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Last September I purchased, on-line, two .303 British to .22 Short chamber adapters. These are 'broad arrow' and 'EFD' marked. The rear of the adapter is held in place by a little spring loaded ball. They fit all of my four of my British rifles, unlike the U.S Hoffer-Thompson adapter which was made for a special chamber in a .22 barrel. What were these used for in British service? The rod for removing the empty case is from a Hoffer-Thompson set.
EFD is a firearms dealer in England that specializes in refurbishing Enfields. Possibly it refers to them? Can't help you with any of your other questions though.
That marking is from the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield. The adaptor would be a training aid so the full size .303 could be used perhaps at an indoor range. I can't recall seeing that particular one before, but others similar were to fit into a .22 barrel with a .303 chamber to use the full functions of loading, feeding, firing and ejecting rounds while shooting .22LR at a target.
This appears to be the Parker patent ".303 *** .22 system" [darned censorship!! Look it up in Skennerton.]
http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_R...8_303***22.htm [this won't work either until you put "see you em" in place of the asterisks.]
Repeatedly put up to the War Office, and just as repeatedly rejected, the system was briefly adopted for official use. Hitting a hard cement floor on ejection must have dented the mouths, just like the Hoffer-Thompson system, and the erosive smokeless or semi-smokeless powders of the time would have worn them out quickly.
The adaptor should accept a .22 LR round, not short based on examples I have. There are two types that were used for a .22 version Lee Enfield No.1 variant rifle--.22RF short rifle Pattern 1918 . It had a special chamber to accept the rounds fed through the magazine. The other use was in a conversion kit for the Vickers machine gun. I have sucessfully chambered both types in my rifle and Vickers barrels if I remember correctly--it has been a while since I had both out together.
breakeyp, You are correct!!.. Two passes with a .22 caliber brush and one patch, and the adapters now accept the .22 long rifle cartridge. Must have been hardened oil or grease. I was reluctant to force a long rifle cartridge into the adapter when resistance was encountered. The .22 short chambered in the dirty chamber just fine!....