sported No4

I picked up several rifles today from my FFL (the 10 day "cooling off" period had run its course). One was this sported No4 MKI. I think it can be re-milled without too much trouble.

I thought all the "PF" guns were MKII's.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...01/02432-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...01/02542-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...01/01813-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...01/01912-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...01/02012-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...01/02223-1.jpg

All the numbers match...shame someone cut it up.

Notice there is some kind of shim in the barrel channel near the end.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...01/02333-1.jpg

Sout African property marks.

In a little paper Armourers notes for guidance, that listed hundreds of markings etc etc for Armourers information, anything with an F in the serial number or elsewhere indicated Fazaketley and a PF was used to indicate Post War production No4 rifles from Fazakerley (there were other notes to relating to these PF serials).

I have always used this as my guide but if I remember from the forum a year or so ago, it was argued that this PF supposition wasn't strictly correct. Is this true. I don't see the vast quantities that I used to see so I can't verify it BUT, I think that it IS correct and PF is a prefix for Post War Fazakerley rifles

What is that great chunk missing from under the knox form (5th picture) all about?

Fazakerley made No4 Mk1s into the PF89xxx number range - actually yours is one of the highest numbers seen for a Mk1. There was a big overlap in the numbering with Mk2s - I have PF 59871, which is a Mk2.

Most of the PF Mk1s and early Mk2s into the PF2xx,xxx range seem to have gone to South Africa.

Many South African rifles seem to be centre-bedded or "loose bedded" (ie barrel just lies in the barrel channel without any bedding pressure). As many of the rifles currently coming out of South Africa have warped forends, I wonder if Fazakerley was knocking out rifles with poorly-seasoned wood?

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

A few follow up questions...

Why does the cutout in the forearm not match the trigger guard (picture 6)? I've got other No.4's and the trigger guard profile is different on this one.

What is the "knox form"?

There is a crossed rifle and arrow stamp with the numbers "9" and "69" and letters "S" and "A" on top of the barrel, near the receiver. I assume the SA refers to South Africa. Do the numbers 9 69 refer to the date?

Thanks

Re the cutout on the fore-end. Your trigger guard is the lightened No5 trigger guard that was made for the No5 rifle but because it fitted a No4 and was identical in every other way, it was standardised as the norm for the Mk1 rifle. I think that the part numbers were eventually amalgamated during the L42/No8 era so it was pot luck whether you got a No4 or 5 trigger guard through the Ordnance system.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thunderbox

I have PF 59871, which is a Mk2.

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This falls into the 11/1948 serial number date range for MkI's, what is yours dated? I have one recorded 6/1949 (PF59781) that I am now thinking should be PF59871 - I think I transposed the numbers.

I think I have a 1949 July No.4 Mark 1 lurking somewhere.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tlvaughn

This falls into the 11/1948 serial number date range for MkI's, what is yours dated? I have one recorded 6/1949 (PF59781) that I am now thinking should be PF59871 - I think I transposed the numbers.

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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...94475969-1.jpg