Hi folks,
I found my next SMLE refurb candidate, and I can't find the meaning of this marking, a large "U" with a broad arrow in it. I looked on Amatikulu's excellent website with no luck. Thanks for any input!
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5b4d4ce1-1.jpg
As an bonus picture just for fun, here's one of the back of the receiver:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...15a16dba-1.jpg
It's the ownership marking for Union of South Africa ... :thup:
Regards,
Doug
Thanks Doug!
Well there you go, I've been out-knowledged once again! :)
And the Broad Arrows facing each other (making it look like a large asterisk) mean that it was sold out of service.
What a beautiful set of stamps....
Does the single broad arrow indicate accepted into UK service and then the U arrow indicate sold/moved onto south africa service?
That the barrel is original to the receiver?
U with Broad arrow = Union of South Africa The Broad Arrow Skennerton Page 127
Opposing Arrows and S on Barrel, receiver or furniture = Sale mark, serviceable when sold it looks like that as I gather they did not have enough space to fit the S in between the arrows The Broad Arrow Skennerton Page 82
Single broad arrow = Various components, Accepted for Govt service after inspection The Broad Arrow Skennerton Page 82
Hope this assists you.
When rifles were sold out of service from the Union of South Africa (1910-1961) the "correct" stamp would have been a U with a diamond in it. So I can't say for sure whether this was sold out of service in SA and got the "wrong" stamps - or whether it was in another part of the Commonwealth, like Rhodesia, when it went into civilian ownership.