My first virgin only 71 more to go. My new 1955 FAZ

[newcastle]

BSA commercial FTR's of the 50's serially numbered their rifles again, starting from A1. Don't ask why 'cos I don't know and it certainly wouldn't have happened with UK Military FTR's as we would renumber using a set ZZ prefix or SA61Axxxxx type number So yours is an unknown manufactured No4 upgraded to Mk1/2 by BSA in 1955 and re-numbered to boot

BSA were a private company and this was an easy way to make money. Buy zillions of rifles cheap from the MoD, rebuild them and sell them on to nations wanting to re-equip with No4's. The Sierra Leone and Ghana Armies were BIG buyers of these rifles

Spike DD can elaborate more on these BSA commercial dealings but there are exceptions to the renumbering. For example, by nation returning rifles for FTR simply wants the same rifles back, FTR'd

that's prett interesting. I assumed it has been doen at fazackerley as the new barrel is fazackerly marked and identical to my otherr 1955 and 1954 Mk 2s. so Fazackerly sold the barrels to BSA? or did BSA just have a bunch of them sitting around already?

[newcastle]

Actually this made me think of something else. I have a no.1 Mk3 which was FTR'd in 1954 and then reserialed U5XX and the stamp and lettering is identical to the BSA and Fazackerly stuff as described above. Did BSA also do No.1 Mk 3 at this time? if so this would explain that situation which always confused me.

[Peter Laidler]

BSA were just another commercial gun maker who made and supplied guns to the Government on contract. But they made the No1's commercially. However, with the No4's, they were made under a tight contract and only supplied the Ministry of Supply (the MoS). When Fazakerley ceased production of the No4, I only assume that BSA, in the normal course of commerce, asked to purchase the remaining No4 parts from the MoS which they did. In much the same way as Sterling purchased the remaining Sterling SMG plant and spares that remained.

BSA FTR marked rifles didn't feature in the UK system generally but occasionally you'd see one that will have got back into the system from abroad where Ordnance stocks were pooled, such as Kenya or Malaya pre independance (spelling?) I did see a BSA FTR (but just a B/FTR 55) No4T that had got into the system and converted to L42 spec where the B/FTR55 had been lightly linished out but was still visible.

As I said, these commercially FTR'd No4's did find their way into the system and I seem to remember that they carried commercial proofs too. The UK MoD clearly knew that some had crept into our supply chain because the marking info was available in the armourers infomation sheets at REME Inspectorate.

SpikeDD knows about these commercials more thsn I do............... over to you Spike!

[SpikeDD]

I found a old thread which I think covers most of the known information about the BSA FTR program. My input is only from what I have personally observed but if anyone needs any pics, I can certainly help out with that, that is, when I get home from England

No 4 1/2 and 1/3's

[newcastle]

So I checked it out last night and the No. 4 has stamped / engraved FTR. F 55. The plate is identical to the No.4 mk 2 rifles I have both (PF and UF serialed). I thought that F55 indicated a faz ftr?

[SpikeDD]

Yes Sir, That would surly would be a Faz FTR.

[newcastle]

All other markings have been removed apart from the 1944 and M47C Shirley markings on the buttsocket and it was a Faz 55 FTR and was then reserialed into the A12XX range on bolt, receiver barrel - probablythe wood but i don't know because this particular one has been sporterized and I'll have to refurbish it when I get the right bits n pieces for it.

[dieppe42]

Here's something that"ll make you GASP !!!!! When these newly wrapped MkII's showed up in my locality, one of the shooters at a local gun club couldn't be bothered to carefully unwrap and clean it, SO........he took it to the car wash and used the high pressure hose on it......wood and all ! I'll leave it up to your fertile imaginations to picture what it looked like when he was finished. TOTAL ABOMINATION !