A new Lithgow, and it really needs a cleaning

I picked this up the other day cheap, really cheap, because it was so cruddy and nasty. It was an auction and nobody else wanted it because it was so nasty, but I saw a gem. It is a unmolested, non import, 100% matching, mirror bore(once I got the cobwebs out) Lithgow. So here are some before pics, once I get done cleaning I will post some after pics. Right now it is in a million pieces on my bench.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4eea31ad-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...0739a59b-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...6f34731d-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...e4e8cdd1-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ce59f5e2-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8bd3ce48-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...de2a0995-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...0bf63604-1.jpg

If that rifle could talk, imagine what it might say. It looks as though it was stored next to a dryer vent. Will be anxious to see what's under all that grime and, more importantly, to find out how it shoots.

AQBill:cheers:

Nice, a 1941 MkIII, not that common.

Although it looks a little sanded to me.

Heck I would've bought it just for the fact it was all matching. It would look great next to my 1942 Lithgow that was brought home by my grandfather's best friend. Can't believe nobody wanted it:confused:

is there something off in that wrist marking ?

actually it does look a little off. Here are pics of my other 41 Lithgow before I cleaned it up
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...da177ff8-1.jpg

Obvious difference is ones a MkIII, the other a MkIII*.

It is currently soaking in a bath of kroil trying to loosen up some of the crud. I feel like i need a putty knife or scraper more than brushes to loosen up some of the krud :lol: Everything under the wood line is coated in suncorite and the barrel appears to have had a coat of suncorite then a coat of green paint. There is a bunch of sand inside it, almost every crevice has some kind of sand in it, so i wonder if that is a sign of its history at all. And there appears to be a little bit of damage on the butt socket where the rear guard screw goes. The edges seem to be dinged up a little bit. Does anyone have a chart of the knox markings and what they mean? If I remember the "R" is rust, but they did a nice job cleaning it up because the bore is beautiful, but what does the "P" mean?

Thanks in advance,
Eric

A common view is that P is for paint, as in the case that a rifle has had an application of khaki green paint as a corrosion preventative.
I would try to preserve it if it was mine. The black paint on the barrel under the khaki is most probably factory.

P on a Lithgow Knox = Replacement Barrel, R on a Lithgow = Replacement or Reserve grade barrel, you have both, lucky you

I think P meaning replacement barrel is very debatable. There are vast quantities of rifles in circulation with P on the barrel that have not been replaced. 100% of those I've seen stamped P have been painted and I have not seen a painted rifle without the P.

I agree, P is more likely to refer to the paint preservative, as to the stamping, this rifle is well up in the production line, the earlier rifles showed signs of excessive roll stamp wear.
My bet is that this stamp was finally replaced mid run........thoughts Andrew?

No disagreement from me muffer.

Since we began looking at the "P" a while back, I've gathered heaps of pics of the "P" marking on barrels. There seems several different stamps have been used and the position of the mark varies also. One thing they all have in common is the presence of protective paint (or the remnants of) on the barrel and usually action, under the wood line.

On the topic of the R meaning replacement barrel, the date of manufacture and the serial number stamps look, from what I can see in the pics, to be identical in shape and application. I think the barrel is original to the build.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Son

Since we began looking at the "P" a while back, I've gathered heaps of pics of the "P" marking on barrels. There seems several different stamps have been used and the position of the mark varies also. One thing they all have in common is the presence of protective paint (or the remnants of) on the barrel and usually action, under the wood line.

On the topic of the R meaning replacement barrel, the date of manufacture and the serial number stamps look, from what I can see in the pics, to be identical in shape and application. I think the barrel is original to the build.

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Is not the R for rust. Probably under the furniture before the paint went on.