Serial number AE 1000 N0 4 Mk 1 (T)?

[teltec01]

I would appreciate some help and information regarding a number stamped on the scope bracket of my rifle. I recently purchased a N0. 4 Mk 1 (T) in excellent condition and while I was taking some detailed photographs I discovered that there is a very faint stamping on the scope bracket. The scope bracket is numbered to the rifle R 33871, but there is another number, AE 1000 barely visible about 1 cm below the other number. The scope and bracket appear to have been together for a long time and the bracket screws are staked and it looks as if they have never been apart. which manufacturer made a rifle with the serial number AE 1000 and what year would it have been made? Thanks for your help.

Information

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[CINDERS]

My thinking is that the bracket and scope were from another T that may have become unserviceable and as a unit it was correctly fitted up onto this rifle and the old serial erased as best can be and the new serial stamped from that rifle, makes sense to me. I hope this is offers a plausible point if not then there are personnel far more knowledgable than I which will correct the issue if I am not. I have a BSA Shirely T that I am doing up and hopefully will have it running for our big service shoot next November 2014.

Soldier - Capt we are surrounded Sir.... Capt - Good....... Soldier - ?..... Capt - This means we can shoot in all directions......!!

[Roger Payne]

Interesting! Not seen an additional number quite like that before. It could possibly relate to a 1943 BSA rifle in the AE serial range, but whilst I cannot substantiate what I think, I do not believe the AE1000 is a rifle number at all. I think your scope & bracket are probably originally matching to your rifle. The rifle is an R prefix (I have seen 'R' prefix rifles with both 44 & 45 dates, though mostly 45), & you have a Mk3 scope. This is what one would expect - a 43 rifle would not originally have borne a Mk3 scope & would have had a Mk1 or 2 on it, though many were re-scoped with Mk3's later on. The stamping of the rifle serial R 33871 is in exactly the commonly encountered style & size & position on the bracket that one would expect. I am assuming your scope number is stamped into the butt just behind the cocking piece, of course. It's only speculation, but I think the rather faintly stamped numbers are more likely to be something applied by a unit to which the rifle was issued, rather than another rifle number, though I admit serials stamped on the bracket are usually rifle numbers...........but this one is not quite like any others I've seen. I think, so long as your butt stock bears the serial number of your scope, that you have a genuinely all matching rifle, with an additional number applied at some point for reasons unknown (unless someone else has knowledge of this type of marking).

P.S. Is it my eyes, or does the AE number look to be more recent than the rifle serial?

[Peter Laidler]

There's definately something there but it looks to me like it's something that's been semi obliterated using a pair of figure 0 and 1 number stamps. Thgere's definately another figure 1 under the second to last 0

Quite WHAT was there and for whatever reason is another matter......... And yes, I agree with DRP that this marking does look a LOT more recent than the original.

[Thunderbox]

Is it a stores register number?

The format looks familiar, and not just as a weapons serial.

[teltec01]

Thanks for the information, in normal light both serial numbers seem to be the same age but it's very hard to tell if one set of numbers was stamped at a later date. The rifle is dated 1944 and it does have the serial number stamp on the butt, bottom of fore-stock as well as the bolt, and the scope case has both the rifle and scope serial numbers inside. If anyone can help me convert the photos to a thumbnail size I'll post more pictures. The scope might be on it's way to Peter for repair as the drums are frozen, otherwise the scope is in excellent condition.

[Roger Payne]

You have a nice bit of kit there. Genuinely matched rifles are getting hard to find. I would not trouble too much about the AE number.

ATB

[teltec01]

Thanks for all the help, I appreciate all the people who so generously share their knowledge. Although the wood chamber cleaning tool did not come with the transit case and is not a part of the CES I purchased it to add to my display.

It was fascinating to read the following post as the rifle featured in it is one digit later than mine and is almost identical to mine with a few exceptions.

http://imageevent.com/badgerdog/brit...&m=24&w=0&p=24

[Roger Payne]

The link & the information about the 4T & exploits of captain Mason are indeed most interesting. Obviously he was (is?) quite a man! One thing does puzzle me though, in that I cannot see how the rifle shown could have gone ashore on D-Day with one of Captain Mason's snipers, as it is a R prefix rifle made at the cusp of the year change over between 1944 & 1945. It also appears to be genuinely matching with a Taylor Hobson Co Mk3 scope. The Mk3 scope did not exist until the Autumn of 1944. I am not for one minute suggesting anything untoward, but I wonder if perhaps it was another rifle that went ashore on D-Day, & the rifle shown was a later addition to 4 Commando's inventory???

Just an observation.......

ATB

[teltec01]

The link & the information about the 4T & exploits of captain Mason are indeed most interesting. Obviously he was (is?) quite a man! One thing does puzzle me though, in that I cannot see how the rifle shown could have gone ashore on D-Day with one of Captain Mason's snipers, as it is a R prefix rifle made at the cusp of the year change over between 1944 & 1945. It also appears to be genuinely matching with a Taylor Hobson Co Mk3 scope. The Mk3 scope did not exist until the Autumn of 1944. I am not for one minute suggesting anything untoward, but I wonder if perhaps it was another rifle that went ashore on D-Day, & the rifle shown was a later addition to 4 Commando's inventory???

Just an observation.......

ATB

I agree with you, the dates don't seem to support the story, I just found it interesting to see another (T) that was one digit from mine.