Question about Lithgow No 1 Mk III*

[LostSoul]

I recently picked up a 1920 Lithgow, and was wondering if you guys could confirm/refute my assumption on this rifle. Every part seems to match except for the bolt body and bolt head. The bolt body is unmarked, the spot on the rear of the handle appears to have been machined flat and re-blued with no markings. The bolt head has only "MA 47" stamped on it. It appears to be unfired with this bolt head, the face is minty-clean. There's no FTR marking or anything else that would seem to indicate a rebuild, but I'm guessing the "47" on the bolt head would indicate the year it was made? Would this mean this rifle got a replacement bolt in 1947? The cocking piece is the older round type and has the A in a 7 point star stamp, which every other part seems to also have.

Any insight would be appreciated!

Information

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[krinko]

Most of the 1920 Lithgows I have seen in the US are missing their original bolts---including my own.
Why this would be, I don't know, but the bolts have been replaced with a variety of substitutes.
I don't think these are official replacements, either.
-----krinko

[Son]

It would seem your rifle has either had a bolt replaced post service, or it's missmatched bolt (see krinko's comment above) "cleaned" and re blued.
The MA47 is the place and year of manufacture of the bolt head....
The bolthead could have been fitted in service, but not the unnumbered body.
Having the button cocking piece, maybe someone has gone to a bit of effort to at least make it look true to it's markings...

[RJW NZ]

appears to have been machined flat and re-blued with no markings ...'

My 1918 Lithgow is like this too, a great rifle but with a civilian style re blueing over a not perfectly removed serial number, sounds like you've got a nice rifle, like mine. Mine came through Jovino NY NY originally, their mark is on the right rear of the receiver in tiny letters just above the wood line, about 1/16th tall, maybe yours is too?
Imine also has the correct cocking knob for 1918 and is lithgow, I'll take a look at the bolt head later ...

[LostSoul]

Mine is actually a Jovino import also, very small import mark on the right side of the charger bridge... I wonder if they have something to do with the unmarked bolt thing. My rifle is otherwise in fantastic shape and seems to be all properly marked, I just wish the bolt matched!

[NathanJ]

I have a 1921 Lithy with matching, receiver/butt stock and bolt. Just de-bubba'ed it.