EFD Rifles Parts Markings

I was curious, did EFD Rifles mark their parts for posterity in any way? Is there a way to tell their components apart other than a very fine eye for detail? Or is the lack of view marks and proof marks a dead giveaway?

If you can ignore the incorrect Dial Sight Plate and Dial Sight Pointer for a P'14 I have an example of what brought up the question. I have seen this marking before but I believe it is a refit or post WW1 Enfield part marking when it is not a Khyber pass fake. Obviously this one is original and has original finish but none of these parts marked this way are EFD Rifles parts are they?

RoF Enfield used EFD (as per your photo) but also used the three letters (EFD) superimposed on each other, similar to the Long Branch superimposed LB.

I cannot find an illustration at the moment of the EFD mark.

ROF Enfield markings;-

EFD was introduced circa 1897.

Superimposed E over F over D was introduced circa 1924.

If there is no factory inspector view mark or Govt acceptance marking, then the part is likely commercial production by either BSA or LSA.

Clarification: everyone seems to have missed that I was talking about EFD Rifles (Ltd?) the private company in Sussex that sells refurbishments and sells reproduction parts; not Enfield the RSAF/Royal Ordnance/BAe Systems arsenal/factory at Enfield Lock.

Thanks for clarifying when the RSAF switched the style of view/proof mark also.

Hmm, I figured someone on the forum must have purchased some of their products over the years.

"Two nations divided by a common language".

For want of a "Ltd." the meaning was lost.

I didn't guess either, but did wonder what your last sentence was all about. As you say, it generally comes down to wear and patina in the end.

When I saw your second post the first one made sense.

Makers codes are used to identify the guilty bastards if a bunch of parts is defective.

The "EFD" mark such as the one marked on the volley sight pointer is
typical of the mark Jeffrey stamped on some of his reproduction components.
Its much larger than a proper enfield mark and as already pointed out
its three distinct letters rather than the combined letter stamp from ROF
Enfield.

Was the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock, ever actually known as "ROF Enfield"?

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

Was the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock, ever actually known as "ROF Enfield"?

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In my army and early Bisley years it was just known as Enfield Lock.
I honestly don't know if this was common practise to the wider army and Bisley community, I dared say others have their own thoughts?

I was under the impression the home of the Lee Enfield family was known as RSAF Enfield Lock, in full, although in everyday speak some call it 'RSAF Enfield', some 'Enfield Lock', & some just 'Enfield', for brevity. During WW2 Maltby & Faz (& no doubt many others) were ROF's. I don't know if they were seen in a different light to justify a different title, or whether 'ROF' was just considered more 'appropriate' by WW2!

I believe that the majority of the 0riginal (19th Century) 'Ordnance' factories were closed down after WW1 as we didn't need to 'arm' as that was the war to end all wars.

In the late 30's, during and after the war 44 new 'Ordnance factories' were opened manufacturing everything from explosives, to Small Arms, to Ammunition, bombs etc.
It was these that became the RoF's. Any pre WW2 facility retained whatever name it was known by.

Most were closing down by the early 50's and in the '80s were 'sold off' and privatised and a company called 'Royal Ordnance Plc' was formed, later taken over by British Aerospace in '87 and subsequently all but one of the RoF's closed down, the remaining one still manufacturing explosives which it sells to the MoD and export customers.

Many of the old RoF sites have been demolished (others are shopping centres or industrial parks), a few years ago I saw an advert for Lee Enfield parts, I followed up on these and met a guy in a car-park in Yorkshire, he opened the back of his car and there was virtually everything needed to build up 'brand new' No4 Enfield's, I bought some bits and pieces from him but stopped short at buying any 'bodies' (actions)

It turned out that the guy lived in Maltby and that as the RoF site was being cleared he found a way into the cellars, which were full of 'parts', he seemed to have 'claimed' quite a large collection of bits & pieces (many, number 3 bolt heads !!!)

Let's hope he saved the lot!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

"Two nations divided by a common language".

For want of a "Ltd." the meaning was lost.

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Yeah, I thought it would be clear enough since Enfield, colloquially called Enfield Lock, was never known as "EFD Rifles".

Plus over here in the states we have more than one type of corporation just like you, so one can't call everything "Inc." just like everything is not a "Ltd." So I was not going to guess at the Limited part, although I guessed his company was not a PLC at least during my original post!