Any tell tale signs a LE No5 has been refinished?

[Canuck Bob]

I'm suspicious my BSA 9/45 No5 has had the stock refinished and the metal scrubbed and reblued. The stock has no writing or symbols on the exterior and the metal seems polished and some stamps are faint.

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[Alan de Enfield]

I'm suspicious my BSA 9/45 No5 has had the stock refinished and the metal scrubbed and reblued. The stock has no writing or symbols on the exterior and the metal seems polished and some stamps are faint.

It would be easier to either agree or disagree with you if you posted some pictures.

[Brian Dick]

The original factory finish is phosphate, (Parkerizing), with baked Suncorite paint applied. The "No.5Mk.1" marking on the left body side was engraved afterwards so should show as bright or brown where the exposed metal has rust or patina, (putting it nicely), where exposed. My 1945 BSA has stamped serial numbers and mfg. markings on the left butt socket. If the the rifle is blued, it no longer sports original factory finish. The wood should also have a serial numbered forend with inspectors marks present and have manufacturer markings present on the underside of the wrist on the buttstock. If they are missing, it's surely been scraped and/or sanded. I hope this helps.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

If the woodwork is sleek and glossy, it has been worked over.

NEW factory wood is slightly "fuzzy" so the shooters wet hands do not slip and so that the furniture does not glint in the sunlight. It was also utterly soaked in linseed oil.

Metal components were bead / grit blasted, which is essential to the subsequent "Parkerizing" finish. In the Irish (t' be sure, t' be sure) way, the whole metal shebang was finished in black Suncorite.

Manganese-flavoured Phosphating produces a nice black finish which is sealed by the subsequent application (and regular renewal) of oil. The Suncorite, applied over UN-OILED Parkerizing, reduces the amount of oil required because it does not wash / wear off as quickly as oil.

The bolt handle and the top of the long lug of the bolt were also given that treatment.

All of this was also common to No.4 rifles and BRENs, because some of the places in which they served, were so "damp" that you could hear the rust forming on unprotected surfaces.

[Canuck Bob]

Thanks, the rifle has been refinished. The wood is stamp free and smooth and glossy as any slightly used older Winchester 70. Careful checking under a magnifier revealed sanding scratches on the forearm cap and telltale finish lumps under the rear sling point. The rifle proper is reblued with a good job done. The bands and butt plate metal show evidence of the paint like finish. I confirmed again it is stamped 1945 and M47 (BSA?) and numbers match. The No5 Mk1 stamp no longer looks like it was post finishing and almost scrubbed off.

I'm glad, it was bought with two D&T scope mount holes in the receiver ring. It was destined to be a shooter. If the rest of the rifle was as issued I would be very careful regarding any mods. Now I'll do some trigger and bedding work as required leaving the exterior as is.

I'm not keen on publishing pictures, a bit paranoid of our current government.

[GeeRam]

I'm glad, it was bought with two D&T scope mount holes in the receiver ring. It was destined to be a shooter. If the rest of the rifle was as issued I would be very careful regarding any mods. Now I'll do some trigger and bedding work as required leaving the exterior as is.

Do not do any bedding work on a No.5 as its designed to have a degree of barrel free-float....

Suggest you read the threads on here by Peter L about the No.5 before ruining your rifle.

[Canuck Bob]

I am working through the threads and Knowledge Library now. Careful research and discussion here will precede any mods. Nothing will change before winter as load development and evaluation of the rifle is first. Thanks for the good advice.