post  war , we should be able to make educated guesses as to its origins but nothing is guaranteed with these , 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2018 at 1:24pm
My dad's Parker Hale Custom No4 is stamped AM2375.
I chatted with a fellow decades ago that worked at Bisley Gun Works and he mentioned that the receivers were purchased from post war stock,in the white and we're stamped accordingly from Parker​ Hale such as the one my dad has.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hoadie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2018 at 2:59pm
"In the White"??
Loose wimmen tightened here
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2018 at 3:51pm
Rough cast,not machined,or blued.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2018 at 7:41pm
BSA was assigned the double letter prefix AA-AV and four digit serial number they made 665,000 rifles from 41-45 , they were also assigned 30000-39999 with single digits and 40000-70000 with A only , that particular combination of prefix is not noted in my reference but it does fall within the 43 series from the records and both 42 and 44 were single letter prefixes , 

so - just off top of my head im thinking legitimate 43 rifle and yes its a 43 BSA , but i cannot prove it in writing , 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hoadie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2018 at 4:44am
Originally posted by Goosic Goosic wrote:

Rough cast,not machined,or blued.


Well, theres a term I've never heard afore.
Thanx.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2018 at 5:55am
Yep, Hoadie it usually means un-blued or un-painted. I don't know if you remember but there was a flood of SMLE's with silver bolts a while back that would be an example.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2018 at 12:06pm
[QUOTE=Goosic]My dad's Parker Hale Custom No4 is stamped AM2375.

That serial number would be Fazakerly manufacture.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2018 at 1:10pm
Thank you for that. Learned something new today.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LukeWools Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 17 2018 at 7:25pm
Hey fellas,

Thanks to you all for your posts and assistance. My apologies for the radio silence on my end!

Here are some photos of the rifle and all the relevant markings I can see on it.

Any further ideas, theories or direct info would be greatly appreciated.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LukeWools Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 17 2018 at 8:22pm










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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 17 2018 at 8:36pm
I don't know where the rest of the photos just went but,look at the front sight and see who's name is stamped on it. I can see a Pat. Pend stamp on one side. That's got alot of Parker Hall goodies on it too...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LukeWools Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 17 2018 at 8:48pm
Sorry Goosic, I was updating the size of the photos so they weren't so ridiculously large. They should be back up now
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