Cartouche / Stamp ?

[Sonny B]

A Little Help Please: I have a Mossberg .22 Rifle Mod 42M-B, Ser #193xx. Can anyone tell my what the upward pointing Arrow Stamps on both sides of the butt stock mean? I think it's called a "Broad Arrow", but what does it signify on this Rifle? Also, on the right side of the butt stock, it has what appears to be a Cartouche of two-inch letters as follows: " 1 S A L ". The letters are faintly stamped in the wood, and are in the outline style as opposed to solid letters. ??? Thanks for any help with this.

ShootLow77, Fayette County, WV

Information

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[Buccaneer]

Any chance of some pictures???

[browningautorifle]

These were rifles used by the Canadian government for training purposes. Thus the government stamps.

[Sonny B]

Thanks Buccaneer, and Thanks Jim for your response. I hope the attached photos are good enough. Please forgive me for not providing them with my first message. Can you explain what the upward-pointing arrow signifies, as seen on both sides of the butt stock? Can you see enough of the faint stamps ( 1 S A L )on the right side of the butt stock to figure out what it might mean? One stamp on the right side of the receiver is "BNP WITH CROWN". The stamps on the right side of the barrel, just forward of the receiver, are "BNP WITH CROWN", ".22 LR .610"", "8 TON'S PFR THEN AN INVERTED SQUARED U-SHAPED CHARACTER ", and "GXB WITH "2" UNDER THE X". Sorry for the poor discription, but it's beginning to make my brain ache! The drill & tap job on top of the barrel looks to be original. The Rifle works well, and is a pleasure to shoot. I will much appreciate any info you might provide.

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ShootLow77

[Buccaneer]

Can you explain what the upward-pointing arrow signifies, as seen on both sides of the butt stock? Can you see enough of the faint stamps ( 1 S A L )on the right side of the butt stock to figure out what it might mean? One stamp on the right side of the receiver is "BNP WITH CROWN". The stamps on the right side of the barrel, just forward of the receiver, are "BNP WITH CROWN", ".22 LR .610"", "8 TON'S PFR THEN AN INVERTED SQUARED U-SHAPED CHARACTER ", and "GXB WITH "2" UNDER THE X".

As already pointed out the crown over BNP are British civillian proof marks a legal requirement for any firearm in civillian use in the UK. The 8 TON's PFR are badly stamped, the F should be an E and the upside down U should be a square and it is an abbreviation of 8 TON's per Square inch which is the proof test pressure. As to the marks on the Butt the upward pointing arrow could be the "broad arrow" used to identify British military ownership but I have never seen one reproduced that big before. The "1 S A L" is something of a mystery, I have checked for a "military" connection but can't find one, I have found an S A I for the South African Infantry but thats as close as I could get, could be something that was applied after the rifle was sold out of military srevice.

[browningautorifle]

Those aren't Canadian proofs. This gun was in England at one time. Thus the BNP. They all had to be proofed before they left the country when sold.

[Johnny Peppers]

The British proofs BAR described are post 1954 proofs. If you can read the letters in the crossed scepters that should give an indication when it was released for commercial sale.

[MK111]

I assume that is United States Property on the reciever and barrel with the serial number.
If so it's a Lend-Lease to Britian during WW11. There was 42,000 rifles supplied. Your serial number in the 19,000 range was in the 3rd contract dated 3-27-42.
The British Proofs were installed when the rifle was supplied the civilian use.
Frank

[browningautorifle]

I assume that is United States Property on the reciever and barrel with the serial number.

I don't see any US proofs anywhere, or mention of them...

[MK111]

I don't see any US proofs anywhere, or mention of them...

In the 4th picture you can read most of the United States on the reciever. Nothing was mentioned about US Proofs.
The rifle is a WW11 Lend-Lease to England. The British Proofs are installed after the British Military turn the rifles over for civilian use. The British Military didn't Proof Military rifles per-say.
Frank