Hi fellows
I'm looking at a 1921 Lithgow that has been thru an FTR.....it is stamped on the receiver ring "FTR" as well as on the left side of the butt socket under the safety "MA 50".
The finish and stampings on the metal are very nice on this rifle, the bolt and rear sight are matching numbers, the barrel I'm not sure about as the rifle is not in my possession so I did not ask to have the rear upper handguard lifted to check.....the nose cap is un-numbered.
The furniture on this rifle is in excellent condition and appears "as" unissued but it seems a bit of a puzzle, at least in my limited knowledge when it comes to Lithgow rifles and especially ones that have been thru an FTR process.
The butt is certainly Australianas on the underside just behind the butt socket there is stamped in the wood "SLAZ 53" along with an inspectors stamp. There are no additional stampings in the butt other than a large "S" at the top rear.
This butt is obviously an replacement, could it be possible this butt was the one used at the time of the FTR process? Seems unlikely given the FTR was dated 1950 and the butt is dated 1953? Your thoughts please......
The other question is about the fore-end, the only stamp on it (I was told) is one just forward of the mid band and it is stamped M-47 C with a broad arrow which denotes a British, BSA Shirley manufactured for-end, is it possible the Australians used British fore-ends during an FTR? The upper rear hand-guard appears to be beech and the fore coachwood.
In your estimation has this rifle had a hodge podge of furniture fitted to a de-sporterized rifle or is it possible it left the FTR process this way?
Thanks