It's a 1918(?) Mk1No3* manufactured by RSAF

Just to clarify the nomenclature used on Lee Enfields :

1) this is not a No3 Mk1 rifle - that is a very different beast and known as the P1914 rifle (manufactured in the USA)

2) the rifle shown is a SHTLE MK3*

3) the nomenclature of No1 Mk3* did not come into force until 1926

It is not 'the end of the world' but could become important if trying to source spares.


The "FB7" is the steel supplier "Firth Brown - batch No7"

 

Crap. Mistype on my end. I'll fix that.

 

The dates on the left butt socket by the safety are reinspection/reissue dates.

Personally I would say it’s been through FTR more than once, but the second one may not have actually been in British service……. the font on the nosecap looks Continental, and the nosecap itself is Australian. So it may have been reworked by some other European ally after being provided as military assistance after WW2. Just my $0.02 though.

 

The dates on the left butt socket by the safety are reinspection/reissue dates.

Personally I would say it’s been through FTR more than once, but the second one may not have actually been in British service……. the font on the nosecap looks Continental, and the nosecap itself is Australian. So it may have been reworked by some other European ally after being provided as military assistance after WW2. Just my $0.02 though.

This is good to know! What makes the nose cap Australian?

 

Also, the rear sight leaf has been force
matched twice!

Force Matched is not a term used on Lee Enfields (or any British arms)


When a rifle was re-barreled all of the components were re-numbered to the new barrel - When a rifle was scrapped the 'small parts' would be removed and reused - these would them be renumbered to the new rifle.

The only 'force' used was the hammer hitting the punches !

Numbering Parts (1912 Instruction To Armourers)



31) Each rifle and carbine must invariably be used with its own breech bolt, otherwise the lugs will not bear evenly and the rifle or carbine will fire to the left or right.

As it is essential to good shooting each short rifle must always be used with the forend and nose-cap which were assembled to it when its sighting was adjusted before issue.

32) When fitting spare bodies, bolts or sight leaves (and in the case of short rifles spare forends and nose-caps also) to arms, the components mentioned will be marked with the barrel number, and when fitting a spare body and barrel, or a barrel the whole of the components before mentioned will be renumbered with the new barrel number.

 

Force Matched is not a term used on Lee Enfields (or any British arms)

Thank you, Mr. DeE, for that. My dentist has been after me to stop grinding my teeth every time I hear "force matched" or similar.

 

I appreciate the information! @Alan De Enfield , being used to Mosin Nagant's, a struck through serial number to me screams "force matched". But I appreciate the new-to-me knowledge.

@DisasterDog thank you for pointing out the stamp!

 

I noticed another mark on the bolt handle.

(N)

Any ideas? It's on the front of the handle, opposite the serial number.

 

I noticed another mark on the bolt handle.

(N)

Any ideas? It's on the front of the handle, opposite the serial number.

I have usually seen it to mean Naval issue, but could be something else. Let me also say, you won the matrimony lottery my friend.

 

A pic might help, but naval markings are usually on the left side of the butt socket. Random letters stamped on some parts aren’t uncommon, with their meanings or significance lost to time.

 

 

My favorite part of this rifle. The whole barrel is this sharp.

 

My favorite part of this rifle. The whole barrel is this sharp
I thought the hole in the nose-cap looked a bit big. Common practise in Australian target shooting to "improve" bedding. Sometimes a rubber gromet was fitted as well.
View attachment 4378915

 

There's nothing on this rifle that is screaming its been in any service outside of British use. Just my $0.022 (adjusted for inflation).

The use of a Australian nose cap is occasionally seen as there was a few Australian made parts floating around in Britain.

I've just imported a 1914 RSAF No.1 Mk.III that I got solely for its early Lithgow butt, so parts were often reused.

 

The serif fonts on the rest of the rifle don’t match the sans-serif nosecap, which itself doesn’t have the serial prefix. Doesn’t match in style to what one would expect from the dates on either side of the butt socket.

If I were a betting man, which I am, I would put money on the magazine numbering being a close match to the nosecap font…..

 

I'd like to see the magazine and subsequent numbering and manufacturer markings. If they're not Indian, I'd be going with it being used by British cadets at some point (Hence the SoS stamp). If the mag is Indian, I'll shift and say its been sent over and not touched much at all.

Most of the rifles I have seen that have been used by India have been scrubbed of former British/Australian markings and given a few RFI parts along with the RFI inspection stamps. I'm not seeing those on this rifle.

 

I'd be going with it being used by British cadets at some point (Hence the SoS stamp).

The markings for sold to the Cadets are

with #37 being safe to fire and #38 being unsafe to fire.






The markings for 'sold out of /service to the public' on the Enfield examiners chart are #6, #10 & #14

 

Betting it’s numbered front-to-rear on the bottom. European postwar aid, nothing to do with India. Not seeing any English commercial proofs, so doubtful it came to the US from there. Italy, Austria, etc…..

 

I doubt an armourer would fit a non-standard nosecap to a rifle and then serial number it. At what point in time was this mod being done to range rifles in Australia?

 

The magazine. The 6 is shoddily stamped.

 

Let’s see the markings on the stock. Not sure that it’ll help, but it certainly won’t hurt.

 

I Haven't found any outside of the double arrow.

 

#10 is the one on mine.

 

Interesting rifle this.

 

note the nose cap and bolt were not struck with a D yet the rest of the serial numbered parts have it

 

Well its either one of two things. A rifle that has gone through refurbishment correctly, or a rifle that has been put rebuilt in the civilian market. Great inspection stamps on the left hand side and the barrel has been matched to the action. The barrel was replaced in 1934 with a twice used rear sight ramp added and all correctly stamped and prior to the last inspection date of 36. The bolt has solid ground marks but then so does one of my English rifles. The 4 font for both the bolt and the nose cap look different styles but this maybe only due to incorrect stamping. Would an armorer have used an Australian nose cap?? Is there a date on the underneath of the nose cap??? 460 stamp on the bottom of the magazine. Nope shouldn't be there (rookie rebuild mistake). But hey, its a great rifle and I hope it shoots better. Better yet, his wife brought it for him. Patickbruce 1794 enjoy your rifle.