Markings on No4 T Bands and stock cap

[rgg_7]

What markings have been observed on Brit No4 T's on stock tip, front and mid band for 1944 and 1945? My 1944 bands are marked "S.126". Would be intersted in what others have. Also if this carried over into 1945. Ron

Information

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[rgg_7]

Anybody got info on this? Looking for front band marked "S.126" to go with my rear band (Posted in WTB). Thanks, Ron

[jmoore]

You realize that S.126 (C.E. Welstead) is just a random sub-contracted part that just happened to be installed w/ no concern to a matching the other band (which was pulled from another bin of random bands), either at the factory, (maybe at H&H IF it did come as a matched set), or later? Don't be so quick to start "improving" things, the results might make it MORE "incorrect"!

[Peter Laidler]

I'm glad that you came up with that JM. Do people out there in Forum-land REALLY, still think that these rifles are all maching in codes and............. RGG there were hundreds of contractors, sub contractors, out workers and all manner of little one man band press shops and works stamping this stuff out by the bucket full every minute. The assembly workers had one task and that was to fit and assemble rifles. They were all on piece work and if something didn't fit or work properly, then it was sidelined down a 'rectification' track. I suppose one or two of the unskilled piece workers might have looked for the correctly marked and year parts, certainly for the first 30 seconds of their shift until the rest of the shift started to see that they were in serious danger of loosing their piece-work bonus.

[rgg_7]

So I've been told. A chap emailed me tell me the same and I agree with you lads.

His 1944 had a "S.126" on the front ...rear...?....his 1945 had unmarked on the front and "S.126" on the rear. Just like mine.

Just curious what other folks have on theirs...not suggesting anybody change these out.

Ron

[Mk VII]

You often see CEW on these bands instead.
They would have used whichever band fitted correctly; I have sometimes swapped stamped for milled (or vice versa) to get it to hold properly.

[jmoore]

CEW and S.126 were the same mfg, just different markings. They had a couple of other ID marks as well, I think. I'd have to break out The L-E Story for more specifics.