Can anyone ID these markings on an Underwood?

[commonsensesc]

I have an underwood M1 I always thought was a basic non-import gun until I saw these markings the other day for the first time. I'm getting ready to sell it and I don't know their signifigance, if any.
First off it's a run of the mill Underwood, pretty good shape with an 11-43 barrel date complete with flaming cannonball and P proof mark. Underwent retro fit at some point since it has an A1 model type 3 bayonet lug. S/N is 23814xxx and Underwood is above serial number and it has the T stamp on the rear of the receiver right behind the serial number. Sights are adjustable, probably part of retro fit also. There is a 2 painted in the hole for the oiler and sling, perhaps an inventory number for a duty station somewhere.
The other day when I was looking at it I noticed right in front of the bayonet lug on the left side of the barrel some lettering it is BNP with what looks like a W or a crown above the N. Then it has an FD with crossed swords between the letters and what appears to be the number 3 under the blades of the swords. I never noticed this before and I was curious as to where it came from and what it means. I was /am getting ready to sell it for my sons tuition this fall.
Does anyone know what this means and what the gun would be worth, ballpark. There are no Import markings on the gun which is why I liked it so much in the beginning.
Any help given would be appreciated. Thanks

RWhite

Information

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[Mikey51]

If like this, they are Brit Proofs. Cheers. Mike.

[painter777]

BNP with what looks like a W or a crown above the N. Then it has an FD with crossed swords between the letters and what appears to be the number 3 under the blades of the swords.

Your Underwood has the British Birmingham Proof House Stamp on it.

The B... stands for Birmingham.
The NP... stands for Nitro Proof.
That's the Crown stamped above the BNP.

The Crossed swords are considered a Crossed Sceptre Symbol. This is a Private View Mark (Inspector stamp).
The F stands for the year the carbine was proofed, which would be 1955.
The D you see is most likely a B (worn stamp) which stands for Birmingham's Proof House.
The number 3 below stands for the Inspector.

This information was gathered from the Carbine Club.
I hope I'm reading it correctly..... Pretty sure I have it right.

Very likely you may have a lend-lease carbine to Great Britain or a USGI leftover.

The T code on the rear tang of your receiver stands for INTERTYPE. They made receivers for Underwood as a sub-contractor.
It would have been issued with the early flip sight and no bayonet band.
So it does have some late WWII upgrades.

We ask if you could please post some pictures of your British markings.

Please download a copy of the CARBINE CLUB Data Sheet. You can use this to list your part type and markings.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and download a copy of the Data Sheet. Further study is on going on these British markings. If you would, please E-mail the Data Sheet to me.

Carbine Club.....
The Carbine Club - A CMP Affiliated Organization

Appreciate your time,
Charlie-painter777

[ScottR]

Brit. firing proof, mid 1950's.

Scott

[painter777]

Mikey,
I'm wondering if he has the "Minimum Marks" barrel stamping.
Which just has the Crown over the BNP and Crossed Sceptre Symbol.
The "Abbreviated markings". Shown in Newsletter 349-6 right after the picture on page 5 of your Inland lineout to Underwood, serial# 548238.

commonsensesc,
Try to post pictures. Give us more information about the parts on your carbine, Stock and markings, barrel and muzzle wear along with the condition of the metal's finish.
Just to give you a better idea of it's value. We haven't seen many carbines with the BNP markings.

Charlie-painter777

[Mikey51]

I think you may be right Charlie. Only photos will tell ! If we can get some pics, we need some of the left hand side of the receiver ring and the left handside of the bolt beside the extractor. Proofs there too, as in the Newsletter, but they are not easy to find if you don't know what you are looking for ! I agree with you, the Club would be appreciative of more info on this one. I can't help with value, not being in the States etc, Mike.

[painter777]

The OP- commonsensesc has sent me a few pictures.
Not as many or how we'd need them to better ID this one.
I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow.

Could someone please ask him for the correct pictures we need.
He has my E-mail address and can send them to me.

Thanks for any help,
Be back on, after July 24. I'll have time then to post his pictures.

Charlie

[Johnny Peppers]

If the carbine was Lend-Lease it should be in original configuration. With upgraded parts either some collector removed the original parts and installed the later parts, or more than likely it just came back through England where it had to be proofed before being sold commercially. There are quite a few 1950's era SA, H&R, and IHC M1 Rifles with British proofs. The proofs shown are the post 1954 proofs.

[topaz]

thank you for the info on the rifles, and are the carbines just a common. Any info on the carbine

[Bruce McAskill]

The odds of you having a leand lease carbine are very small indeed. There once was a company called Interarms that had warehouses in the London area full of just about every military rifle ever made. They also had buildings in Virginia and would import firearms from the UK all the time. The law in the UK is that if a firearm is to leave the country it must be proof fired before it leaves and be so marked just like your carbine. Interarms imported many thousands of carbines into the country before 1968 when the importers information had to be stamped on the firearm.