Hello all, first post and looking for help

First off, great forum. I have looked through most of the knowledge base and I can say you folks know quite a lot. I have searched as much as I could find on the internet trying to figure out what rifle I have as it doesn't seem to exist... All I have managed to learn is that it is British, 1942 and a No4 Mk1.

I am hoping that you could help me decode some trickery on my No4 Mk1;

1) On the top of the barrel where it meets the reciever it has 307 stamped and a broad arrow, to the right, it has 'England' and the number 'FDM2046'.

2) On the left side of the reciever it has 'No4Mk1' only. At the back of the reciever atop the buttstock socket, it has two crowns to the right of the cocking piece.

3) On the side of the buttstock socket, it has 'M 1942' and under that 'FDM2046'.

4) It has no markings on the bolt head, and only 'FDM2046' on the bolt handle.

5) Inside the buttstock socket, it has a 'M58' stamped.

6) Under the trigger guard on the buttstock socket, it has 'SPT17' stamped.

7) Brass butt plate, no markings at all.

It has battle sights, bayonet catch and not quite a sporter fore grip, but looks like one. I believe that it was 'sporterized' in the 'do it yourself' manner and there are no markings on the furniture.

I can't seem to find anything in regards to the 'FDM' prefix, any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Hi Tsukuba, welcome to milsurps!

The M1942 is the manufacture date; "M" should stand for the Maltby Factory in England if I recall.

The FDM2046 is the serial number, but go figure why all these letters! I have no idea.

Lou

Hey Lou, thanks.

This seems like the place to be :)

It just is a bit strange that as No4's go, this one doesn't have many markings. My friend has a 1943 and its peppered with arrows, crowns, BNP, flags and other such things. It was pretty easy figuring out its origins.

This one, not so much. Just wondering about that 'FDM' and the seeming low serial number...

Thanks again

Dan

Early No 4's didn't have as uniform markings a later rifles, kind of an evolution thats had to discern w/o a lot of samples. Roger Payne made some comments on this subject recently, if not here, then in the CSP forum hosted by Milsurps.