Peter,

Thanks for clearing up something I have wondered about since March of1994, when I obtained my No.8.

It is a B.S.A., made in 1954, serial number A22859, built on a No. 5 action and wasn't drilled for the usual ejector screw. It was one of 75 imported from South Africa, through John Appleton in Virginia, for Victoria Trading Company, (prepare for incoming!), in early 1994. This was when V.T.C. was importing a large portion of the South African spares that went on the world market then. Of the 20-odd rifles I examined, only a few had South African property stamps on the receiver ring. Not surprisingly, those so marked had been used the most, so the relatively unissued example I selected does not have S.A. property marks, but, as all 75 that V.T.C. imported sold, I'm sure someone with one of the few S.A. marked examples can post a photo.

When I bought this rifle with the odd, (for a B.S.A.), serial number prefix, "The Lee-Enfield Story", was of no help, as this serial number range by B.S.A. was unmentioned. The later version, "The Lee-Enfield", also omits this information, but, oddly enough, in one of the books many typos, on page 559, where the serial number prefixes for Enfield and B.S.A. production No. 8's are transposed, this rifle actually makes the B.S.A. info partially correct, as it does have the "A" prefix.

Previously, on another forum, I asked about this particular B.S.A. contract and got no response. No one even hinted that there was the possibility of another B.S.A. contract, other than the one for New Zealandicon. Now we know differently, so thanks again, Peter, for another pearl of wisdom.

Regards,

Terry
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