What is my grandpa's No 4 MK l ROF(F) 3/4/3

[BigJohn55]

Hello All, I reviewed previous threads, but did not see the numbers on grandpa's 303. The barrel is stamped with DNP 2.22", the receiver has No 4 MK l ROF(F) 3/4/3, the bolt has BB22223A stanped on it, and the wrist piece has England & BB22225A on it. Both Gramps and Dad are no longer around to ask... Thx

Information

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[Ridolpho]

BigJohn55: Welcome to the forum. Lots of great info here. I would suggest you attempt to put a few photos up for the experts to look at- check out the 3rd sticky from the bottom regarding uploading from your harddrive. It works very well. As a start, you have a No.4 MkI manufactured at Royal Ordnance Factory Fazakerley (government plant). The "England" and "....2.22inch" are British export marks. The numbers you see on left cheek and bolt are so close that you're probably misreading one and you have a matching bolt/ receiver which is a good thing. If you can get some photos of the left cheek, left action body, etc, the real experts here may be able to tell you more.

Ridolpho

[Alan de Enfield]

The "England" and "....2.22inch" are British export marks.
Ridolpho

The BNP & 2.22" are in fact UK civilian proof marks which must be on any firearm sold on the civilian market in the UK, Your Grandfathers rifle was obviously purchased by a US dealer from the UK.
The "England" is a US (pre 1968) import marking. The UK do not 'export' mark firearms.

The rifle was manufactured in March 1943 (3/43) by Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) Fazakerly - near Liverpool.

[BigJohn55]

Thank you Alan & Rido for the info! Will grab some pix and post them for those interested.

[BigJohn55]

Need to resize the remaining pix

[BigJohn55]

Appreciate all comments.

[paulseamus]

Big John

The pic of the left side of your receiver shows that you are missing the "Screw - Extractor". This screw ejects the spent casing when you cycle the bolt.

Your rifle would have originally been fitted with a full length timber forend and two timber upper handguards. Your handguards have been removed and the forend cut down, to "sporterize" the rifle. From the last picture it also appears that the original 10 round magazine has been cut down to finish flush with the bottom of the forend.

The missing and modified parts can be readily replaced if you want to restore the rifle to a similar configuration as issued.

Brian at BDL may be able to source you a suitable replacement screw and he may be able to assist you with the other parts if that is the way you want to go. BDL LTD

The two screw holes in the top of the receiver, just behind the barrel. are from someone fitting a non-military scope mount to the rifle.

Cheers

Paul

[Beerhunter]

The pic of the left side of your receiver shows that you are missing the "Screw - Extractor". This screw ejects the spent casing when you cycle the bolt.

Forgive me Paul, but that is incorrect on both points.

It is an EJECTOR Screw (not the same thing as extractor at all) and it is for ejecting unfired rounds. Fired empty cases will eject with no help from it at all.

[Peter Laidler]

Errrrrrrrrr just a small point Beery, and a bit of pure train spotting on my part but surely whether fired or unfired, the extractor rotating about its axis, under the influence and loading of the extractor spring (that's why there is a load spec for it...) forces the rim of the case (fired or unfired) against the tapering left side wall of the inside of the body and it is this friction that ejects the fired or unfired case. The ejector screw is a means to a last resort of something else fails. You can see this operation during practical lessons with slowed down high speed video using drill rounds aswe used to do during practical lessons..... No?

[BigJohn55]

Thx to ya both! I never knew what that hole was for. Used the gun for deer hunting, put about 50 (150g) rnds through it as a teen and never had a problem, except it kicked like a mule! (and got hot as hell) Those WWII guys were tough!
The 10-rnd mag is not pictured, I left it in the locked ammo case, (still with 1965 ammo in it, never finished shooting them up).