No.4 Mk.I Identification - Help Needed

[rolwac]

Hello to all.
I'm a new forum member - and this forum is GREAT!

I'm just trying to buy my first Lee-Enfield for my firearms collection, but unfortunately Lee-Enfields are very rare in my country as well as reliable sources of information. Therefore I would be very grateful for any help.

My selected specimen is No. 4 Mk. I. The seller says it was produced 1943 but I have some
doubts. The rifle is marked with an electro-pencil in follwong way:
Receiver left side (two rows):
No 4 MK I (F) FTR
/48 LC28375
Bolt hande:
LC28375
Butt socket:
LC28375
Magazine bottom:
LC28375

I assume this is a No. 4 Mk. I produced by Fazakerley (maybe 1943) and in year 1948 it absolved a FTR also in Fazakerley (there is no month number before the /48 - nothing - maybe ground off/linished?).

And there is the main question: Is LC28375 the original number of the gun (its production number) or it was changed and rewritten during the FTR in year 1948? If the number is original, then can the production year of 1943 be confirmed?

Second question: the butt blate is a brass one, not steel. But I have read that during the war brass butt plates were substituted by steel plates. Is the brass plate OK for a war time rifle or it was substituted during the FTR?

Any help will be highly appreciated!highly appreciated!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Mk VII]

It is the original number, they did not renumber them. Large numbers of rifles were overhauled at this time, partly to replenish the war reserve stock and partly as make-work to keep the factory busy. It might have been steel or mazak metal during the war (though die castings were used on some of the 1950s production too).

[Beerhunter]

Second question: the butt blate is a brass one, not steel. But I have read that during the war brass butt plates were substituted by steel plates. Is the brass plate OK for a war time rifle or it was substituted during the FTR?

It was common practice in CCF contingents (and I guess the army for that matter) to ensure that "Parade" or "Drill Squad" rifles all had lovely brass butt plates that could be "bulled". So they got moved around by cadet armourers.

[Roger Payne]

Try looking very carefully at the left receiver side wall directly below the rear sight bed - original markings on mid & later WW2 Faz rifles were placed there, but were electric pencilled very very lightly, in many cases. If made earlier the date may be stamped into the left side of the butt socket along with the serial number, below the safety catch. You may not find anything, but look carefully as the original manufacture date may be there marked very faintly.

ATB.

[rolwac]

Unfortunately nothing can be found below the rear sight bed or below the safety catch (maybe already worn-out?).
Is it possible to estimate the production date (production year would be sufficient) using the serial number?