Sten MKV - WW2 or later ?

[lugerfan]

Hi all,

Hope this is the correct forum for Sten questions....
Is there an easy way to tell the age of a MKV Sten gun?

I’m looking to buy an old spec one at some point, but my collection is pretty much WW1 / WW2, so I’d like to try and stick with a war time one.

If anyone can point me in the direction of a list of serial numbers I’d appreciate it.

Thanks all…..

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Peter Laidler]

There is a particularly good book about the Sten gun that maybe you should read that gives all of this info and much much more. And a jolly good read too!

[lugerfan]

Thanks peter,

any leads on where to pick up a reasonably priced copy in the UK (feeling slightly guilty that once again I haven't checked that you'd gone into writing)

cheers

[Peter Laidler]

To be honest and at the risk of failing to get another sale, if that's all you need to know, then the very last Mk5's were made in May 1945 at Theale. So they are ALL wartime guns. And very nice they are too! And don't forget that all the serial numbers begin VS ----- (for Mk5 Sten) although you will occasionally see Fazakerley guns using old Mk2 magazine housings but always(?) overstamped with the Mk5 designation and VS serial number.

Incidentally, what's the going rate of a UK old spec dewat/deact now

[lugerfan]

Thanks for the reply Peter,

no worries about losing a sale, I like to have good books for all my collection so its a must buy..

Haven't seen one for a while, but I reckon that old spec may be around £1500 now !!

new spec seem to be 650-750 ish

It will make a nice comparison to my old spec MKII.

By the way that brings me to another question, I though that you can tell the maker on a MK II by the prefix to serial number.

Mine has no prefix, just 27766 & B&T (Broadhurst and Thompson ?)stamped on the mag housing. no signs of being fiddle with.

any thoughts sir ?

cheers

[Peter Laidler]

Sorry, no idea but a look at the casing sometimes gives the game away BUT while the principal factories, BSA, Fazakerley and Theale did manufacture parts, they were really, simply assemblers of other peoples parts! While RSAF did assemble Stens, it has been suggested that this was only on a small scale when manpower was available in order to keep up production. On the basis that any sort of production was better than idle hands I suppose!

Having said that, I wouldn't think yours was a BSA gun because BSA kept strict accounting control of their production as being a private company, making their goods on contract and being paid as such, control and numbering were said to be good.

This is all documented in the book by the way! Ironic or what........ I am reading my own book to give you answers! I should have been a social worker.........

[browningautorifle]

I have one of those Sten books Peter eludes to...I can highly recommend it as one that consumes you. You start browsing and...it will keep you reading.

[gsimmons]

I think it took me two days to read it, I got so caught up in it.

[browningautorifle]

two days to read it

All at one time like...you should have just skipped to the end, to find out who did it...

[gsimmons]

It was the butler.......