1957 Fazakerly Mk.2?

[Surpmil]

Saw this receiver recently. First time I've seen a 1957 date on a Fazakerly.

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[Peter Laidler]

Can we see the remainder of the number and other markings Surps? But it just about sums up the MoS frustration with Fazakerley at the time. They were STILL FTR'ing old obsolete No4's and Sten guns when they should have been gearing up to produce L1A1's and L2 Sterlings.

As one of the former security overseers told me. The MoS had to keep the workforce employed because they wanted/needed them for when they eventually converted the factory to rifle and submachine gun production. But it was sooooooooooooo ponderously slow. It was like pulling teeth. Eventually, enough was enough!

[Lance]

Here is another example of a '57 FTR.

[Peter Laidler]

Yes, but Surpmils is a post war Mk2 FTR that by definition, can't have been more than a few years old in 1957. Usually they retained their old oriuginal seriual number unless it was 'lost' Lances original BSA 3xxxxx has been changed to an Axxxxx

[Simon P]

I sold one a while ago that was marked similar and it appears as if it was manufactured new with the FTR mark, it has a late action body without the boss for the magazine cut-off.

Attachment 27962Attachment 27963

[Frederick303]

I have three very similar to that posted by Simon,one A 7884, FTR 56, one A 10,xxx marked FTR 56 and one A 13,xxx marked FTR 57. The A7884 was convereted to a .308 match rifle, so its origional state is not confirmed. All were built with new action bodies, the half converted No 5 type without the cut-off ledge. All three had F56 marked bolt bodies. The two non-modifed seem to had new 56 and 57 dated wood (where marked), with some older refurbished metal band bits from F 53, F 52 date codes. Teh barrel codes were F53 and F54 if my memory seves me correctly, in any case both of the non modifed rifles had earlier dated barrels, both Fazakerley both pre 1955. Both had CR403 marked rear sights.

Both of the unmodifed rifles have seen use, and had worn barrels, unlike the mint UF55 A52 to A27,000 series rifles that are about.

[Surpmil]

Yes, but Surpmils is a post war Mk2 FTR that by definition, can't have been more than a few years old in 1957. Usually they retained their old oriuginal seriual number unless it was 'lost' Lances original BSA 3xxxxx has been changed to an Axxxxx

Your absolutely right of course Peter; that's what caught my eye. It is one of the last series without the mag cutoff lug, as per some other posts.

Lovely body it is too!

No other markings except the usual inspection stamps as I recall, but I'll take another look.

As for the factory slowdowns, I just came across a book while sorting the other night called "The Communist Technique in Britain" by a former CPGB organizer and I do believe he mentioned that arms factories were their priority targets for disruption and slowdowns.

[enbloc8]

Can we see the remainder of the number and other markings Surps? But it just about sums up the MoS frustration with Fazakerley at the time. They were STILL FTR'ing old obsolete No4's and Sten guns when they should have been gearing up to produce L1A1's and L2 Sterlings.

As one of the former security overseers told me. The MoS had to keep the workforce employed because they wanted/needed them for when they eventually converted the factory to rifle and submachine gun production. But it was sooooooooooooo ponderously slow. It was like pulling teeth. Eventually, enough was enough!

What exactly happened with ROF Fazakerly? I know they got as far as making some L1A1 parts but never attained full production.

[Peter Laidler]

What happened at Fazakerley.......... Have you got a year to spare? It was strike bound or hobbled by industrial relations grief from day one. Eventually, while they were still FTR'ing Sten Guns and Making No4 rifles, while the rest of the world had moved on, there was more industrial upset about production of the L1A1 rifle. One day the top men from the Ministry of Supply had had enough and said, in effect, if you're not back in on Thursday, we're closing the place on Friday. They weren't and they did!

It cost Fazakerley TWICE as much to produce a Sterling SMG as it did at the Sterling Co at Dagenham (that's not quite correct - it was just under twice the price) and over twice as long to produce. It also cost almost as much to FTR a Mk5 Sten Gun at Fazakerley as it cost to produce a NEW Sterling SMG at Dagenham. Similar figures also applied to Fazakerley predictions for the L1A1 they were to produce against the costings for BSA who got and finished the job when ROF6 closed

It was said that most of the workforce went to make Triumph cars at nearby Speke. So if you owned a Speke Triumph - enough said!

[enbloc8]

Thanks...I'd always wondered why they never transitioned over to the L1A1!

I'm surprised they were able to keep making and FTRing obsolete equipment for so long.