#4 electro-penciled serial# bolt handle
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Topic: #4 electro-penciled serial# bolt handle
Posted By: Canuck
Subject: #4 electro-penciled serial# bolt handle
Date Posted: February 27 2012 at 6:56am
I have this #4/Mk1 Maltby (1943), well the receiver is Maltby but the bolt seems to have been replaced at one point in the past with an electro-penciled non-matching to receiver serial# EA29518A. The bolt handle surface has not been scrubbed as I can tell under 6 times magnification that there are NO grinding marks, just original surface. What does this serial number mean? The rifle is a great shooter, typical LE smoothness. Is this a replacement bolt or does it have some other significance attached to that serial number series?  Thanks for your learned responses!
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Replies:
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: February 27 2012 at 8:36am
| if the bolt does not match , and there is no sign of re-number , then it is missmatched , not neccessarily a bad thing for a shooter , except as a collector where it would be preferred to be , |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: February 27 2012 at 8:41am
| Thanks A Square 10! This rifle is a hunting rifle, full length barrel and furniture. If I were to replace the trig-mech with a Can-West unit, the bolt must be modified for use, therefore turning that bolt into a non-returnable-to-stock part. I wouldn't feel bad then having it modified for that trigger system. |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: February 27 2012 at 8:54am
| me either as its not currently a service rifle condition and yet i seldom encourage such activities , it is your rilfe |
Posted By: Lithgow
Date Posted: February 28 2012 at 5:41am
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The electro pencilled serial number on the bolt is very common on the british No4's.
Does it match the rifles serial number? if it does what makes you think that it is a replacement bolt?
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Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: February 29 2012 at 2:21am
| No, the 2 numbers do not match at all. |
Posted By: bophi
Date Posted: May 09 2012 at 10:37am
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i have a long branch #4mkl with a vibro etched sn. that doesn't match, the other sn. it too appers not to have been ground off. ------------- n2guns |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: May 09 2012 at 11:23am
| That is very interesting! I do know that the bolt seems to be just perfectly matched mechanically-wise, it is so smooth and the headspace is perfect. |
Posted By: Lithgow
Date Posted: May 10 2012 at 11:55pm
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The fit of the bolt is not determiend by the headspace alone.
The locking lugs must bear evenly also.
Any good gunsmith should be able to check this and it should be done before checking ths headspace. If they do not bear evenly on both sides then you need to stone the high points to get them right. this will alter your headspace a little.
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Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: May 11 2012 at 1:58am
| Thanks for adding that, Lithgow, I forgot to mention that. That is a very important point! |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: May 16 2012 at 6:46am
| there was a lot of missmatched bolts in the imports as they were often shipped loose from the rifle , no effort to match [or they did not understand they were meant to] once there was a thread on a long gone forum that hoped to offer a trade to match service , just too much chance involved and never came to anything |