Late Fazakerly FTR

The drought is over!! I finally found a rifle I needed for the collection (that was in the budget). My collection of Fazakerly FTR'd Mk 1/2 and 1/3 has grown by one more, I located an obtained the rare 1958 conversion.

Of interest to the collectors is that it is was used, and mostly made up of Fazakerly '55 and '56 dated bits with a few '57. The trigger guard and magazine follower are Savage, plus it is my first post WW2 FTR with a stamped rear sight.

The origins of the receiver are a bit of a mystery. I have not stripped it down but it is devoid of any obvious markings that would point it toward a WW2 receiver making me believe it is either a post war Fazakerly or a spare receiver.

The serial number is 650ish units higher than my '57 Fazakerly issued serial number.

Interesting. Ive seen a few guns now that appear to be after the UF55 with A2xxxx and one N2xxxx No one has enlightend me yet with some history around this late period, can you tell me any more?

There's no real secret as such. Fazakerley had been pretty well abandoned by the old Ministry of Supply (MoS) as a lost cause as a manufacturing base by then after strikes and general intransigence over getting new L1A1 production started. THere was talk that while Enfield were producing the new L1A1, Fazakerley were STILL building No4's. Even when No4 production had ceased there and BSA were manufacturing the L1A1's that Fazakerley were earmarked to produce AND the Faz. L1A1 machinery was on its way to Lithgow, Fazakerley were STILL plodding on with No4's and FTRing Sten guns that nobody wanted.

But not for long......... The Government had had enough and shut the place.

Research by someone on this subject some time ago said that the MoS wanted to keep Maltby going instead of Fazakerley but the post war jobs situation in and around the mining areas of Rotherham, Sheffield and Maltby were VERY secure whereas Liverpool/Fazakerley they were dire. So Fazakerley it was. They even took (some say pirated......) Sterling SMG production toi Fazakerley to keep it up and running. But even that is another disappointing production story. Although, to be said, the MoS in its saving grace, didn't spend much on Fazakerley. It remained a typically wartime dingy factory until it closed.

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

They even took (some say pirated......) Sterling SMG production toi Fazakerley to keep it up and running.

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The Government were eventually forced to pay royalties to Sterling, I found out later that is why it was emphasised at the time that we were NOT to call our SMGs "Sterlings" - but we often did anyway!.