No.3 MK 1, need a little id help *photo heavy*

[southwind]

I am mainly a US military collector shooter but I bought this at an auction 20 plus years ago and really have no knowledge base on Enfield's other than the pattern 17.

Anyway, this rifle's stock has so many stamps on it I just thought I would show you most of what I could and hopefully some of you will be able to tell me what I have.

Information

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[Parashooter]

Not a "No.3 MK 1" but rather an SMLE MK III* (No.1 MK III*), made at Australia's Lithgow factory. See https://www.milsurps.com/content.php...Infantry-Rifle for details including an explanation of the aftermarket "JJCO" marking.

[southwind]

Not a "No.3 MK 1" but rather an SMLE MK III* (No.1 MK III*), made at Australia's Lithgow factory. See https://www.milsurps.com/content.php...Infantry-Rifle for details including an explanation of the aftermarket "JJCO" marking.

Does anyone know what years the John Jovino Co imported these?

[southwind]

Well I found it was the 80's and 90's. Interesting history on Jovino as well with it being the oldest gun shop in NY and claimed as the oldest in the US too. I guess the modern version of Henry Rifles is part of the Jovino family too.

[browningautorifle]

As he says...just a clean example of an Australian rifle produced for WW2. Nice end war marks and the marking disc...Artillery? Cocking piece is Enfield, otherwise looks to be all Aussie...

By the way, welcome to the forum...

[Bruce_in_Oz]

The "rounded" cocking piece was the "correct' one for early SMLE's, even those built a Lithgow. That specimen is certainly an Enfield product, but there was a fair bit of 'cross-pollination" going on almost from the beginning.

The rounded shape was supposed to "minimise" hand damage during bayonet fighting. Remember that the rifle was seen as a "bayonet extender" that could, occasionally, lower the "tone" of the battlefield and actually be used to fire bullets in the general direction of the enemy.

The "block with grooves" cocking piece was a "temporary" WW1 "relaxation"; much cheaper to make the grasping end.

That "simplified" pattern ended up staying to the end of Oz SMLE building in the mid 1950's.

BOTH patterns were acceptable in repairs / rebuild, as long as they were dimensionally and functionally correct.

The number of Lithgow rifles that ended up buried in French / Belgian mud, rebuilt in British arsenals or dumped at sea post war, certainly skews any analysis of production. And then there was the sizeable quantity shipped to Britain, post Dunkirk, during the Second Great Unpleasantness and subsequently lost, rebuilt, "dumped" or "surplussed".

And then there are those like the "J. J. Co" multitudes.

[browningautorifle]

The rounded shape was supposed to "minimise" hand damage during bayonet fighting.

Interesting concept. The least of issues during bayonet fighting...yes, I've heard that one before about that part.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Nice Lithgow. J. Jovino must have imported containers full of the Lithgow inventory back in the day. Everything from nice been there don that originals like this on to Bitsters assembled in house.

[mrclark303]

I think the 5/45 mark is a refurbishment to store mark.

[Homer]

AGA - Australian Garrison Artillery.

The butt is originally off another rifle but the stamps indicate a refurb in the orange factory in 1945.