No4MK1 "T" RESCUED

[Seaspriter]

And Peter's comments would also explain why we see perfectly genuine rifles with 'suspect' T's on them, because they are slightly different to the norm

In an attempt to apply some logic to the anomaly: It's certainly logical that the receiver stamping/engraving station (where the specialists worked) was located in the middle of the assembly line (where it's easier to stamp/engrave a receiver devoid of barrel, furniture, etc.), not at the end of the assembly line. If there was a rush on a sniper order, at the end of the assembly and final inspection line, the completed rifle would have gone directly to packaging and shipping, rather than cycling back into the middle of the line for special stamping, or for a one-off (I think the Brits call it "bespoke") stamping/engraving, which would have forced someone to be pulled off the line, thus abandoning his station, slowing down production. If the line was slow at the engraving station, then pulling the engraver off to the end of the line was no problem. But if the work was backlogging at the engraver's station, there was no time to pull the person to mark the "T" at the end of the line. (And remember, in the days of the 1940s, people & unions made a big deal out of specialized work; a grievance could be filed if someone without proper certification did work a certified labourer could/must do.)

For the "suspect Ts", Peter's and Roger's observations makes sense, because to stamp or engrave a gun with all the accoutrements added requires a different work jig (or perhaps no jig at all) to perform a custom stamping/engraving function. Thus the "added T" was likely done by a different person at a different time with different tools at an improvised work station.

Of course, this is just speculation, but it's logical. Any thoughts.....?