My BSA No.5 MkI

I picked this up several weekes ago. I was on Gunbroker and I toyed with buying it - and sent a question to the seller - but missed it closing. There were no bids on it. The seller had answered my question just before the bidding closed. I contacted him and asked if he was going to re-list it or if he'd sell it. I decided to go ahead and buy it - and am very glad I did.

Mostly matching/properly marked. The only two parts that jump out at me as having off marks is the magazine - clearly originally from a Long Branch No.4 - and the locking bolt is from Fazakerly.

It's an early import to the US and the bore/barrel are a little frosty but rust and pitting free. I'm looking forward to firing it!

I'm looking for an unmarked magazine for it - but in no rush. I posted some pics of the current magazine - maybe someone owns that rifle here! :thup:

When you say locking bolt do you mean safety catch? Because the bolt is definatly BSA!

I'm going by the terminology in Stratton's book on No4s and 5s. The locking bolt being a piece of the safety assembly - visible in my next to last picture on the left side of the receiver. It is marked with an "F" on the inside.

Truly a beautiful example of a BSA No.5. I wouldn't sweat the safety lever. Parts sharing between BSA and Fazackerly is documented.

I have a No.5 that looks almost identical to yours, just a tad younger...

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...No51946M-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...o51946aM-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...JCcloseM-1.jpg

I have a BE prefix series/1945 date with metal forestock cap and marked in a similar manner. I too wouldn't sweat the safety being a Faz component. The magazine in my JC is marked M/8. I think any WWII coded British manufacture magazine would be 100 percent correct though the hardcore Enfield purists would consider an M/56 coded example as de rigeur. Remember--any JC manufactured before 1946 will not be fitted with a factory serial numbered magazine.