CE1957

I am currently looking into purchasing a No.4 Mk.1 Fazakerley 1943 made rifle.
The rifling looks strong and clean, numbers matching bolt to receiver.
This rifle has code CE1967 on the forend band. I am aware that was a code for South African contract furniture, but I am wondering if this is correct for this rifle? Or was it perhaps rebuilt at some point in time by someone other then the armoury?

---------- Post added at 08:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 PM ----------

I meant ce1967.
Pardon the typo

It obviously must be a replacement having a 1967 date, but without more information it is difficult to say under what circumstances it was replaced. It could be a rifle that went to South Africa & was refurbished whilst in service there, but it could just as easily have been done by a civvy, as lots of this wood has been released onto the surplus market over the years. If you could get a few photo's it might help with further advice.

ATB.

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Originally Posted by Roger Payne

It obviously must be a replacement having a 1967 date, but without more information it is difficult to say under what circumstances it was replaced. It could be a rifle that went to South Africa & was refurbished whilst in service there, but it could just as easily have been done by a civvy, as lots of this wood has been released onto the surplus market over the years. If you could get a few photo's it might help with further advice.

ATB.

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A few years ago I found a (UK) surplus-dealer who had bought a number of pallet-boxes of the CE1967 complete sets of furniture, he must have had 1000's, I bought a 'few' from him and in fact sold my last 4 sets to the USA last year.

I hand selected them all to include the L length of butt and were colour matching. They were not expensive as I don't think he realised how many he had bought.

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Originally Posted by Schluts

Or was it perhaps rebuilt at some point in time by someone other then the armoury?

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Here in Canada, there are FAR more reassembled service rifles than there are originals. Everyone and his dog has been re assembling them for fun and profit. I wouldn't be at all surprised, specially out here on the west coast to find it was cobbled together and pushed out as an "Original"...to market.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Here in Canada, there are FAR more reassembled service rifles than there are originals. Everyone and his dog has been re assembling them for fun and profit. I wouldn't be at all surprised, specially out here on the west coast to find it was cobbled together and pushed out as an "Original"...to market.

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This is what makes sense to me, as I am on the west coast and his asking price is a price that you would expect to pay for a all matching rifle.
The stock is also marked with an “S” on the top of the stock before the butt plate, which I interpret as a small size stock.
Which for me, would leave something to be desired.

Thanks for the info, this confirms that I will continue my search for a No4 mk1

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Here in Canada, there are FAR more reassembled service rifles than there are originals. Everyone and his dog has been re assembling them for fun and profit. I wouldn't be at all surprised, specially out here on the west coast to find it was cobbled together and pushed out as an "Original"...to market.

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I supplied some of the furniture sets last year to a guy in the Yukon (is that 'up your way' ?)

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Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

in the Yukon

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North by quite a bit but borders on us. 1800 odd KM or 1100 miles plus a bit... Could be though.