Not Quite Ridgeydidge?

[5thBatt]

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.

Here are the cocking piece markings on my 1935 Lithgows

[nzl1a1collector]

I don't think its a "ground face" on the foresight protector, I think you will find the grease/grim has been wiped from the markings.

The seller Margate38 has lots of original items, the parts/items sold have come from original army surplussed equipment.... I've seen the place the stuff comes from and you never know what you will find hiding in the boxes, pouches, cleaning kits, cartons, boots, crates etc. You might buy a crate of unused original M1956 ammo pouches and end up with almost enough parts to build a rifle, MG, field kitchen or tank, thanks to the way the army just chucked things in boxes when they were disposing of it decades ago by the pallet load.

[Kiwi]

Another MA '37 marked part
Attachment 53760

[jmoore]

Looks bogus. (ETA: The rear sight protector, that is.) Would have to see one in "experienced" condition with all of the same tell-tale clues to change me mind.

[Homer]

I think the original item in question looks absolutely kosher. Identical size and style to those I've seen on rifles and a ground area on a porous surface is not out of place on an Australian SMLE.

You blokes made me look over my rifles a bit more closely than I have in a long while. The rifles I still have are the **** ones, the good ones are gone but still found these dated parts.

[Bindi2]

I think the original item in question looks absolutely kosher. Identical size and style to those I've seen on rifles and a ground area on a porous surface is not out of place on an Australian SMLE.

You blokes made me look over my rifles a bit more closely than I have in a long while. The rifles I still have are the **** ones, the good ones are gone but still found these dated parts.

Jeez do i have to go back and look that hard just so we can educate Muff. naa tomorrow its