Ex-service rifles seem to have appeared on the market as early as the 1920s - not surprising, given that the War Office appears to have disposed of about 1/2 million rifles during the inter war period.
Where would one look for documentary evidence of such disposals? Any official documents or mentions in the press of the day? The old Parker and PH catalogues mention some ex-service rifles, but that doesn't tell us anything about the quantity. This might be straying too far from the thread topic of DPs and the proof house, in which case I can start a new thread on it.