Maltby No4 MkI* ???

[ssj]

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I think it would be a good idea to have the head space checked out.

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To be clear 100%, Peter L isnt talking about headspace (but yes it needs checking) he's talking about ensuring both lugs of the bolt are load bearing in the receiver, this is a different check. You can still buy brand new un-issued bolts for $30 odd so I assume this is one of these. Otherwise Peter also mentioned the bolt was spun in the lathe. This means any lathe marks left on the bolt handle left from removing the old serial number will be centric to the centre of the bolt, if they are "opposite" that would suggest an angle grinder or dremel tool used by bob the bodger. In which case it may have other nasties to uncover.

[Seaspriter]

Thanks Brian, I will take the fore-end and hand-guards off and check interior stamps, etc. when I get back home this weekend and report back. The Butt Stock is English Walnut. The hand-guards are beech. Not sure of the fore-end wood

The forend is beech

Brian, got home and checked the gun (before unpacking -- Enfield passion is powerful). You are correct, the forend is beech (the tell-tale flecks are on the side of the gun not clear in the photos). Here's what the close investigation revealed:
- Entire stock is virtually brand new -- never been in anything that would be close to battle conditions
- Barrel's serial number matches the bolt and receiver (I don't recall seeing serial numbers on the barrels of my other Enfields)
- Barrel is 5 grooves (is there a connection between 5 grooves and the * designation??)
- Hand guards are stamped with "P" inside
- Wrist is stamped with "N22" over the Broad Arrow (Is this "John Curtis & Son Ltd., Leeds")
- Forend is stamped with "U" and "138" in a box
- Import Stamps on Muzzle

Any thoughts? It seems possible this gun may never have been issued.

[Brian Dick]

Is there a South African ownership mark stamped on the top of the breech or Knox? If not, I'd say it's been restocked since it was imported to the USA. The South African marked beech is wood that was available in quantity as replacement wood as I said before. The butts are still available in quantity from Springfield Sporters.

[Seaspriter]

Is there a South African ownership mark stamped on the top of the breech or Knox? If not, I'd say it's been restocked since it was imported to the USA. The South African marked beech is wood that was available in quantity as replacement wood as I said before.

Brian, thanks for your help deciphering. (It's a joy to have a Sherlock Holmes on my team.) Here's what I found on the Knox:
- matching serial number
- broad arrow
- N17(under crown) [does this mean pre-1954 import?]
- F5 [??]
- M(over)3 [Albion Pressed Steel Metal Co. Birmingham??]
- no "BNP" nor "England" stamps
- no "CG" or "SA" [South Africa] markings anywhere
Back to the Forend: Draws fit tight and true, but no serial number on top which might validate your replacement wood hypothesis.

So: some of the evolution of the gun may remain a mystery.
And someday we may find out the real reason why some 1944 Maltby Enfields get a "*" Star Rating.

P.S. I'll be back to you late next week via PM on the restoration of the LB Sniper

[Brian Dick]

I'm no Sherlock Holmes by a long shot. I've just had hundreds of No.4's through my shop here since 1995!
N17 is a production code for Central Case Company Ltd., Sheffield
F5 and M3 are probably examiner's marks.
No commercial proofs visible. The might be under the handguard. No "England" stamp = post 1968 import to the USA
The South African ownership mark is either a large "U" Broad Arrow or sometimes a small one like on the underside of the forend. Usually stamped on the top of the receiver ring.

It's no mystery to me. I'm glad the forend is fitted correctly. I'll stick with my original assumption that it's been restocked at some point after it was imported to the USA.

Please email directly to bdlltd@bellsouth.net and not by PM. Thanks.

[SpikeDD]

I took some crappy photos with my cell phone of one of my favorite rifles... a 42 Maltby. As far as I can tell, it's as it left Maltby. There is a rack number on the opposite side of the buttstock and from this rifles condition, you'd think it sat the war out on that rack.

Attachment 60828Attachment 60817Attachment 60818Attachment 60819Attachment 60820Attachment 60821Attachment 60822Attachment 60823Attachment 60824Attachment 60825Attachment 60826Attachment 60827Attachment 60816

Edited to add the Singer magazine and follower.....
Attachment 60830Attachment 60829

Again for butt plate mark and to mention that the stock set is 100% Beech from end to end.
Attachment 60831

[Peter Laidler]

Don't forghet that Maltby was built as a rifle factory to make the major assemblies buit to ASSEMBLE rifles with parts coming in from the outside contractors due to its industrial base transport links. It was also mooted as a Bren assembly factory too. It was well connected with the Coal/Mining industry and ......... anyway........ As soon as the war ended, so did Maltby pretty well as Coal took immediate priority over small arms.

What I am saying is that I very much doubt whether Maltby ever did make everything because it was simply one of the major assembler factories

[SpikeDD]

Agreed, Peter. I know I've read that about Maltby from either your writings or Ian's over the years and maybe even from Brian. This rifle has a Maltby bolt, trigger guard and butt plate but that's about it. Everything else is from someone else. I've observed that many early Maltby rifles have early "B" marked BSA parts, such as my bolt head and cocking piece are. I have a 42' BSA that is in almost as good a condition as the 42' Maltby and also shares Singer, WL, AB, and S126 parts but I would bet it left BSA with them.

[Peter Laidler]

Not necessarily Spike. The pooled scheme operated across the board. And if the production control progress chasers found that BSA were running low on, say, sears, then they'd be shipped overnight from another manufacturer. Low stocks or even the danger of low stocks at the assembly factories was not tolerated. I learned this first hand while researching the Sten gun production which operated along exactly the same lines

[Brian Dick]

Maltby rifles are often found chock full of Savage parts. It's obvious Savage sent lots of spares as well as complete rifles.