Sterling MK 4 with S Serial number

[AndreasS]

I got a Sterling yesterday and i wonder which country it has been serving .The body is phosphated and it looks like there has never been paint on . I allways thought all the commercial sterlings have the wrinkle finish . It was made in 1973 and the barrel made by Sterling also .The trigger unit is made by ROF but it could be a replacement . It is the first Sterling with an S serialnumber i got anyway except the Mk 5 .If the first 1600 S serialnumbers have been used for the Mk 5 , this Sterling must be a realy early one ....

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

Nothing unusual there I'm happy to say.......... Sterling serial numbers started again with an 'S' when James Edmiston bought theSterling factory.

There is a good little book out, all about the Sterling and Lanchester SMG's called The Guns From Dagenham. It's all in there......

[AndreasS]

thank you Peter . I had a look in your book already . i just wondered about the surface . Maybe the coating was taken off? I saw some pictures with Sterlings captured in Iraq which looked similar .

[Peter Laidler]

I can't answer for the current finish but without exception (UK MoD excepted of course....,.), all Sterling guns were crackle black finish over phosphate. The 960-2211 on the sear is the last part of the part number while the S4/4/ etc etc on the front barrel bearing is the Sterling drawing number.

Incidentally, you'll notice that the actual serial number is engraved VERY deep. This was a requirement of the UK Board of Trade so that any attempt to grind out, cover or conceal the serial number would be obvious. The serial numb er was engraved onto the gun BEFORE the last two weld/braze operations. Because once the serial number was applied, then the casing became a strictly controlled/accountable item. By doing the last couple of operations AFTER the numbering meant that if someone stole a casing JUST before it was numbered (when it wasn't tightly controlled - except on an 'amount-of' basis don't forget) it was useless.

Hope that you enjoyed reading the book

[AndreasS]

Thank you for the extra information . Yes i enjoyed reading the book . It already helped me a lot with my other Sterlings .

[Peter Laidler]

Are you allowed them in Germany? Surely not!

[Vincent]

this Sterling must be a realy early one ....

Didn't the S serial numbers come after the KR numbers,, making them late in the production run?

And while we are talking about S numbers, what is reverse S about?

Attachment 42360

[villiers]

Lucky you ... in Bielefeld! Now let me know your secret so that I can get one here in Berlin ... please!

[Peter Laidler]

Not a reverse S but a bad figure 2

[Vincent]

That would make it a very high serial number. What year would S 24679 have been produced in? The last year listed in your book is 1974, serial numbers S 8673 to S 11067.