New member, First time gun owner

[Patrick Chadwick]

My original plans were to take this and my wife's 1937 Mosin-Nagant in for custom thumbhole stocks

OMG NOOOO!!!!

Ok it's your rifle, and you can do whatever you like with it - use it to dig the garden etc. At the moment, it looks like a professionally sporterized rifle. Start messing around with any more alterations (other than restoring the original configuration) and you will be spending money in order to devalue it. Pleeeease don't do that!

[drweiler]

Yes welcome! I think I see 'ENGLAND' stamped over your serial number (below the 'Z') on the knoxform. This could further suggest a pre 1968 import to the States. Prior to 1968 only 'ENGLAND' was required on your rifle as per tariff law before export to the States. Then from 1968 to 1986 import of milsurps was banned to the States. Import resumed after 1986 , now requiring an 'import stamp' with importer's name like 'CAI' etc. Maybe somewhere you'll also find a civilian proof like 'BNP' with lots of '222's, tons' etc.?

Correction, I meant the 'ENGLAND' was stamped over your serial number on the receiver ring below the 'Z', couldn't figure out how to edit post. Cheers, Don

[Mk VII]

You may find some difficulty in doing a thumb-hole stock, in that the stock retaining bolt goes in at a steep angle, and you need a hole bored under the buttplate to screw it home; if this hole is not to break out of the side of the new stock one would need to consider the geometry carefully.

[DmsdyMachn]

OMG NOOOO!!!!

Ok it's your rifle, and you can do whatever you like with it - use it to dig the garden etc. At the moment, it looks like a professionally sporterized rifle. Start messing around with any more alterations (other than restoring the original configuration) and you will be spending money in order to devalue it. Pleeeease don't do that!

Worry not. From everything I've read here, I think I'll just be leaving this gun alone, unless I decide to put it back to original. Really didn't think I had anything special, but you guys have made me rethink that quite a bit.

Beerhunter, what did you mean about lack of English proof? (I know, damn noobs.)

[Beerhunter]

Beerhunter, what did you mean about lack of English proof? (I know, damn noobs.)

By law, all firearms offered for sale in the UK must have passed Proof at one of the two Proof Houses: The Gunmakers Company (London) or the Birmingham Proof House. In the case of the former, the rifle will marked with a Seax (a Saxon sword that looks like a scimitar) over the letters NP (Nitro Proof). In the case of the latter a crown over the letters BNP (Birmingham Nitro Proof).

[DmsdyMachn]

I'll keep looking. Lots of places on this gun I need to look at closer now.

[DmsdyMachn]

Okay, been digging like crazy, and isn't this (in the red circle) some sort of proof mark? My search continues....

[drweiler]

Keep diggin', and look for stamps like Bearhunter described in Post #15. I've found them under wood, but only under the hand guard which you don't have.

[Mk VII]

Military proof mark (not valid for commercial sales)

[DmsdyMachn]

!!! Just found this under the fore stock. I think this is the NP I was looking for! (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_59GYpEVAu0...-countries.jpg)
(Sorry for the bad pic, not the best circumstances for pictures...)