FR stamped on butt. What does this indicate.

[Morning Wood]

I have a 42 Faz with no import or export marks, but it does have a FR stamped on the right side of the butt. Just wondering what FR indicates.

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[Peter Laidler]

Factory Repair

[Thunderbox]

There are different "FRs".

"FR" on woodwork and rifle butts appears to be associated with parts made for the Pakistani No4 programme. This "FR" appears on completely unused/unfitted woodwork, and also on large numbers of un-FTR'd rifles.

My own opinion is that this "FR" is actually a West Pakistan (as was) Government property mark applied both to surplus rifles purchased on behalf of Pakistan, and also on woodwork both bought in and locally manufactured.

[tlvaughn]

There are different "FRs".

"FR" on woodwork and rifle butts appears to be associated with parts made for the Pakistani No4 programme. This "FR" appears on completely unused/unfitted woodwork, and also on large numbers of un-FTR'd rifles.

My own opinion is that this "FR" is actually a West Pakistan (as was) Government property mark applied both to surplus rifles purchased on behalf of Pakistan, and also on woodwork both bought in and locally manufactured.

After reading this thread, I went to the gun room and inspected my No4 MkI and Mk2 POF rilfes. I was not able to find an "FR" stamped on the outside of the wood, so I took three of them apart and did not find an "FR" stamped anywhere. However, one of my Savage No4 MkI*'s had an "FR" stamped on the butt stock and the wood is Savage marked.

[Morning Wood]

Interesting! Would there be any other indications of a trip through Pakistan? I looked through my other #4's and found another that has the FR on the butt. It has no import marks, but the latter was marked for export, and the former was not. Both have been in the USA for a long time.

[Peter Laidler]

Thunderbox is right of course in what he says, but the question is just WHY it'd be marked in such obscure places. To an Armourer, hidden markings would be meaningless - even more so if they were all in different places.

I just think that the woodwork was pre-marked at the Pakistan Ord Factory on the basis that any rifle fitted with it would by definition, have gone through the FR process. If the rifle retained its original wood, then it'd just be stamped on the butt in any case. But why mark it on the rear end of the butt or inside the fore-end is anyones guess. On the other hand, might FR indicate the local sub contracted manufacturer. Hey...... it could just indicate that my suggestion is FR............... Fxxxxxg Ridiculous!

[jrhead75]

Just to throw a bit of a curveball here...I've got an 1918 LSA MkIII* with "FR" stamped on the butt. Interestingly, it's also got the "England" early import stamp that would likely put it here in the states sometime between 1961 & 1968, which seems a bit early for any imports from the subcontinent. It's in great old, untouched condition, nothing appears to have been messed with.

[RJW NZ]

... and just to add another curve, I purchased a wood set a couple of years back, that beautiful dark wood and across the butt was a large FR just like in Thunderbox's post, whats interesting is that it was wrapped in a typical wrap for new made wood items and that inside the wrapper had UK armory names all over it, not Pakistan. I've still got it here some place, a bit buried for instant access. Doesn't really matter, beautidul wood no matter where it came from.

Despite the FR's wouldn't the makers name/code be in those little stamps I usually ignore under the butt grip area, and therefore show who it was?

[RJW NZ]

I looked for the wrapper but couldn't find it, but heres some good shots of the markings. This was purchased as a set, and its that FR marked very dark walnut looking wood, a No4 Mk1 set, most are for Mk2's.

The top mark by the TG looks like a C L with a small 1.

[RJW NZ]

Attachment 32186Attachment 32187Try again for th e other two,