NZ marked No5's

[Tertle]

Team,

Quick question, does anyone have or has seen an NZ marked No5??

Cheers

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[5thBatt]

Never seen one myself & dont know of any.

eta, I had a No5 that was supposedly used by a NZ soldier in Malaysia, it had no NZ markings.

[Tertle]

Thanks for that, after having a chat to some of the more knowledgeable Antique Arms Members after a local annual auction i was surprise at the numbers of NZ rifles that were actually not "NZ" marked. Hence why i was curious as to the No5's, so far there has been only one No5 sighted NZ marked.

[5thBatt]

A rifle in NZ without markings is not necessarily a former NZ rifle, lots of the NZ marked rifles are spread thoughout the world & a lot of rifles from around the world are here.

[Tertle]

No, i realise that, but what surprised me after talkin over the weekend to the gentlemen attending the auction was the actual stamping of "NZ" on rifles issued to and used by the NZEF's was not always done and sometimes ommitted in large numbers.

The reason I was enquiring, is that ive the following "NZ" marked rifles: a Lovells Pattern Carbine, Snider Carbine, Martini Enfield, No1, No2, No3, No4, No8, No9, but anadotle evidence only re a No5 that has no markings?

[Peter Laidler]

There must have been some NZ marked No5's because as I remember it, at Ngaruawahia, we had No5 rifle number NZ-1, as was pointed out to me by Ron Skully. From this, I always assumed that they started the sequential NZ number again for different rifle types.

Don't forget that on active service, Ordnance/weapon stockpiles are pooled so while, say 300 might be taken to theatre, when you get to the Battalion, you'll have 300 rifles, but not necessarily the 300 you took there. Same as vehicles.

I know this was certyainly the case with L1A1's, ammunition stocks which were mixed NZ (CAC) Auistralian and pom RG ball. Plus a mixed fleet of Australian and Pom landrovers and Bedfords

[Mr303]

I've seen hundreds of No5's in NZ and never found a NZ marked one. I'm not saying that they don't exist but they would be pretty rare.

[Tertle]

Thank you Peter, you confirm what one of the blokes was adament about that he too had seen a NZ marked No5.

Peter excuse my ignorance in these matters, so there would have there been a pool of commonwealth assets to be drawn from to equip soldiers. So should had i been deployed i would have turned up with my "x" rifle or weapons system hand that over to someone in a stores unit and be given my new rifle possibly a No5?

so that rifle could have been designated a pool rifle and as such unmarked to a country for service but at the completion of my deployment returned to stores.

[5thBatt]

pleased to hear they may exsist, i only know that if i had seen one l would have tried to make it mine.

[Tertle]

pleased to hear they may exsist, i only know that if i had seen one l would have tried to make it mine.

you and me both! they must be rare as rockng horse S**T,