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Legacy Member
Shine some light on this Heavy barrel No.1 for me.
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12-29-2018 12:07 PM
# ADS
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Legacy Member
Hey it looks like a genuinely rebarrelled 'H' SMLE. I see plenty with Heavy barrels but they all lack the 'H' stamp on the very front of the butt-stock like this one. I see a big old date stamp or something on the butt-stock which I am guessing is either an FTR or a normal repair, but either it might be when this rifle got this barrel and was changed to a 'H' rifle. Then it looks like someone turned it into a No5 look-alike.
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Legacy Member
Thanks Nijal!
Hopefully it shoots as well as my other I posted with range report!
Probably get this one out this spring.
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Legacy Member
More info:
Lithgow barrel dated Sept 1944.
Butt stamped R* over* MA* over* 3/47 which I take it to mean that this rifle was set up at Melbourne Arsenal Mar 1947 under a refurbishment program. H on knoxform. Barrel not serial numbered.
Rearsight* made MA 43 but never serial numbered. H on wrist top. British bolt*
numbered 500, not numbered to rifle BUT the rifle has that greyish Australian finish and so does bolt rib and handle.Rifle arsenal greased on parts under wood.
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Legacy Member
'MA' is the Lithgow Small Arms Factory marking. file:///C:/Users/Owner/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe/TempState/Downloads/fs001_smle_markings%20(3).pdf
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Legacy Member
There never was a Melbourne Arsenal only Lithgow then.
The stamp is a return to stores 3/47.
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Contributing Member
So others may learn Australian factories and subsequent stampings;
Factory Marks
BA Rifle Factory No.2 Bathurst
CA Cowra Annexe
DA Dubbo Annexe
FA Forbes Annexe Lithgow LSAF up to 1926 (on both rifles & bayonets)
MA LSAF post 1926 (on both rifles & bayonets)
MAO Rifle Factory No.3 Orange (butt marking)
OA Rifle Factory No.3 Orange
PA Parkes Annexe
PA Portland Annexe
SLAZ Slazenger Annexe (supplied wood furniture from 1941)
WA Wellington Annexe
Other Marks
FTR/xx (year) Factory Thorough Repair
HV Sighted for high velocity ammunition (stamped on butt)
MA xx (year) Rebuild at LSAF
L Long butt (stamped at heel of butt)
S Short butt (stamped at heel of butt)
UNSERVICEABLE Condemned
US Condemned
DP Drill purpose
EY Emergency use only (rifles often used for grenade launchers)
H Heavy barrel (stamped on barrel knox form & butt at socket)
R Replacement barrel (stamped on barrel knox form)
I S over A Inspectorate of Small Arms
Opposed Rs Condemned
>< Sale or disposal to public, weapon not guaranteed serviceable
>S< Sale or disposal to public, weapon serviceable
* Slight pitting in rifling (stamped on barrel knox form)
** Moderate pitting in rifling (stamped on barrel knox form)
*** Bad pitting in rifling (stamped on barrel knox form)
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The Following 2 Members Say Thank You to CINDERS For This Useful Post:
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Legacy Member
Maribyrnong Ordnance Factory in Melbourne produced artillery pieces and shells, similar to an engineering ROF in the UK. I have been told this was referred to by some locals, particularly in relation to tram routes, as "the Arsenal". Code letters MO?.
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Legacy Member
Thanks Cinders!
Bottom of sight leaf has WA 43 = "WA Wellington Annexe" and 43 is when the leaf was made?
Stock has MA 3/'47 = "MA xx (year) Rebuild at LSAF"
So this one was rebuilt at LSAF in March '47.
Would this barrel have been installed then? Or is the '44 on the barrel the install date?
Is it common to have a mismatch bolt during a rebuild?
Last edited by jonh172; 12-31-2018 at 10:34 AM.
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