Naval service Lithgow Mk.III*

[Brian Dick]

I was rebarreling a rifle for a client yesterday and found a "N" stamp behind the safety catch spring on the butt socket. I can't remember seeing a Naval ownership mark on an Australian rifle. Are they uncommon? It's a bog standard '42 Lithgow and matching throughout except the barrel which I changed yesterday since the original is shot out. The barrel supplied is a nos Indan RFI. It was stripped of the sight bases so I fitted excellent Australian spares I had here and installed the original matching rear sight. I ranged tested it at 25 yards yesterday afternoon and it's perfect. Managed two through the same hole and dropped the third which is normal for my blind arse so can't blame the rifle. The rifle appears to have seen service in the tropics. Lots of handling marks in the otherwise sound but worn coachwood and finish worn original metal. Green paint on the underlying metal. It doesn't sport any district markings on the breech ring or any British ownership marks. Did Australia have Naval Infantry or Marine type units?

[smerdon42]

Brian australia never has had a naval infantry ie marines. W did have special force in ww2 that hit islands etc in Indonesia . Could just be a regular naval rifle for ceremonial use or issued as part of the ships weapons.

I was rebarreling a rifle for a client yesterday and found a "N" stamp behind the safety catch spring on the butt socket. I can't remember seeing a Naval ownership mark on an Australian rifle. Are they uncommon? It's a bog standard '42 Lithgow and matching throughout except the barrel which I changed yesterday since the original is shot out. The barrel supplied is a nos Indan RFI. It was stripped of the sight bases so I fitted excellent Australian spares I had here and installed the original matching rear sight. I ranged tested it at 25 yards yesterday afternoon and it's perfect. Managed two through the same hole and dropped the third which is normal for my blind arse so can't blame the rifle. The rifle appears to have seen service in the tropics. Lots of handling marks in the otherwise sound but worn coachwood and finish worn original metal. Green paint on the underlying metal. It doesn't sport any district markings on the breech ring or any British ownership marks. Did Australia have Naval Infantry or Marine type units?

[Brian Dick]

Thanks for your response. The reason it piqued my interest is because I've had many Naval service Lees over the years and they are usually in very good to pristine condition. I still have a '41 Maltby No.4 that obviously sat in a locker somewhere. The rifle just eeks of history and has the look and feel that it was busy, not to mention shot out! Headspace was in spec when I got it, but the accuracy gone along with the rifling failing all the gauging miserably. Looks like it spent lots of time the tropics. I serviced it when I originally got it and never noticed the "N" stamp on the butt socket. When I had it apart to rebarrel, it caught my eye. It's the only Australian rifle I can remember with a Naval ownership mark.

[CoatiMundi]

I pulled my 1942 Lithgow out to see how it’s marked by the safety. I’m sure it’s a “Z”, although sideways it might be an “N”????

[Brian Dick]

I'm shipping it out today to a client but took a good picture of it on my mobile. If interested, send me an email request to bdlltd@bellsouth.net and I'll send the picture. It's definitely an "N" stamp. I know it's probably not a big deal. I just found it interesting since I've never seen it before on an Australian rifle.

[Alan de Enfield]

I'm shipping it out today to a client but took a good picture of it on my mobile. If interested, send me an email request to bdlltd@bellsouth.net and I'll send the picture. It's definitely an "N" stamp. I know it's probably not a big deal. I just found it interesting since I've never seen it before on an Australian rifle.

Could it be an Australian manufactured rifle was was actually in service "elsewhere" ?

[Brian Dick]

There are no other ownership marks present. It seems like a rifle that was in Australian service for its service career, but I could be wrong. It had been worked on in service and headspace appeared to have been upgraded at some point with a long bolt head but all the components on the rifle are Australian.