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Well, it's marked 8- '43 on the barrel and 1943 on the butt...and the socket shows 1942. That would indicate what you're saying...
Actually the barrel date 8-43 is completely in line with the 1942 action and 1943 butt as being an original barrel according to the serial number. Can only assume the large R indicates a replacement but lacking that, would be hard to detect. Absence of serial number was normal from new as well.
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09-26-2018 05:17 PM
# ADS
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Originally Posted by
Homer
Actually the barrel date 8-43 is completely in line with the 1942 action and 1943 butt as being an original barrel according to the serial number. Can only assume the large R indicates a replacement but lacking that, would be hard to detect. Absence of serial number was normal from new as well.
Homer, i was going to say pretty much the same thing re dates, s/n etc being consistent with production, i wonder (assuming R in a circle does mean replacement) if for some reason the barrel failed final inspection & had to be replaced before it left the factory, cant really say i have seen the marking on obvious replacement barrels.
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Yes same, not sure I’ve seen the R in a circle before.
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Thanks to all for the feed back. Very interesting. I bought Charles Stratton's book on SMLE rifles. Lots of good stuff in fact it had a diagram of the rear sight slide allowing me to take it apart and fix the sticking problem the slide was just full of grunge. However, I did not see anything in the book on the R in a circle nor any real info on the number on the right rear of the action. I think I may have mentioned it has no import markings or even the word England or Australia stamped on it so presume it was imported before 1968. Thanks again for the comments!
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The number T3973 at the rear of the action should also appear on the underside of the bolt handle.
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Hi Banjo1928.
Nice rifle. Based on the photos you've posted it seems like a fairly original rifle to me. The bolt head is a replacement but that's nothing unusual. The BA45 mark on the bolt head shows it's Australian (Bathurst feeder factory) and may well have been replaced while still in service. All the markings you've photographed fit with the feeder factories that manufactured parts for these rifles here in Australia during that period. You should be able to find the rifle serial number stamped under the fore-end just behind the nose cap as well. If not, the fore-end has been replaced at some point. The receiver may be marked 1942 but you'll find this is a 1943 assembled rifle. The receiver itself was manufactured in 1942 but the rifle wasn't assembled until 1943 which accounts for the 1943 dated components. That barrel date stamp looks like a pretty clear 8 43 to me. I have to admit I haven't encountered the R inside the circle stamp before. I've seen several with just the R without the circle. R stamped on the barrel knox form can indicate a replacement but according to the "Broad Arrow" by Skennerton it may also represent a reserve grade barrel. Does the barrel have any wear to correspond that that potential meaning? R was also used to indicate rust found in the barrel by an armorer but it's normally a stylized R. The broad arrow stamp on the barrel is not unusual. Being a Commonwealth country, it was used in Australia as well. It's not quite clear in the photo but the barrel appears to have the standard Lithgow Proof mark and it certainly has all the usual Lithgow production marks. The PAA number (in your case T3973) should also be stamped under the curved section of the bolt handle as well. It's also correct for Lithgow rifles of this era to have no serial number on the barrel of under the rear sight. Your rear sight is marked WA 43 indicated made at the Wellington feeder factory in 1943. Like most people I'm still learning about these great old rifles but Lithgow SMLE's are my main area of interest. Enjoy it and congratulations on a great find. Regards Brad
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Serial number on one side of the bolt handle, nothing on the other. I will check other locations mentioned for serial number.
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Ok a replacement bolt. I didn’t think the serial number was original.
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Ah, maybe that's why it seems so tight. Is it the "font" they used or just the way the numbers were stamped tipped you off it was a replacement? Well that and the fact it had no assembly number on the back I guess.
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