Quote Originally Posted by breakeyp View Post
I am sure your comment on the larger hole is based on owning or observation of a No.5 having seen Indian service (probably it has the transverse screw through the forestock). I have an example as well, along with some of the FE trials run and early Fazackerley production. They all left the factory with the large ( I call it thumb hole) size hole.

The only odd ball bolt ball item I have encountered is a few No.5s along the way where the bolt hole was filled with a hardened material. If I get time I will dig around in the vault and look for it.
Paul, yes I have a No5 that has seen service in India. It has a couple of peculiarities, for starters it has been blued to a fairly high quality finish. Besides the transverse screw, the only other hint to India is the tiny, almost microscopic RFI stamped on the top of the elevation dial- other than that it is unmarked. The receiver had been buffed/ polished but not quite enough to remove the original " No5Mk1 ROF (F) 11/44". The serial # is on the r/side of the butt socket, but that's about all the markings on the rifle. The bolt knob is drilled 7/16".

I've had this discussion somewhere before and remember being told the reason behind the bolt knob variations being for both a machining datum and set up differences in the different manufacturers processes. (it may have been Peter telling me then).