The markings on the right hand side of the butt socket indicate that this rifle started life at the Birmingham Sparkbrook factory in 1893 and was built as a "MAGAZINE LEE-METFORD RIFLE MkII". It then returned to Enfield and was converted to a Sht L.E. CONd. IV in 1907.
Where it's final conversion to .22 SHORT RIFLE Mk IV (RIFLE No.2 Mk IV*) was done is not certain as it is not marked, but I assume that it was probably done in Australia as it has a solid barrel and both the magazine and the bolt head are marked .22 and .22 No2 respectively.
The Stock carries the marks of the C.M.F. (Citizen Military Forces) and 3.M.D. (3rd Military District, Southern Command Victoria). According to "Skennerton" these rifles were still being converted in the 1950,s by armourers rather than at SAF Lithgow which could explain the lack of a factory ID.
The origional marks on the right hand butt socket are intact and have not been altered in any way, however the 1907 Sht LE marks have been barred out but only partly, whoever did the conversion to .22 struck No 2 over the barred out Sht LE marks but left the CONd IV intact only adding a * to indicate that a magazine had been fitted, this would indicate that the conversion was done after 1925. The marks now read No2 CONd IV*, there is also another quirk to this rifle, at some time it has seen service with the Navy as there is a letter N on the left butt socket , looking at the style of the font used it looks as though it was in Naval use when it was in it's Sht LE guise.
Its curret serial number is E1300, it has been applied over a barred out 7050 there is a third barred out number on the action which looks like 0118.
On the forend just behind the piling swivil lugs are the numbers 4557 with an H under, this has been barred out. below that and also barred out is the number 7050 and below that is the current number 1300 over E.
It seems strange that the numbers on the charger bridge and the forend do not exactly match.
The 10/19 number on the butt I assume is for some sort of accounting, the number 507 is also stamped on the butt but what that means is anybodies guess.
All of the above are my own interpretations of what is on the rifle if any one has a different take on what is there please feel free to correct me...
I can understand the lure of a new rifle all rapped in cosmo but a rifle like this has history, it asks so many questions I think I take history every time:thup:
