No.4Mk1 Wood Proof Mark

Hi Guys,

I most recently purchase a British Walnut Stockset Restoration Parts Kit for my BSA-Shirley No.4Mk1 rifle back in March. This past weekend it was finally installed on my rifle.

There is one Wood Proof Mark that I have been unable to find any record of to date. This proof mark is similar the Savage-Steven's Square Boxed Capital "S" except there is a Capital "P" instead of an "S" inside.

This Wood Proof Mark is located on the bottom face of the butt stock and is located at the wrist.

Does anyone here know the meaning of this Wood Proof Mark? If so, please also indicate where I can find reference sources to confirm this for my records (books, photos, etc).

I have been told by the seller of this stockset it is a proof mark for Parker-Hale. I have also been told it is proof mark for A.J. Parker. I have requested reference sources for these manufacturers but none were given to confirm this.

Lastly, I have been told it is a British Proof Mark to indicate that the Butt Stock was made by a British Manufacturer under contract for Pakistan. Is this true? Or, is this Wood Proof Mark; and subsequently the Butt Stock of Pakistan origin and wood ... Dark Walnut to be exact? Again, please give reference sources. Please also include photos if possible.

Any assistance on this matter would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks.

Rgs...kajn65 (Keyan)

Just being my pedantic self but none of those marks are Proof Marks.

I'm far from an expert on the wood identification marks, but a Circle P would indicate POF to me, Pakistani.

As Beerhunter noted these are not "proof marks". Inspector stamps, acceptance stamps, and manufacturer stamps?? what else??

Hi Beerhunter & madcratebuilder,

I stand corrected. Yes, they are Manufacturer's Stamps not Proof Marks as I previously stated. I keep getting the two misreferenced.

Have any of you two seen; or, have known of anyone who has seen this Manufacturer's Stamp before? Do you guys know where I can find this information (reference books, websites, etc.)? To date I haven't been able to find nadda on it.

Any guidence from forum members on this subject here would be of great help.

Thanks in advance.

Rgs...kajn65 (Keyan)

Try this site: Lee Enfield Rifle Markings

Beware the marks on this site other than the maker's marks because some of it is in error.

It sounds like you have one of the sets of dark wood that are floating around at the moment. These typically have marks like "P56" or "P in a box" These are either of Pakistani manufacture, or possible made in UK to Pakistani order. The markings and provenance are not currently documented or proven, but identical wood appears on No4 Mk2 rifles actually manufactured in Pakistan.

Is this it? No other marks anywhere on the butt. These are being sold by Springfield Sporters, described as Parker Hale products. It doesn't look like the typical Pakistani wood currently available here. I dunno.

Hi Guys,

Beerhunter, thanks for the site info. I'll definately have a look there and see what I can come up with.

Thunderbox, one of my sources said the same thing as you but couldn't confirm with a reference source (textbook, website, etc.), which left me back at square one again.

Steve H. in N.Y., what you're showing me is exactly what and where I have mine ... bottom face of butt stock at the wrist. The only other marking on the Butt Stock is the Size Stamping ... a capital "L" for Long. There maybe some underneith the Steel Butt Plate but I haven't looked there yet. So it is a Parker-Hale Maker's Mark after all?

I guess I'll have to contact Springfield Sporters and ask them about it too; and find out from them where I can go to confirm this.

Thanks again guys for all your help. It's greatly appreciated.

One of my hand guards (grooved rear?) also have a couple of Maker's Marks that I don't know anything about. The first stamping is a "3" (I intially thought it to be a capital "B" until I looked at it some more with a magnifying glass.); and the second stamping is an outline of a Diamond. Has anyone here on this site seen these two before? These two aren't seen in Ian Skennerton's book, "The Lee Enfield Story".

Again, thanks inadvance for the help in this mystery.

Rgs...kajn65 (Keyan)

Here are the marks from two POF Circassian (Turkish) Walnut butts. The top element is an isolate Arabic letter 1."h" and 2."z".
-----krinko