1942 Lithgow No1 paint marking question

[kpj53]

Picked this up a while back, after much searching I am still not sure what these paint markings mean. Rifle is a '42 Lithgow, was FTR'd in '52. Forend is in rough shape, lots of cracks/repairs, no marks on stock except SLZ51. it has a very light import mark right above the woodline on the receiver, its not the J. Jovino Co mark.

There is a green band on the buttstock, plus the two red circles in the pics. Headspace checks fine, previous owner fired it. I have put a few rounds through it, no odd looking signs on the brass and it actually shoots well, action is smooth, bore is VG, but due to the stock condition I wont fire it any more.

I have searched around quite a bit and assume it was a cadet rifle, green band means OK from what I have read. But not sure why the red dots are there.

Information

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[kpj53]

Bumping this back up after over a year. Still have this rifle and was hoping someone would comment on the red dots and their meaning. Did a lot of searching and still have not found anything except for the green band.

[Homer]

Never seen it. A red band like the green band there on your rifle would indicate it was downgraded for drill, no live firing. But I’ve never seen the dots. Can’t help sorry.
Hope you get an answer though, it’s onteresting.

[Paul S.]

Strictly a guess, but it could possibly be cadet unit distinctive markings.

[kpj53]

Strictly a guess, but it could possibly be cadet unit distinctive markings.

The seller I bought it from didnt know, he guessed since the front sight and buttstock were loose thats why they red dots. But its hard to believe they would put permanent red marks for something easily fixable. Unless they had no armorers where the rifles were located.

I ended up putting a few extra pins in the stock and have used it in some vintage rifle matches locally and it turned out to be a decent shooter.

[brnom2]

I can try asking my father - long shot but he was in the Cadets and the Cadets Rifle Team (In West Australia) He may have some insight - i do recall him telling once that they had no real armourer - that he was tasked with cleaning and doing simple repairs on his schools cadet rifles - No1Mk111's - only when they were un-serviceable did the army come and collect and repair and return.
But may take some time as i work away and dont see him for periods of time (and he's not a computer/email user)

[kpj53]

I can try asking my father - long shot but he was in the Cadets and the Cadets Rifle Team (In West Australia) He may have some insight - i do recall him telling once that they had no real armourer - that he was tasked with cleaning and doing simple repairs on his schools cadet rifles - No1Mk111's - only when they were un-serviceable did the army come and collect and repair and return.
But may take some time as i work away and dont see him for periods of time (and he's not a computer/email user)

Not a problem on time, would be interesting to see if he has any knowledge. I have only seen one other Lithgow No1 like it at a gun show and it had the green band and the red dot on the front only. The seller had no idea what the red dot meant.

Appreciate the reply.

[CINDERS]

I was in the cadets at '70 - 73 at Perth Modern School our MkIII's had painted stripes around the the butts and the nose caps painted fully including the ear protectors we were issued for parade yellow and red painted ones there was also a number of unpainted ones they were for range use only they were never used on parade nor for instruction the Quarter Master was tasked with keeping them oiled/clean between range days at Swanbourne.

[Peter Laidler]

The GREEN band was the marking for NON SERVICE PATTERN firearms. Indicating their obsolescent status but safe for live firing. So far as I recall, rad marking were used to denote BRPC. Or to the uninitiated, BEYOND REPAIR, PROVISIONALLY CONDEMNED. That was when a higher authority was required to inspect and confirm its status

[kpj53]

The GREEN band was the marking for NON SERVICE PATTERN firearms. Indicating their obsolescent status but safe for live firing. So far as I recall, rad marking were used to denote BRPC. Or to the uninitiated, BEYOND REPAIR, PROVISIONALLY CONDEMNED. That was when a higher authority was required to inspect and confirm its status

I have read about the three different color bands, but have never found anything on painted circles/dots. I assume that red = bad/dont fire but why not just paint a red band on it and be done with it instead of a green band and two red dots.