winchester with british proof markings

have a winchester model 67 serial number makes it a mid 30's rifle, it has.............

a very large arrow pointing up on the stock
a "BNP" under a crown on the receiv er
8 tons per (a box shaped figure) on the receiver

I was told when i received this fine little rifle that it was sent to UK after dunkirk to aid in training troops. i have absolutely no way to prove or disprove this (not really trying to at this time) but presenting it for comments, i got this when i was 12 and have had it ever since, and i plan on giving it to grandson some day....

i terrorized rabbits and squirrels with it for many many years and filled more than one stew pot with meat in the early fifties in the far far wilds of western cook county (yeah there were still farms in cook county in 1950, and my dad and his friends all hunted pheasants on local farms, i had a 410 and always missed, but then dad said
take the 22 and get some rabbits....)

but anyway this is a neat and still pristine 22 and i wonder if it actually trained troops to fight in WWII
regards

ps io put this on the smle page due to the history buffs there and the description of the stamps

The arrow you mention problay is the British "Broad Arrow" which is the Military exceptance mark. Sounds like a nice rifle. I would love to add a rifle of this type to my US 22 caliber Military Trainer collection.

As I responded to the same question posted in the Lee Enfield Forum (click here), marks often found on Enfield rifles that have been exported for sale from the UK. ;)

"BNP" ".303" "2.22" on barrel and under that is either "18.5 or 18+ or 184 TONS" .... means that the rifle was tested for safety by Birmingham Proof House showing caliber and chamber length. As required by British law, any firearm offered for commercial sale (regardless of military proofing) has to undergo a pressure test. Passed firearms were stamped, usually on the barrel and receiver.

"NP" was the Birmingham Nitro Proof between 1912 and 1954 and "BNP" is the Birmingham Nitro Proof after 1954

"England" is sometimes seen on Enfield rifles and it's the British private export mark pre-1968

Hope this helps somewhat... :)

Regards.
Badger

I have a Mauser single shot .22 in the military type stock that has the post 1954 proofs, which as Badger pointed out indicates commercial sale in England.

I also have a Winchester model 67 from 1935 that has British proof marks on the left side of the breech and right side of the barrel. I have a small arrow in the stock, almost looks like a pen mark. My stock hasn't been refinished but I believe it had another coat of varnish applied although it was done very well. My gun also has factory holes drilled for scope mounting which required the Winchester proof mark to be relocated ahead of where it normally was located so it could be seen with scope blocks mounted. Supposedly, not many guns were factory drilled and tapped. I was told that some of these model 67's were sent to Britain for home guard training. They could have been used for other training as well. Either way, it adds a special history to these model 67's.