ID This Mk 2 Please

[bilgeneutron]

I have an almost new and very nice #4 Mk 2 with the serial number UF.55 A15XXX. It has blonde furniture (beech?) The person I bought it from unwrapped it and cleaned off the cosmoline several years ago. I was initially told it was an Irish Contract but I'm thinking it is a late production Fazakerley. Anyone out there with a better shot at this rifle's lineage? Thanks

Information

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[Baal]

Yes it's a Fazakerley. Not from the Irish Contract as they didn't have A serial numbers. I have A15419 and it's a very sweet shooter.

[bilgeneutron]

Thanks BAAL, from the few rounds I've put through it, it seems to be a real grouper.

[Strangely Brown]

Not complete and requires updating; I believe Thunderbox has identified an area of numbers which may be South African and not listed?? (I seem to have lost some notes regarding this)


Royal Ordnance Factory Fazakerley

No 4 Mk II Production Serial Numbers

PF 118000 PF 217999 N/K 100,000 Start of Mk II Production.

PF 218000 PF 219799 N/K 1800

PF 219799 PF 275947 N/K 56,148

PF 225948 PF 250947 N/K 25,000



Circa 1951/52



PF 250948 PF 301547 British Army 50,600

PF 301548 PF 304047 Sudanese Order

PF 304048 PF 309347 N/K 5300

PF 309348 PF 359347 Irish Republic

PF 359348 PF 359747 N/K 400

PF 359748 PF 359817 Zambia

PF 359818 PF 359852 Singapore

PF 359953 PF 360052 Kingston

PF 360053 PF 360202 Trinidad

PF 360203 PF 360238 St Vincent

PF 360239 PF 360258 St Kitts

PF 360259 PF 360459 War Office ?

PF 360480 PF 361159 Uganda

PF 361160 PF 361259 Parker Hale

PF 361280 PF 401086 Burma

PF 401087 PF 401495 409 Made into No 4 (T)

PF 401496 PF 404156 N/K 2661

PF 401157 PF 404206 Parker Hale

PF 404207 PF 405392 N/K 1186

PF 405393 PF 405412 St Vincent



Circa 1954



PF 405413 PF 405512 N/K 100

PF 405513 PF 405712 Admiralty 100

PF 405713 PF 405812 N/K 100

PF 405813 PF 405848 G E Fulton (Bisley)

PF 405849 PF 407448 N/K 1600

PF 407449 PF 407648 Trinidad

PF 407649 PF 407728 Zanzibar

PF 407729 PF 411228 N/K 3500

PF 411229 PF 411264 G E Fulton (Bisley)

PF 411265 PF 411481 Kenya

PF 411482 PF 411471 ? Hong Kong

PF 411472 PF 412789 N/K 1318



1951 Special Order



PP1 PP43 Parker Hale

PP44 PP47 To an unknown UK source

[Strangely Brown]

A caveat to the above;

Some MkII's are found with dates which do not comply with the above serial numbers, my own No4 MkII is dated 10/49 and PF 406534 making it 1954 production. (according to the serial number)
The answer to this riddle if found on the muzzle crown which is inscribed "AJP Ball Burnished".

Fultons at Bisley supplied the full answer; the recivers that AJP used were scrubbed but the original dates were kept on, they used one of their allocated serial numbers which have been noted as being overly large compared to normal Fazackerly engraving.
I have seen about five examples now, all within about 30 from my own No 4serial number, all of them have Ball Burnished barrels and they all have the same style of engraving.

The assumption is that they were all supplied as target rifles.

[rhodders]

You may be quite correct in that the numbers do not always fit in with the dates.

My No4 Mk 2 is dated on the reciever 12/54 yet the sn puts it within the Irish contract sn band PF3324** it should have been produced in 1952 ish. it is all matching with the mag bolt woodwork and receiver.

Anybody with any other odd numbers to year ???

rhodders

[bilgeneutron]

Thanks rhodders and Strangely Brown

[madcratebuilder]

You may be quite correct in that the numbers do not always fit in with the dates.

My No4 Mk 2 is dated on the reciever 12/54 yet the sn puts it within the Irish contract sn band PF3324** it should have been produced in 1952 ish. it is all matching with the mag bolt woodwork and receiver.

Anybody with any other odd numbers to year ???

rhodders

PF3324XX should be a 1954 date, if you go by this, 1954= PF314XXX to PF376XXX.

I have PF338799 with a 1/55 date. I just took it out of the wrap, the wrap had 2/55 date stamped on it.

Numbers in the 326 and 357 range have been reported with a 1952 date.

Numbers 338, 361, 366, and 370 with 1953.

Numbers 333, 336, 337, 338, and 339 with a 1955 date.

It appears that the serial numbers were not necessarily sequential.

I have UF 55 A9078 with a 6/55 date on the wrap.