FTR No4

Hi all.
A friend of mine who's a gunsmith recently took in a No4 and he's asked me to identify a couple of stamps on the receiver wall.
The first is the letters FTRM, but the letters are arranged as FMR, with the T slightly above, and intruding into the "v" of the M. I'm guessing this is a Maltby FTR mark?
The second is a circle with A over 19 inside it.
I seem to remember that the circle mark is unique to Maltby rifles, or is my memory playing tricks on me?
If the circle is unique to Maltby, would it have been applied during/after the FTR, or would the rifle originally have been manufactured at Maltby?
Thanks in advance.

This is a 1942 Dated Maltby I had in earlier this year with a Maltby FTR marking.

I don't recall seeing Maltby FTR markings on BSA, Long Branch or Savage No4 Rifles

Attachment 119685Attachment 119684

I wonder if the Maltby FTR marking is used in a slightly different context, perhaps rectification of early receivers that needed work to bring them up to spec?

Maltby did have some totally understandable quality issues as they got production underway.

The 1942 date on Simons, could have been an early receiver that failed inspection, put aside and rectified (stamped FMR), to rejoin the production line as it massively ramped up in 1942.

I would love one marked that way, sucker for a Maltby....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrclark303

I wonder if the Maltby FTR marking is used in a slightly different context, perhaps rectification of early receivers that needed work to bring them up to spec?

Maltby did have some totally understandable quality issues as they got production underway.

The 1942 date on Simons, could have been an early receiver that failed inspection, put aside and rectified (stamped FMR), to rejoin the production line as it massively ramped up in 1942.

I would love one marked that way, sucker for a Maltby....

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That was my assumption, but have no evidence to back it up

Has anyone see Maltby FTR Markings on any other makers actions

Yes on a Fazakerley.

Tomorrow, I hope, I will be able to post a couple of pics.

Best regards.
Giancarlo

Pics of the Fazakerley.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon P

That was my assumption, but have no evidence to back it up

Has anyone see Maltby FTR Markings on any other makers actions

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I have/had a (1944?) Long Branch which has FmTR markings.
Dated 1945 IIRC. I will try to dig it up.

Hopefully I didn't sell it.

Very interesting, looks like our theory is wrong Simon ....

I've had over 500 No4s in the past few years, in real terms only a small sample of what's out there, thanks all for sharing as it continues to expand our knowledge & research

Here is a photo of the 1943 Long Branch FTR'd at Maltby.

My understanding is that Maltby shut down by 1946? so there was a very narrow window when this could have been done. Notice the typical Maltby inspection circles, there is another on the angular flat, and a C^ Canadian Property marking on the top of the receiver ring.

Attachment 119858
Attachment 119860

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lee Enfield

Here is a photo of the 1943 Long Branch FTR'd at Maltby.

My understanding is that Maltby shut down by 1946? so there was a very narrow window when this could have been done. Notice the typical Maltby inspection circles, there is another on the angular flat, and a C^ Canadian Property marking on the top of the receiver ring.

Attachment 119858
Attachment 119860

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Very interesting, there we go, that's pretty definitive proof of a Maltby FTR programme, excellent information.....

Its a shame they didn't date their FTR's, it would have been nice to know if it were a war time or post war program, I suspect it would have been both.

I wonder if it was using surplus capacity at the Maltby factory, as production dropped back....