Indian reworked No. 5 from 1944?

[Promo]

I bought two No. 5 Carbines which I received today .. and one of them has really odd features which I've never seen before with a No. 5 - and I've had probably 10 of these already.

The receiver bears old, filed off markings. Above them is written "No. 5", below that "11/44" (?).

Also note the serial on the receiver which is really low (00049), and matching to the serial on the bolt. The receiver ring has only FR markings on the left side, plus Indian markings on the right side.

Could this be one of the first ever produced No. 5 rifles, which was later overhauled in an Indian arsenal?

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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.

[Roger Payne]

The very first production batch of No5's were made by Faz in early 1944 - officially March, IIRC. They are all serially numbered in the FE prefix block. I bought one recently as a renovation project & it is in fact electro pencilled 1/44 & the 1 has then been over engraved to read 2/44. The rifle still exhibits the early flash eliminator with the 'ears' straight rather than bent outwards at the top. Mine is FE 3XX.

Hope this helps.

ATB

[5thBatt]

I have a 4/44 serial number 524, i have posted it here before so if you go to my profile you should find some photos of it

[Peter Laidler]

A simple 44 - 75 certainly looks early and maybe pre 1/44 I'd venture to suggest.

[Roger Payne]

Thanks for that Peter - yes, maybe it is - I couldn't make out the lower line of markings on the receiver side wall. Your eyes have obviously fared better with age than mine....

Promo, do you have a photo of the possible '11/44' marking?

[Promo]

Roger, as far as I remember it has the "straight" front sight hood. So it's one of the early rifles. The only thing I am still not sure, did the Indians add the serial to the receiver and to the bolt, or are these factory serial numbers? The one on the bolt is really deeply struck, but were the original serials rather faint, to allow scrubbing and to add new ones?

[Peter Laidler]

The stamped-in numbers were done during it's Indian FR. These are typical of their FR standards.

Were the factory serial numbers etched feintly in order that they might be easily linished out and......... Definately NO! They were engraved lightly because......... well....., because that's just how they did it at Fazakerley - on everything!

[Roger Payne]

Hi Promo. Yes, I'd agree absolutely with Peter - even the font is typical, & No4's & No5's were re-numbered according to the system the Indians used on the RHS of the receiver ring. I don't know why there, but maybe because that's where the serial numbers are on SMLE's & LLE's. You can see that they also put their own markings on the RHS of the butt socket under the bolt handle........again perhaps because old habits die hard, & that's where the manufacturer's markings & so on are on SMLE's & earlier rifles.

[Promo]

I did some more pictures of these faint markings ... probably they answer what your question was? As said, to me it looks like 11/44, but I might be wrong.

[Peter Laidler]

Could it be 11/44 followed, closely by the serial number D875 which puts it into the bog-standard category!