Not Quite Ridgeydidge?

[muffett.2008]

Spotted this bit today, my immediate reaction was to scratch my head......the joys of having hair but then I began to wonder if it was a deliberate attempt to deceive........even if a poor one.
It's marked as an unusual/rare item, as they all are.
Attachment 53722

Information

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[Bindi2]

Spotted this bit today, my immediate reaction was to scratch my head......the joys of having hair but then I began to wonder if it was a deliberate attempt to deceive........even if a poor one.
It's marked as an unusual/rare item, as they all are.
Attachment 53722

Muff old mate i have 2 rifles with a MA 37 protector on them one a 1929 the other 1935. I also have one marked MA 42 on a 1941.

More reseach needed

[muffett.2008]

Bindii, I am just going on my gut as usual, the ground face, remnants of the original stamp above the new one, the format as opposed to what I am used to, e.gAttachment 53723 the reversed comma.
Basically, what I am getting at, is that as there was no need to remark this part as the date is irrelavent unless attached to that year rifle, as parts were often interchanged in refurb anyway, unless to deliberately deceive.
This item is on ebay.

[Bindi2]

Bindii, I am just going on my gut as usual, the ground face, remnants of the original stamp above the new one, the format as opposed to what I am used to, e.gAttachment 53723 the reversed comma.
Basically, what I am getting at, is that as there was no need to remark this part as the date is irrelavent unless attached to that year rifle, as parts were often interchanged in refurb anyway, unless to deliberately deceive.
This item is on ebay.

My 42 is like yours and the 37s are the same as you showed except not polished but i need to check that again. the polish bit.

[5thBatt]

Both my '35s have just MA stamped on them, Bindi your MA over '41 is what i would expect, Muffs MA'37 not so much but then i don't have much experience handling inter-war Lithgows.

[Homer]

I think its ok.

Over the years Ive noted parts like sight protectors, cut-offs front bands and even front sights stamped MA37/38 but not other years. It seems someone in the production chain liked stamping the year at this time. Who knows, just an observation.

[ufo8mydog]

Another one.

[muffett.2008]

I guess it made me pull out twenty plus rifles just to check, then go through another half dozen spare ones, sure didn't find anything like the one I originally posted.
Apart from the Brit. ones with Broad Arrow, BSA or Enfield stamps, the early lithgows up to 1919 were all cutaways with star, the '20's were MA as were the mid 30's. 1940/41 are MA and after that the other factories.
But I guess anythings possible, 'specially as I haven't got those vital years you blokes are sitting on.....yet.
I just think it's a tad bogus, 70 odd years down the track on a ground surface and not showing any staining or rust, must be good stuff.

[5thBatt]

Excellent, something new learned today

[Homer]

It might have been unused muffer. i remember seeing bundles of them being sold at gunshows years ago. The style and font certainly looks like mine pictured. Had another two like it but both rifles are sold. Haven't seen it on a cocking piece before. I thought I had pictures of cut offs and front sights but can't find them now and all the rifles are gone. I did also have a 1927 Lithgow with MA27 on the sight protector so there seems to be no rhyme or rhythm with the date stamping. The first use of the MA stamp was 1926 according to Ian Skennerton and I would agree with that. I had a very good assortment of 1926/27 rifles that appeared very much unaltered and these had a mix of lithgow star and MA stamped parts such as nosecaps, trigger guards, sight protectors, sights, front bands and butt plates. One area i don't agree with Ian Skennerton is the use of knurled cocking pieces. I feel the change over from rounded style to rectangular milled on newly manufactured rifles was the same time as the MA stamp in 1926 rather than 1941.