Lithgow

[CINDERS]

Have a 1916 with 2 serials on the knox neither is crossed out as per FTR with the barrel replacement.

Has the "H" denoting the shortened Metford Barrel stamped on the handgrip, I heard these were upgrades and given to marksmen in WWI.
The serial on the butt matches one of the ones on the knox I was under the impression that the original Ser No. was Xed out when a FTR happened.

Also on the Knox it has like a ? without the dot in a circle any clues, it is a
5th Military District issue (Western Australia).
Has the Mag Cut off though these were deleted in 1915 started again in the 20's and discontinued in 1942? also windage sights(another 1915 deletion)

I also have a OA 1945 MkIII it has the date on the butt socket but just under where the bolt handle sits it has x1941 (manufactured 1941??).
Neither are for sale as they are pristine the 1945 will not accept a .302 gauge either end and it is not a rusty tomato stake either lol.

Information

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[Paul S.]

Just off the top of my head, I'd ask you to check the left side of the barrel of the earlier rifle for the fitting up date. It will be a month/year number. There is a possibility that you may have a rifle that was fitted up for club target shooting during the inter-war years as a fair whack were done - many by SAF Lithgow.

The second, latter rifle may have been FTR'd which may explain an apparent disparity between the receiver and butt-stock dates.

[Lithy]

Sounds like a range rifle from your description. These rifles were maintained and modified as the owner saw fit and may wear items from any era.

One of the numbers will be the 5MD inventory or rack number, whilst the other will be the rifle's serial number. The easiest way to determine which is what is to look at the back of the bolt handle. Providing the bolt hasn't been swapped at some stage, the serial number on the back of the bolt handle should be the same as the number marked lower down on the action and quite possibly on the barrel as well. The number on the butt matching the number on the action will be the rack number.

Serial numbers were retained in Australian service, hence the use of MD inventory numbers. The odds of a Martini, MLE, MLM or SMLE from several different manufacturers, all within the system at the same time, having the same serial number as another rifle within the system were pretty good.

The H on the wrist of the butt denotes a factory fitted heavy barrel. The Oz Army had no specialised sniper rifle until the latter stages of WWI when the No3Mk1T was introduced. Prior to this a good few enterprising diggers with fullbore experience did fit their target sights to their service rifles and whilst this practice was not officially endorsed, a blind eye was turned due to the effectiveness of these individuals.

Whilst I know of no Oz marks as you describe as being on the Knox, the closest thing I can think of is a P within a heart which denotes a parallel bore. A pic would be great.

As to the number on the butt socket under the bolt handle, look under the bolt handle and you will find a corresponding number (once again providing the bolt is original). This is the batching number used by the factory to keep the action and bolt together during the manufacturing process prior to the serial number being applied.

HTH

[trooper554877]

Sounds like a range rifle from your description. These rifles were maintained and modified as the owner saw fit and may wear items from any era.

One of the numbers will be the 5MD inventory or rack number, whilst the other will be the rifle's serial number. The easiest way to determine which is what is to look at the back of the bolt handle. Providing the bolt hasn't been swapped at some stage, the serial number on the back of the bolt handle should be the same as the number marked lower down on the action and quite possibly on the barrel as well. The number on the butt matching the number on the action will be the rack number.

Serial numbers were retained in Australian service, hence the use of MD inventory numbers. The odds of a Martini, MLE, MLM or SMLE from several different manufacturers, all within the system at the same time, having the same serial number as another rifle within the system were pretty good.

The H on the wrist of the butt denotes a factory fitted heavy barrel. The Oz Army had no specialised sniper rifle until the latter stages of WWI when the No3Mk1T was introduced. Prior to this a good few enterprising diggers with fullbore experience did fit their target sights to their service rifles and whilst this practice was not officially endorsed, a blind eye was turned due to the effectiveness of these individuals.

Whilst I know of no Oz marks as you describe as being on the Knox, the closest thing I can think of is a P within a heart which denotes a parallel bore. A pic would be great.

As to the number on the butt socket under the bolt handle, look under the bolt handle and you will find a corresponding number (once again providing the bolt is original). This is the batching number used by the factory to keep the action and bolt together during the manufacturing process prior to the serial number being applied.

HTH

Cinders,
Lithy has it in one.
The mark you speak of could have been a half stuck punch and instead of re doing it they left it as is.
We could have discussed this in the SHED, see ya tuesday
Cheers
NED