A little help on a Mod 1 MarkIII please

[Tarheel]

I picked up an old SMLE a few years ago; just now getting around to making it whole and have run into a couple of mysteries. Firstly, there is a stamp atop the Knox form comprised of a capitalized MA within a circle. The circle is about 9mm across. A knowledgeable member of another forum can find no reference to "MA" stamped in that area. The greatest mystery is the total absence of any manufacture and date stamp on the butt socket, and no evidence that there ever was any stamp there. No signs of scrubbing or rework at all. The gun has seen considerable service in India according to the proofs, and was FR'd in 1944, is slotted for the cutoff, and I'd like to know more about it if anyone can help. There is a circular cartouche on the r/h side of the butt stock which is illegible, and BD-500 stamped into the l/h side.

These photos aren't of the highest quality, but they might give some insight. Thanks for any help.

Information

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[paulseamus]

Tarheel

The GRI on the side of the barrel indicates that the barrel was manufactured at the Ishapore Rifle factory in pre-independence India ie pre-15 August 1947.

Paul

[tbonesmith]

Indian FTR's are often scrubbed, restamped and reblued. My money is the original marks were scrubbed at FTR, and they just did a neat job so you can't see tell tails of it.

[Tarheel]

Indian FTR's are often scrubbed, restamped and reblued. My money is the original marks were scrubbed at FTR, and they just did a neat job so you can't see tell tails of it.

Thanks for the responses. After hours of pouring over old posts on multiple forums I tend to agree with you tbone. The piece apparently was manufactured in Ishapore and scrubbed during the FR in 44. Most but not all the proofs indicate Ishapore work going back to the "teens". Since the handguard pieces are missing and I have found an adjustable windgauge for it, I think I'll just order the darkest wood I can for it, clean it up, and shoot it. The butt stock is very dark, as is the fore piece which I think is Luan (very light in weight and of crumbly grain), and matching that would require more waiting and searching than I'm willing to endure for a piece that is not that unique and of minimal value. The MA within a circle will just have to remain a mystery unless someone has a ready answer. Thanks for the help.

[Tarheel]

Sorry about the misspelled word (pouring), by the time I realized it the window had closed. Mark Twain once said that a man who could only think of one way to spell a word had little imagination, (paraphrased)