help with serial number 1944 No4

[peanuts]

Hi I have spent some time searching the site for a serial number listing without success.
Can anyone please help with any information about a No4 rifle with the following .information 1944 1017* 80 thats all I could remember in the brief time I had to see the gun .I think there was a broad arrow stamp but it was unclear.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Badger]

Well, with that limited amount of information it's going to be a real challenge to tell you much ...

What can you tell me about my rifle?

Any chance you can view it again, taking a pen and paper with you to mark down more information?

Regards,
Doug

[peanuts]

sorry Doug it was all I could get at the time. I shall not see the rifle again until April 2011 at the earliest

I thought that the serial number of the gun should at least provide some info like it does with the 1911 .45 for example whether Mk1 or MKL* and who made it & where it was made and to whom it was issued etc.? is this not the case ? If it were one of my .45's I would look in Clawson or Goddard etc and I'd get all of that info from the serial number.

I have £thousands worth of reference books but unfortunately all on handguns . Rifle shooting for me only started this year and as yet I have only 5x books by Ian Skennerton none of which contain a list of serial numbers of No4 . Books are expensive and it is going to take me a year or so to build up a useful library of select reference books . A new sport cost a lot of money initially. I was hoping that someone on the board would have a book containing the issed serial numbers of No4's and could at least tell me the manufacturer of the gun.

As I said I have already spent many hours trawling this and many other sites without sucess but then as I know absolutely nothing whatsoever about rifles I wouldn't really know what I'm looking for would I.

Sorry if you found this question frustrating . I expect you continually get this sort of question from dozens of members that are new to collecting and shooting the No 4 rifle. I spend half of my day helping and advising noobs on Porsche fuel injection systems , bicycle maintenance, digital photography and host of other subjects that I am fortunate enough to have emassed some considerable experience and expertise in over the past 45 years.

I firmly believe it is important to patiently nurture new members not shoot them down in flames. Afterall why are we here in the first place if it is not to share information and appreciation of military surplus weapons?

Thanks for the link

[jmoore]

A "1" as the first digit generally means Maltby. However, that's a WEIRD looking S/N, so...???? Otherwise there won't be much further to tell you, unless you remember any FTR marks or some other distinctive features. Service histories aren't available for individual rifles, but sometimes there are clues as to where it went, esp. during later overhauls (i.e. ownership marks, wood types, repairs, etc.- at least it'll keep you guessing!)

[Amatikulu]

1944 1017* 80

This does not appear to be a serial number. Please describe where on the rifle you noticed this - i.e. on the left side of the receiver wall, on the left side butt socket?

Was it exactly as you typed it - all in a line or was it stacked as in

1944

1017*

80

Is the "*" an actual "*" or is it to represent a number?

Check this web page I put together http://home.earthlink.net/~smithkaia...ists/id17.html

Look at the entry for texasjack - is it possible the 80 was a "BO" and was stamped above the 1017*

If that was the case you have a No.4 mark 1 made at Maltby in 1944

[P-07ShortLee]

I thought it might have been a Longbranch with something like

80L1017

[peanuts]

Hi thank you both for your replies. Much appreciated. I didn't seem to get an email notification for some reason hence the delay in responding.(Ah changed the setting to instant email instead of conrol panel)
Definitely not a long branch P-07
I managed to contact the gun dealer who is holding the rifle for me and got some more information.
Apparently there is a second ,very small serial number stamp which has a prefix of two letters and a suffix of one letter so

the Ser No is BO 1017*A star for missing numeral
I am happy to PM anyone with the full serial No but don't think it advisable to put it on an open forum.

On the forestock is F49
The receiver has F(FTR)49
Also N49 on another part of the woodwork .
Crowsfoot or broad arrow indicating British Government ownership.
Magazine PF130667

I have managed to find a Parker Hale PH5C rearsight for it and am hoping to fit the sight and sight the gun in at 100yds in the next few weeks hopefully .

Grateful for any info anyone can provide in regards to manufacture and issue destination or anything else .
many thanks

[peanuts]

Thanks for the reply Amatikulu. Yes I think that you are right. I believe what I thought was a 80 over the serial number is in fact the prefix to the serial number and is BO as you say. The * is to disguise the full serial numer and represents a numeral . Happy to supply it by pm if it helps identify the specific gun.
Sooooo its a Maltby .....very nice. I'm very pleased. It looks like it has all matching original parts and is is fine condition. Once I've fitted a PH-5C and can actually see the sight picture clearly I'm sure it will be a fine vintage shooter. I'll look through your webpage later thank you for the link.

[Amatikulu]

[quote=peanuts;147033]On the forestock is F49
The receiver has F(FTR)49
Also N49 on another part of the woodwork .
Crowsfoot or broad arrow indicating British Government ownership.
Magazine PF130667[/quote

The "F(FTR)49" indicates that the rifle went through a factory thorough repair(FTR) in 1949 at the Fazakerley ordnance factory.
The magazine number is the serial number for a different rifle (a 1949 Fazakerley) so it'll work but is mismatched
N49 is the contractors code for
F49 indicates Fazakerley 1949

[Amatikulu]

N49 = H. Morris Co.Ltd., Glasgow a war time contractor code

F(FTR)49 = Fazakerley Factory Thorough Repair, 1949