SA 1940 rifle with London proofs

[RCS]

This mid 1940 rifle has an exc condion S-A 8-40 barrel with London proofs. The rifle is not original and is without the comp and keystone springs but has the round body follower. The stock was replaced too. I did find a data sheet in a early GCA newsletter that had s/n 7860 with an S-A 8-40 barrel also with London NP proofs. Are there any other S-A 8-40 barrels around with London proofs ?

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[Phrogpilot]

Ive seen alot of early guns (from like June 1941 to March of 1942) but never one from 1940...

[Bob Seijas]

The LL details specifically mention rebuilt rifles, including updated old front end (gas trap) guns, WRA, and a certain percentage from new production. I have never seen a WRA with Brit proofs. Previous low LL serial I had seen was a 77,000 gun back in the 1970's. London proofs are scarce. Nice rifle!

[Joe W]

Is it more likly or at least possible, that this is a rifle that was in British hands BEFORE the Lend Lease program ???

[Tom Doniphon]

Wouldn't they have changed out that buttstock to one with a trap door buttplate if the gun had been rebuilt and was to be part of the LL rifle shipments?

EDIT: Strike what I said above. I just re-read RCS' description of the rifle in which he said the stock had been replaced. I wonder what was on it before being swapped?

[Ben Hartley]

Joe...

Regarding:

Is it more likly or at least possible, that this is a rifle that was in British hands BEFORE the Lend Lease program ???

Someone correct me if I'm mistaken (a distinct possibility!), but the whole point of Lend-Lease in the first place was to allow the US to loan military hardware to our allies. That idea of long-term loan was to slide around the prohibition of outright sales to anyone, as mandated by the Neutrality Acts. It seems unlikely that any M1 rifle -- nay, M1 canteen cup -- was in British possession prior to Lend Lease.

Ben Hartley

[emmagee1917]

Not exactly. A private firm making a product for the military could sell thier product to our allies before lend / lease . Savage with thier #4mk1s , S/W pre-victories , Thompsons , etc. In the M1's case , though , only Winchester would have been able to but they'd would of had to BE making them to do so . Also , the M1 was in short supply early on , so I don't think any sales would have been approved even if Winchester delivery was posible.
Chris