My favorite Mark 111

[RCS]

My favorite Mark 111 is a BSA 1909 still with the original '09 dated barrel (nice bore) but hAttachment 68832Attachment 68833Attachment 68834as seen some service use. Not every is matching but still a nice early example. On the barrel behind the rear sight is stamped both SC and HV

Information

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[Ridolpho]

RCS: Fantastic rifle! Any idea how many BSA manufactured in'09? I've given up hope of finding anything like that up here North of 49. Actually had to bring two in from the US just to get a couple of decent early Great War SMLE's.

Ridolpho

[RCS]

Attachment 68846

photo of the SC and HV on the matching '09 barrel

[Mk VII]

cocking piece numbered?
first pattern striker?
stock pin beside band?

[Peter Laidler]

Were cocking pieces numbered? How on earth do you number them? They are very tough material and case hardened at the working surfaces

[5thBatt]

Were cocking pieces numbered? How on earth do you number them? They are very tough material and case hardened at the working surfaces

Yep, the early MkIIIs cocking pieces were serialed on the underside.
1911 BSA MkIII



"stock pin beside band"
End of the Lower band/outer band retaining pin can be seen just in front of band, this was omitted from production from (iirc) 1909/10

[Peter Laidler]

I've seen them numbered there when you look through trays of used spares but didn't realise that it was a serial number. Thanks all!

[SpikeDD]

As far as I have seen... Only BSA numbered the cocking pieces.

[5thBatt]

As far as I have seen... Only BSA numbered the cocking pieces.

I would agree with that as i have only noticed it on BSAs

[RCS]

My Mark 111 as shown in above photos has a different bolt and is not matching, but has the early firing pin.

I did check three Mark 1*** rifles with new Irish serial numbers and a Mark 1** IP, none had the number on the cocking piece.

I have a BSA 1906 Mark 1*** with the original bolt and '06 dated barrel and matching rear sight and fore-end wood. The rifle's serial number is s over 87176 and the cocking piece is
s over 77425, bolt is 87176 over s. I did find a number cocking piece but not matching !Attachment 68856Attachment 68857