Production figures for No.5 Rifle

The following figures have been consolidated (by me) from various Ministry of Supply statistical summaries in the Public Records Office.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../01/orig-1.jpg

As the preamble to these publications remarks, these figures are 'inspected and delivered into MoS store' based on C.I.S.A.'s records of inspection, and there would be some time lag before rifles were in the hands of troops.
Actual receiver production would run somewhat ahead of this.
A word on the sources: The presentation of the data varied somewhat over time, earlier tables are for the calendar year, and figures are for Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4, later (postwar) tables broke it down by month, and are for the Financial Year (which for the government starts April 1st in Britain). I have presented it all by calendar year.

I suspect that the 1848 figures are for 1947 produced and marked rifles that carried over into 1948. I base this on 15 years of searching for a 1948 dated example with no results.

On a similar front, I found some figures and dates for the 'new' No5 rifle in the archives at work and these documentary figures and dates didn't even remotely correspond with numbered rifles against body dates out there in forumland.

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

On a similar front, I found some figures and dates for the 'new' No5 rifle in the archives at work and these documentary figures and dates didn't even remotely correspond with numbered rifles against body dates out there in forumland.

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I was going to say, it seems unlikely there were no Jungle Carbines made between April and December 1946 - in fact, I know that's not true because I've got photos of one with an April 1946 date marking on the action.

Final figure is (if i done my maths correctly) is 339,023, the 'official' numbers per Skennerton is 169,807 Faz & 81,329 for BSA for a total of 251,136, the total shown above ending March 1946 is 246,813 or about 4000 short of Ian's total.
I have touched on the No5 production figures on a number of forums but to be honest i might as well have been talking out my ***!
Ian's total for Faz of 169,807 was only up to rifle serial number S8823 to which must be added the rest of S prefix & then T though to Z & AA AB & AC prefixes

For what it is worth, Ian listed a No.5 dated October 1947 (based on a rifle I later bought) as from the end run in one of his earlier lee books. A later book was corrected to December 1947 based on a rifle I found. I have been looking for a 1948 with no luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Colonel Enfield

I was going to say, it seems unlikely there were no Jungle Carbines made between April and December 1946 - in fact, I know that's not true because I've got photos of one with an April 1946 date marking on the action.

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And here is my 9/46

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Colonel Enfield

I was going to say, it seems unlikely there were no Jungle Carbines made between April and December 1946 - in fact, I know that's not true because I've got photos of one with an April 1946 date marking on the action.

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Originally Posted by Lance

And here is my 9/46

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And a 5/46 ROF (F)

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...dffa98_z-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...25546c_c-1.jpg

Hello sir,

I just found a rifle with a very close serial number and same 9/46 date on it.
It is on sale in Italy and I'm actually thinking about buying it.
It really looks great in the pictures.

Thiene | Armi lunghe | Armiusate.it | Lee Enfield No.5 Mk1, Armi Usate, Armi Nuove, vendita, acquisto

I hope the link works.
It is expensive, but here most arms are.......

Interesting that both of those post-April 46 marked No.5 both have the '1947' style metal end cap's on the forends.?
Is that when that was introduced rather than actually in 1947....?

I used to have a Feb 46 dated No.5 that didn't have the metal end, whereas my current Jan 47 dated No.5 obviously does have it.

The two patterns of metal forend caps had no bearing on the rifles, makers or years. You got whatever type came through the system. Like bayonet grips...... one hole or two, you got what you got! The part numbers were all the same. The metal ends were really nothing more than a PITA because once the water got under the metal - which it would inevitably after 10 minutes on a good day - or 5 minutes during the monsoon season - there was absolutely no way of drying them out, not even leave them nose down in the linseed tank, so they'd rust out and rot the wood. The only 'cure' was to drill out the rivet (was it brass as I recall.....), throw the cap away, plug the rivet hole, make good and round off. Total waste of time. Same as the rifle body and barrel too. Unless it was slathered on grease it'd come back a year later rusted solid

Hmmmm........worth bearing in mind then, and remember to leave the No.5 at home if shooting on a soggy day then.

:thup:

Nothing to fear in the UK Gram. It's not quite the same as the Far East where nothing ever dries and if you're near the coast, it's salt laden too.

Just dug one of my No5's out of the safe 10/46 X9950 . Close to the one in the photo. It has metal fore end caps as well.

Cheers
Dave

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

Nothing to fear in the UK Gram. It's not quite the same as the Far East where nothing ever dries and if you're near the coast, it's salt laden too.

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Aah OK.

My only 2nd hand knowledge of the No.5 comes from my late father and two uncles who all carried No.5's for their respective 12 month tour of duty in Palestine in 1946/7, where this damp/water issue wasn't a consideration.
Dad loved his No.5, which is why I had to have one once I was granted a FAC. Shame he's not still around to be able to let him have a go with it again.