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Hello everyone, I hope all is well.
My first point on the forum.
I have acquired a MK5 Sten with odd markings. I just wanted to try and find out a little bit about it and when it was manufactured etc.
The serial near the magazine housing starts P.O.F 66 AO47..
Any ideas how I might be able to find out a little bit more about it ?
P.O.F. is Pakistan Ordinance Factory.
Unlike the Indians, the Pakistanis don't seem to have "wiped" the original manufacturers markings of their weapons.
it's probably an FTR of a British manufactured STEN, but it's possible that POF manufactured STEN Mk5s into the 1960s.
Are there any other manufacturers markings?
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread....highlight=sten
On the top right of the housing are the proof house markings to say that it has been deactivated to EU/GB specs (UK spec).
How about a few more photos, please?
Thanks for the replies. So it may not be of WW2 era then if manufactured by the P.O.F post war ?.
Attachment 101928Attachment 101927Attachment 101926Attachment 101925
No, all Stens were made during WW2.Quote:
Originally Posted by BUDER
= Factory Through Repair, i.e. reconditioned.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Enfield
Looks like they made a nice job of it.
To be technically accurate, it can be stated that all British manufactured Sten SMGs were manufactured during or immediately after ww2.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying10uk
However, France, Belgium, Palestine/Israel and Indonesia are all known to have manufactured Sten SMGs well after WW2.
I'm sure that there may have been other "state sponsored" Sten manufacturers.
I thought so...Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Enfield
So in my case it’s quite possible that the POF manufactured it any time up to and including the 60’s ?.Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
My post 5 was referring to this quote.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Enfield
I tend to agree with this...just because of the number on the mag housing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Enfield
Thanks everyone for the replies, so likely British made post 44 but could be POF manufactured post war up to the end of the 60’s. Guess I’ll never really know....Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
I would like to see a photo of the UNDERSIDE of the magazine housing. All of our Mk5 Stens were numbered with a VS prefix. But the Mk2 housing was identical so you would often find Mk5 Stens with Mk2 housings. Some renumbered correctly with the VS prefix, others not
Hi Peter
Thank you for the info.
I have taken a picture of the underside:
Attachment 101944
I did find these odd marks near the trigger.
Any help much appreciated :)
Attachment 101946
It appears to confirm that your tube and trigger housing are British made.Quote:
Originally Posted by BUDER
the mag well is still in question...
Would the Pakistanis bother to make replacement mag housings??
I can't see them bothering to be honest. I would have thought it was the strongest part of a Sten and the last bit to require replacement.
I wonder if its one of those clandestine arms trade deals to supply Pakistan in the 1960's (lots of gear poured in via many different routes to keep the never ending Indo pakistan bun fight going), so the mag well identifiers were possibly ground off...
There must have been huge numbers of Mk5 Stens surplussed in the 1960's and heading straight into the international arms trade.
Just a thought.
Sounds like a right mash up....
I also found this odd symbol on the other-side of the magazine housing
Attachment 101957
Can't quite make it out, is that a Long Branch marking or a crown...
Long Branch made Mk2 Stens,bolts are often mixed up in Stens, they weren't numbered to the weapon as it doesn't matter from a functional perspective.
The LB logo is a stylised B worked into the L.
It's a 70+ year old used (deactivated) Sten that has probably been in a few wars and is slightly more interesting than others because it has some Pakistani markings on it. I bet if it could talk it could tell a few interesting stories.Quote:
Originally Posted by BUDER
Is there any way of telling if a Pakistani weapon has ever been captured by India; i.e. did India mark captured weapons in any way?
Only if it's been through FTR at Ishapore F10.
British made casing but the mag housing, looking at the underside is so bad, even by Sten standards, that I think that it is Pakistani. No markings underneath and just look at the size of the rectangular slot for the mag catch to go through. The catch would be a totally sloppy fit - as would the magazine! Or as we would say, like throwing a sausage down the high street........, although I don't suppose that they throw many sausages in Pakistan! That mark on the breech block is a crown on its side
Just my 2p's worth
Only Quorn ones Peter!Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
I'm amazed that anyone would go to the trouble of making a new mag housing for a Mk5, when its so simple to strip one from a surp mk2 Sten, they must have been knee deep in surplus Mk2 Stens in the 1960's!
Yep, I agree but just another opinion worth floating about
A little late to the sausage party but I looked at a lot of the ex POF Mk5s and found they were all ex British but with a myriad of markings and replacement parts. Even the butts had been marked with a POF stencil in yellow. They all had a NATO style serial number, most had the shallow Brit engraving removed.