Trying to know more of this mk3 ishapore

[samzplin]

Hi,

I just acquired a lee enfield ShtLE MK 3 1938 made at Ishapore and wanted to know more about it some marking let me in the blue so i need help.

Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online.

That is what I have for now in the future I will mark each picture with a legend of what each marking is but for now I just made a list of the markings and were they are:

it' a ShtLE MK3 1938 it has matching receiver, bolt body and barrel (not that sure about it!)

The receiver have some RFI,/FI (26 not sure about the number) inside the collar where the stock is fitted.
The magazine cutoff groove is there but it is hidden under the stock, so because of it's RFI marking hte mag cut-off must have been taken off.
It also have a "O" and "34" marking on the top of the collar and I don't know what it mean.

The bolt head seem to a Reissued one it has a small "s" and Ishapore cross pennants mark over the old serial marking i think. It has another symbol that i'm not sure of: A broad arrow over what seem to be an 8.

The bolt body seem to be original it has the serial on the bolt knob even if it's extremely faint. On the back side of the bolt handle have "006", maybe it's the three las digit of the serial but I don't know if that was a normal practice to only have the ending of the serial.

The cocking piece seem to not be the original one because it's rounded on top so it's from a no.4 Lee. It has a symbol that [B]I can't decipher it's like an 'Y" over two symbol.
There is two marking on the bolt handle that i'm really not sure of one is on top and the other is on the bottom.

The trigger and sear has "FI" and "RFI" on hte left side so I think that mean that it is not original and is post 1948 marking of Ishapore.

The biggest question for me is the barrel it has so much marking on it that I don't really understand I understand the standard HV for MKVII ball, the R" for rust and the sold out of service 303 etc, but what is the marking after the square it seem like it is a circle separeted in three. the "F" and the "P" that are alone, The "13" over "G" got me really questioning.
.
The "ESSEX" marking is also strange, is that mean that it was the property of the Essex regiment?
My back sight seams to be changed cause it is not serialized it only have "N.63" under it and the "broad arrow" on top. Th front sight seem to have the same "D" (or is it "10"?) and a broad arrow.

Al the wood seems ruff, i think it is not original tho... It as not many marking the stock as none except that it have the disc with no marking if I remember correctly it is period correct tho.
The front cover have "SA" over "52" over a "squared c (maybe it's more a "F")", maybe it is a South Africa marking?

The front stock has not much eligible marking only a big "193" inside it has the ishapore screw and a metal band at the back. Does that means that it is not original ?
EDIT I just saw a DP marking under it close to the action, it also have a "DP" on the back sight protector but it is really faint almost only see the "D".

It is all that I can see for now! It's raising so much question that I don't know where to start, but it is so fun to try to decipher all that. The history theses old rifle have is so interesting and i'm just starting to learn !

I'm trying to figure out if you can see the pics so let me know!

thanks for the information that I've found on that forum it is so fun to see so much knowledge in one place!


Attachment 87983Attachment 87984Attachment 87985Attachment 87986

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.