Well they are KR serial numbered, so purportedly at least would have been serial numbered before Mr. Edmiston bought Sterling.
At the same time, according to the GoD book, Sterling obtained (bought back) stripped L2A3 bodies which had been intended to be supplied to the Indian Government.
Is it not likely that some (or most) of these guns were in fact "weary" L2A3s which had been stripped for spares? If I was an armourer/QM, I would issue the new guns, and send the garbage out
These have previously been discussed:
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread....ght=fazakerley
Markings and Spares sterlingl2a3.com