Who assembled My Nk2 Sten ???

[Flying10uk]

Was the "S.A." mark that has been mentioned as being stamped on Stens by the Finns to show their ownership placed in a particular place such as on the mag housing or on part of the receiver? This Sten of mine in question has had some corrosion and so it is perfectly possible that I have missed it. If I knew exactly where to look I may be able to find some remains of the marking. Thanks for the help.

[Vincent]

I have only seen the [SA] property mark on the magazine housing. The stamping is pretty deep.

Can you post a picture of the top of the magazine housing and maybe some of the welds?

[mrclark303]

Another injection of reality.......... Can you or anyone in the known universe tell me what earthly point there is in proofing a blowback weapon firing from an unlocked breech. Except as a weird example of paying lip service to laws dating from the 19th century - while we're well into the 21st century. Clearly the Finns can see into the basic physics and engineering associated with such nonsense.

The answer is obvious Peter, how else is the Proof Cartel going make their money? Has anyone ever put that very question to the Proof Houses, I might do just that next week and see what the response is...

[mrclark303]

Here's another ex Finish Mk2 Sten, I sold this Long Branch example a couple of years back. No SA stamp on it, but typical Finnish swivel mods and cocking handle fitted.

Attachment 71823Attachment 71824Attachment 71825Attachment 71826Attachment 71827

[bigduke6]

I gather the sale was to fund something else ?

[mrclark303]

Afternoon Geoff,

The ex Finnish Lb was bought for someone else, so I only had the opportunity to study and photograph it before it went on its way. I do now have a rather nice sensitively deactivated and fully stripperble early old spec Mk2 Sten in my permanent collection, I must photograph it post the pics.

This example had the barrel shroud pinned in place.

[Peter Laidler]

That picture certainly puts paid to the oft repeated fallacy that LB Stens were of superb or certainly of a higher quality than the UK made Mk2's. Not with welding like that they're not! My son could do as well (?) as that with a little BOC Portapack.

The trouble with the Finnish method of mounting a sling loop on the barrel nut is that you can never be sure that it remains at the bottom if you should ever change the barrel nut for any reason. Unless you un-weld and reposition the sling loop of course

[tiriaq]

The weld on that '43 LB's mag. housing is pretty bold, isn't it. Wasn't too long before LB abandoned boxes welded to tubes, and adopted the very smooth formed one piece mag. housing.
stencollector - do you know when the transition happened?

This gun is a late 2L series. The transition to the formed one piece housing occurred not too long after it was made. Two piece housings do appear as late as 7L. No doubt just assembling guns with whatever parts were at hand.

[Peter Laidler]

On the plus side, you know that the weld isn't going to fracture. Has anyone got a comparison photo of the press-formed mag housing? That's a VERY deep pressing..........

[Flying10uk]

Vincent, I'm sorry that I don't currently own a digital camera and so is it difficult to post pictures. The only way I have of doing it is with a film camera and then scanning the photo until I get round to buying my own digital camera- sorry.


The welds on my Chinese Aid Long Branch Sten, 1944 dated, are much smoother on the mag housing if memory serves me correctly but I will check. Were the Chinese Stens better finished for some strange reason???