Lee enfield no4 mk2 Irish contract

[billy67]

Hi,
I just refinish the wood stock of my latest purchase, a lee enfield no4 mk2 (F) 1954 Irish contract, full match. The rifle came to me full of grease and overall quit beat up. Obviously, the rifle have seen some action somewhere. During the restoration, Ive took many pictures of the stamps and something very interestiing I found is about the serial on the left side of the receiver. I noticed two different serial numbers one over the other. Look like the rifle has been FTR but there is no such stamp on it..
Here is some pics, hopefully to get more info/background about this beautiful british
Thanks for your inputs.

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

I'd like to see the first date under the 2/54 date. As a rule, all FTR rifles were all marked FTR and dated because their 'life' after the FTR was only 80% of a new build

[billy67]

Seems to be a 2/54 too

[Thunderbox]

That looks like it was a numbering error at the time of manufacture - the numbers are close enough for them to have been in the same batch.

[ssj]

That looks like it was a numbering error at the time of manufacture - the numbers are close enough for them to have been in the same batch.

Except the old number looks like it has so much dirt in it, its years apart.

I'd like to see the area on the bolt with the number.

It looks very well used, which would be consistent with dirt in that original number.

Barrel is F53, and I assume lots of the other parts will be stamped F52, F53 or F54 as well?

PF309348-PF359347 Irish Republic

[Thunderbox]

Except the old number looks like it has so much dirt in it, its years apart.

I'd like to see the area on the bolt with the number.

It looks very well used, which would be consistent with dirt in that original number.

But its not dirt - its Suncorite. You can see that the body has been re-suncorited after the original number was etched. Therefore the rifle has either been FTR'd (seems unlikely, given the lack of standard FTR marks on what looks like a standard rifle), or it has been sent back to be recoated whilst in production - and that might presumably have been intended to cover the original number.

[Peter Laidler]

I think it's one of these things where the whole batch has been ticked-off, ready to be boxed up at Fazakerley and 318818 (?) has been ticked off twice - while 312544 seems to be missing! Everyone has got into a bit of a panic and the out-inspector has been called up to explain by the dispatch office - or whatever. Then the over manager has had a moan and so on.

It has got down to the shop floor where the pantograph operator has been told in no uncertain terms to get a grip of himself and pull his bloody socks up, what the xxxx do you think you're playing at and buck his sodding ideas up - you know the sort of thing that ogres like me are prone to do and say.

The rifle has gone into the paint booth again for a quick mask-up and blow job and had the 'missing' number over-engraved.

Been there......... Used to happen occasionally with lost numbers so the rifle left would be numbered to suit, according to the number on the AFG 1045G and the Technical Quartermasters Controlled Stores register, That way, everyone is happy.

Used to happen on No8 rifles where the rifle would come into workshops as serial number CR 318 - as this was numbered on the butt socket. The REAL number, say A-12345 would be on the body almost hidden by years of wear and paint. So the well meaning ****ed off and fed up Armourer would line through the CR318 number and restamp or engrave the A-12345............ Only to be told that while A-12345 was the CORRECT number, CR318 was on the paperwork and the Tech Qm's stores register so........... And on it goes. Usually you woukld end up with a compromise and a SA 01 A-xxxxx number would be issued

[billy67]

Yes, there is parts stamps F53 an F54
on the forend, the serial look to be the old one (318848) but I can't confirm 100% because its very worn on the back of the stock and very difficult to read the serial.
here is the pics of the bolt:

[Peter Laidler]

Someone asked me to elaborate on the SA-xx A-xxxxx number that I mentioned. This was a series of numbers issued during the mid 60's or so to replace the earlier Z and ZZ-xxxxx series of numbers issued by the War Office/MoD to Base workshops for weapons with lost, damaged or illegible serial numbers. So you'd occasionally see, on a DP Bren for example DP / ZZ 12345 or SA63A12345.

This number would take preceedence over all other numbers or numbering that may be or become apparent (say for example, if you found the true number in old paperwork) and this number would tie-in with the MoD records that gave the Quartermasted the authority to change his War Office Controlled Stores register (the WOCS book) for short.

The WOCS book contained the details/numbers etc etc of all of the stores deemed particularly valuable and attractive - or just V&A for short and these were only ever issued against an identity card system on a 3 part form called an AFG 1098 A or G. Hence the term 'the G-10 store' Incidentally, if ever there was a fire, earthquake, landslide, flood, tsunami, you can be rest assured that the one thing that was sure to have been destroyed was the QM's WOCS book!

[ssj]

Cool on the bolt, it hasnt been re-numbered by the look of it? I had wondered if this gun wasn't put together from 2 buggered ones sometime later since the stock is probably the earlier number as well except the etching looks so genuine and has F53 on major parts. One of my guns is 308xxx and has far fewer stamps, just S^S out of service all over it, yet this one seems to have lots of other stampings and been well used, I find the difference in the lives of the 2 fascinating.