How did my MA Lithgow S.M.L.E. III* 1943 get here?

[kenh6886]

My dad just gave me his SMLE as listed above. I am not a collector but I've been reading through the forums and was able to identify most of the markings and I'm including pictures. I keep seeing where John Jovino imported thousands of guns and parts in the '80s and '90s. However, my dad bought this gun as his 1st hunting rifle back in the late '50s or early '60s.

Any thoughts on how I can figure out how it got to the U.S.A that early?Attachment 75801Attachment 75802Attachment 75803Attachment 75804Attachment 75805

Information

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[tiriaq]

A big batch was released in the '60s.

Are there any British proofs on the barrel?

[kenh6886]

I found two additional markings. One where the bolt meets the barrel and the other under the rear site on the barrel.Attachment 75807Attachment 75806

[browningautorifle]

It's hard to say exactly where the import marks would have been. During that time they floated around and could have been marked on the front bayonet attachment even, which has gone. Those are a common rifle, it could have been purchased before he had it and brought or just migrated in hand of some enterprising individual...

[Brian Dick]

There was no requirement prior to 1968 for import markings in the USA. Rifles were stamped with a country of origin stamp but not the country of manufacture. That's why you find "England" stamps on SMLE and No.4 rifles imported prior to 1968 regardless of country of manufacture.

[kenh6886]

Thanks everybody for your responses. Does anybody know what this marking is for? It's the only one I can't figure out.Attachment 75810

[Bruce_in_Oz]

"MA" is a Lithgow mark.

The crown over crossed pennants is a proof mark.

[AFJon]

Looks just like the one I bought last year. No import marks on mine.




and restored

[muffett.2008]

If you remove the rear handgaurd you will expose the barrel date on the left hand side, just in front of that proof mark.
The barrel date will give an indication of timeline, for instance if -/43 we know it's an original fitment, a later date up to 1960 is possible.
That would give an indication of when it was sold out of service.

[CINDERS]

Post # 3 marking pic 1
HV= High Velocity for the MK VII round
SC = Short Cone explained thus from another forum on Lee Enfields ~ To be concise the cone or better known as the 'forcing cone' is the amount of freebore ( taper ) from the case mouth in the chamber to the start of the actual rifling. The MkVI ball had a larger ( longer ) forcing cone simply because the MkVI bullet was longer and for most of it's length the actual diameter designed to grip the rifling. The MkVII bullet could suffer accuracy problems most likely with the extended free bore of bullet until it engaged the rifling . This little detail is known to generally make or break accuracy. In bench rest shooting "soft loading" is common. That is loading a bullet into a cartridge case and leaving it extending beyond the Maximum OAL of the cartridge. Thus when loaded the bullet will contact and start to seat in the rifling with no upset from a 'run' before it impacts the rifling. This does induce pressure spikes , but the trade off is a considerably less deformed and cleaner started bullet for better accuracy.
Anyhow wiht the Mk VII bullet having less bearing surface than the MkVI and a higher velocity it was found that by decreasing the amount of freebore ( forcing cone length ) before the bullet met the rifling accuracy would be improved significantly. Oddly enough however the germans went the opposite route and their standard 7,92 rifles had 2 1/2 caliber long forcing cones ( freebore ) in their service rifles to alleiviate ammo quality problems , increase bore life and as well as difficulties with the environments like mud