It's only a sporter but I need some info.

[Buster95]

I just received a BSA mkIII 1918 (sporter) and I need some help about the markings, especially the word "England" on the receiver. The bolt, receiver and barrel are matching but the serial on the barrel is hard to read, the markings are all correct for this rifle?

Here are some pics of the markings.












Also, I had some Lee Enfield in the past (6 or 7) and none of them had a "counter bored" barrel but the barrel on my rifle is slightly "counter bored" is it normal?

Pic

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.

[browningautorifle]

ONLY? It participated in two wars, and has it's original barrel and bolt...reinspected in 1940. The muzzle has been re crowned by the look of it. Not a great job but I guess it had an issue. All the markings are what we're used to seeing. The "England" marking was something to do with identifying where the rifle was made when it was being surplussed I think. We discussed this some time back. It was marked on after service.

[Buster95]

Thanks for the reply Jim. By "ONLY" I mean incomplete without the wood but the rifle is not cut, that's a big plus.

[GDU]

I would suggest the barrel was replaced in service in 1940.
The England .303 etc are commercial proof marks applied when the gun was sold to the public, a requirement under British proof rules.
We see them a lot here, especially the parker hale rifles sold in the 60's and 70's.

[henry r]

is that a counter bore or a sleeve?

[Roger Payne]

I wondered about that too, henry, but having looked at the photo long & hard I just think it's a circumferential line left by the tool used to re-crown the muzzle. It was probably not ground to quite the exact contour it should have been, so leaving the tool mark. I have a lovely pre-WW1 SMLE complete with all bells & whistles that has had a horrible bump to the muzzle & so similarly needs re-crowning......but as it's a keeper it's something else that I'll do 'when i get around to it'!

[gsimmons]

Here you go, Roger.

[browningautorifle]

Too, they wouldn't have lined the barrel with a major caliber liner. It would have been bored out and sub cal lined. Replaced barrel in 1940? I'll buy that...

[Roger Payne]

Thanks Gary........er......have you got a sackfull of those.....?

[gsimmons]

How's this?