Markings on 1919 BSA SMLE

Hello all, I purchased a 1919 BSA No.1 Mk.III* a while back and have been researching the markings ever since. I have gotten most of them figured out, but some are just anomalies that I cannot decipher for the life of me. Could anyone possibly help?

Marking #1
Attachment 100313

Marking #2
Attachment 100314

Marking #3
Attachment 100315

Marking #3 Closer look
Attachment 100316

One of the strangest is marking #2, which I believe is an early Lithgow inspection mark on the nosecap of a BSA rifle, the serial numbers match oddly enough but I'm not sure how or why it would have ended up with an Aussie marking.

Can anyone help me figure out what these markings mean? :confused:

Maybe articles from here might help.

Jay Currah's Lee-Enfield Rifle Website

Regards,
Doug

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Originally Posted by Badger

Maybe articles from here might help.

Jay Currah's Lee-Enfield Rifle Website

Regards,
Doug

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Unfortunately I searched there too and tbe only one listed is the Lithgow mark, which deepens the mystery.

hi has the smle been sent to australia after ww1 is the a ftr stamp on the left hand side wrist

The nose piece could be Australian not BSA.. Rifles and parts got moved around in general stores and repair workshops. Adds to the rifles history. Are there any stamps on the Butt.

Definitely a Lithgow mark, can we see the serial number on the nose cap, has it been re-numbered?

You have to remember the rifle is 100 years old, with many years in civilian hands post service, so literally anything can be encountered at this point, re markings.

The nosecap doesn't appear to be renumbered and the stock has no markings to indicate if it was a replacement or not, but I also cannot find a factory thorough repair mark of any form anywhere on the rifle. I attached some more pictures of different markings and the nosecap.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the barrel, receiver, and nosecap all have the same serial and have not been renumbered.

Attachment 100338
It doesn't appear to be renumbered and there are no other markings I can find.
Attachment 100339
This is the magazine, it appears the main serial number was thoroughly stamped by the factory all over but the absence of any FTR markings perplexes me. :confused:
Attachment 100340
Here is the right-side butt socket, notice that very strange 9 that seems to be deeply stamped (possibly over another number?)
Attachment 100341
The underside of the receiver and barrel have markings of all kinds, mostly inspector's. Not sure what the 50, the W, and the 3 (under the flash) are though. :dunno:
Attachment 100342
She was clearly rebarreled in 1919, but why would that be if it was made in 1919?
Attachment 100343
Another mystery mark I forgot to post, this is located on the bottom side of the stock just behind the wrist. There are no other markings on the butt-stock, not even a unit medallion.

Mags are not numbered at the factory. That is not a re barrel that is the original barrel but then a new 1919 barrel could have been in the rack of barrels. I would think that is a new bayonet boss that was numbered to the rifle when fitted.

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Originally Posted by Bindi2

Mags are not numbered at the factory. That is not a re barrel that is the original barrel but then a new 1919 barrel could have been in the rack of barrels. I would think that is a new bayonet boss that was numbered to the rifle when fitted.

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Adding to this, the numbering on the Nose cap is a little hap hazard, not "armourer neat"

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Originally Posted by mrclark303

Adding to this, the numbering on the Nose cap is a little hap hazard, not "armourer neat"

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Do you think a civilian owner did it?

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Originally Posted by Jack Flat Cap

Do you think a civilian owner did it?

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Well possibly, its the eternal case of how longs a piece of string really after 100 years unfortunately, its all extremely subjective, as these rifles have travelled far and wide, various official use's by many different countries, club ownership and private ownership etc etc.

It looks pretty honest to me. Is that a Century Arms import mark on the right side of the body? That means it was imported post 1986. Curio and Relic military surplus rifles were banned from importation from 1968 until 1986 so it certainly came from someone's reserve stores. Some might say that it was cobbled up by the importer but I seriously doubt that's the case. It's more likely to have seen service in post war Europe, the Middle East or possibly India. It looks a lot like SMLE rifles I've had here that came from Greek reserve stores. You bet it's been worked on by Armourers too during it's 100 year service career. Replacement parts of any manufacture might be found. The "Z" stamp signifies that it was culled as beyond local repair at some point. Possibly for excessive body wear and/or many other reasons. The gauges don't lie.

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Originally Posted by mrclark303

various official use's by many different countries, club ownership and private ownership etc etc.

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I figured as much, that's why the Lithgow mark made me think it could have ended up in Australia at some point after 1919, possibly for WWII? :dunno:

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Originally Posted by Brian Dick

Is that a Century Arms import mark on the right side of the body?

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It is actually; I should have posted that pic before but it completely slipped my mind since they were generous enough to make it minuscule, unlike my Mosin. :lol:

Here's the import markings:
Attachment 100346

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Originally Posted by Brian Dick

The "Z" stamp signifies that it was culled as beyond local repair at some point. Possibly for excessive body wear and/or many other reasons.

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That makes sense, both the front and rear handguards look to be replacements.

From what I can gather, I'm thinking it was put together at BSA in 1919 and inspected there, sent to Australia or some other theater of service or nation, and then re-inspected and "fixed up" at some point. Or just hobbled together at some point.

I just found a very odd inspection mark on the front sight base that I believe to be an RSAF Enfield inspection mark. This old gal has certainly got around I assume :lol:

Attachment 100347
Muzzle is to the left, this is just below the front blade.

Thanks for sharing, it's always nice to see good quality images of close up markings, it all adds to the group knowledge base.

The font of the serial number stamp on the nose cap and magazine appears to be similar; yet the magazine appears to have served on 4 other rifles before this one; which would suggest that the nose cap and mag were maybe fitted at the same time. The font of the barrel date is not the same and unfortunately cannot compare to the serial numbers on the receiver and barrel as no photo.

Thank you very much gentlemen for all the help, though markings 1 and 3 are still a mystery to me and I fear I'll never figure them out since they're so obscure. :lol:

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Originally Posted by 30Three

The font of the barrel date is not the same and unfortunately cannot compare to the serial numbers on the receiver and barrel as no photo.

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Good point, here are some photos for comparison!

Attachment 100384

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Originally Posted by mrclark303

Adding to this, the numbering on the Nose cap is a little hap hazard, not "armourer neat"

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I've known a lot of armourers. That looks "armourer neat" to me;)