No1 Mk6 dates!

[XL39E1]

Has any body ever seen a Early to Mid 1930's dated No1 Mk6?

I have seen 1929 and 1930 dated rifles but none later!

Information

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[Roger Payne]

Not to date. Have owned a small number over the years but all were 1930 dated.

[limpetmine]

1930 date here.
Tell a newby how to tell an early or late model year rifle, please!

[Ian Skennerton]

Most British rifles have year or month/year indicators on the action body, left or right side. And on some prime components too, such as the barrel. Some controversy surrounds the No.1 Mk VI rifles, the original trials batch of 1,025 and the 1,000 odd assembled from old parts in late 1941 - 1942. In ‘British Small Arms of WW2', you will see under the Rifle No.1, a contract at Enfield dated 28.2.42 for 924 rifles, 'No.1 repair'. Previous and following repair and reconditioning specify Mk III, Mk III*, Mk I***, EY, &c. so I reckon this batch was upgraded No.1 Mk VIs.

It follows that of the 1,025 No.1 Mk VI rifles made at Enfield in the early 1930s, all but 101 were upgraded, with the 'A' suffix, a total of 924. Similarly, Trials No.4 Mk I rifles were converted to No.4 (T)’s at Enfield, 1,403 of them per contract of 16.5.40. These were not ‘A’ suffixed as regular unit armourers did not normally work on (T) snipers, it was a specialist job. With a recorded run circa 2,400, the 1,403 figure converted to No.4(T) certainly fits.

With the set up of ROFs for rifle production, all the Enfield Rifle parts were sent to Fazakerly. Including trials No.1 Mk VI and trials No.4 Mk I unfinished parts. Rifles produced at Fazakerly have ‘2’ as the first number, Maltby used a ‘1’. Of course, after the block of 99,999 was exhausted, letters were prefixed, A through Z, then AA, &c. So rifles with no letter prefix were in the first batch.

Why so many unfinished Mk VI action bodies and parts? Paul Breakey has a good handle on mass production, working at Ford in Michigan for many years. If 1,000 rifles were ordered, two or three times that quantity of each component was produced. So for 1,025 No.1 Mk VI trials rifles, there would have been at least as many bodies again, left unfinished. These were shipped to Fazakerly when it started and because they were not No.4 rifles, they were stamped with individual punches, 'No 1 Mk VI'. An ‘A’ suffix was added because many of the parts were not interchangeable on regular No.4 rifles. Hence the ‘Dunkirk emergency’ rifles in the Fazakerly serials range, over 1,000 of them. Earliest serial noted is 27986A and latest is 28938A. To date we have seen at least 20 such rifles, with the same characteristics.

Faris has 6 different No.1 Mk VI - Trials No.4 Mk I, some with EX- serials dating from 1926 to 1933. Bob, Brian Labudda and I managed to agree on their timeline, a thing I could never work out with when we first visited him in AZ. He later acquired another 2 models which helped us sort it out when I went there with Brian Labudda more recently.

We'll never know precisely how many build-ups were done at Fazakerly in 1942, there were more than 1,000 going by serial numbers. Given British service book-keeping, I doubt that the build-ups from parts were included in the Enfield figure of 924, because stock is recorded as 'one in' to tally with the 'one out', and they were totally different factories. Of course, the No.1 body little resembles the No.4 and to convert a No.4 body to No.1 Mk VI would be a major machining operation, with so many other facets that just don’t fit... charger bridge, height of body walls, safety provision, rear sight and all its components. Each part of the backsight has different dimensions, no wonder the ‘A’ suffix was added to serials to indicate to armourers that there were many non-interchangeable components. Some ‘F’ and ‘ROF 2' stamps will be noted on parts of these Fazakerly assembled Mk VI rifles, along with occasional early Singer and contract parts.

Factor in the finish as an indicator too... blued, polished; black, not so well polished, grey, &c. They certainly make an interesting batch! The evolution from 1926 to 1933 is fascinating, we are likely to produce a DVD on this, a gold mine of info for serious Lee-Enfield collectors. Brian Labudda plans to produce a paper on the non-interchangeability of parts, No.1 Mk VI, Trials No.4 Mk I and the regular early production F and ROFM rifles.

Enjoy the knowledge, IDS

[smle addict]

I think that might be what I own. Has all the appearances of a No 1 Mk VI, but no markings on the butt-socket. The serial number is 23560A, and it appears to have been punched with individual stamps. Bolt is marked in a similiar un-even manner. I pulled it apart and took a few picks of what few markings it has. The barrel is simply stamped '41, with a broad arrow. The majority of the components are marked SM41. The safety is of the earlier Mk VI profile, and is marked F on the inside. Rear sight is simply marked B, nothing else. The action body is marked with several Enfield inspectors marks. Action is blued, but the small parts are all painted black. I got this 22 years ago at a gun show, and that owner thought it was a mk VI that had its markings removed to approximate the No 4. Any thoughts?

[Warren]

I have two dated 31 and one "no date".