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Legacy Member
Almost certain sure no P14 were stamped RSA in the Republic of South Africa, which only existed since 1961. Especially if it is still 303. We never had many P14 in any case. They would be stamped with the British arrow in a U, which was the military ownership stamp.
Probably slightly off centre stamped BSA.
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03-16-2017 04:19 AM
# ADS
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Contributing Member
I can see where the some material was removes from the receiver ring to permit ejection of a longer cartridge. May I enquire as to the caliber of the rifle? I believe there are ways to recover the original markings and serial number on the receiver even as scrubbed as that one.
--fjruple
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Legacy Member
Originally Posted by
Surpmil
They were D&T'd for the then ubiquitous Lyman 48 I believe.
Another one
here
Well I'll be. The hole spacing seemed a little wide for a Lyman and with it being done in England I assumed they would have used a Parker-Hale. Proven wrong again! Bill
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Contributing Member
Originally Posted by
fjruple
I believe there are ways to recover the original markings and serial number on the receiver even as scrubbed as that one.
I was watching a television documentary a month or two back concerning a Mafia killing during the Prohibition period (in Chicago I think?). Interestingly, the U.S. Police still had the Thompson SMGs which were used and the Police got them out for the documentary so that they could be filmed. The Police officer went on to explain that the serial number on at least one had been removed, presumably in the belief that it would make the weapon untraceable, but the Police had done some sort of procedure to "recover" the serial number from the weapon. He didn't get into details of how the serial number had been recovered, only that it had been removed but the Police had recovered it.
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Legacy Member
I think they use something like X-Ray crystallography. This shows up the different (distorted) crystal structure in the metal beneath where the stamping was done. Machine-engraved markings produce MUCH less substrate distortion and that is why they are "discouraged" in most manufacturing countries.
Note the recent use of serial numbers that have been marked using some sort of oscillating pointed tool that "pecks" the number into just about any surface and, yes, it will leave "shadows" in the base metal.
Machine-engraved markings seem to be quite common on "military" goodies, though.
Welding over the original numbers may "obliterate" them, BUT, the "signature" of a"weld-over" is even harder to disguise than a deep "linish". You may not be able to read all or any of the original markings, but it does draw the crabs, somewhat.
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Contributing Member
Originally Posted by
Flying10uk
I was watching a television documentary a month or two back concerning a Mafia killing during the Prohibition period (in Chicago I think?). Interestingly, the U.S. Police still had the Thompson SMGs which were used and the Police got them out for the documentary so that they could be filmed. The Police officer went on to explain that the serial number on at least one had been removed, presumably in the belief that it would make the weapon untraceable, but the Police had done some sort of procedure to "recover" the serial number from the weapon. He didn't get into details of how the serial number had been recovered, only that it had been removed but the Police had recovered it.
If these Thompsons were original Colt built Thompsons there is a hidden serial number stamped into the frame under the foregrip mounting bracket. Back in those days it was not against the law to deface the serial number on a firearm in the US. It only became a requirement to place a serial number on a production firearm in 1968.
--fjruple
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Thank You to fjruple For This Useful Post:
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Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
oldfoneguy
Well I'll be. The hole spacing seemed a little wide for a Lyman and with it being done in
England I assumed they would have used a Parker-Hale. Proven wrong again! Bill
Not proven: "I believe..." was as far as I can go
Last edited by Surpmil; 03-25-2017 at 10:11 PM.
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”
Edward Bernays, 1928
Much changes, much remains the same.
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Advisory Panel
Further to last, it is B.S.A. for certain. Those markings can be seen on a quite a few of these rifles, over the filled in "swimming pool" relief cut. "Made in England" should be "Re-made in England" in this case.
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”
Edward Bernays, 1928
Much changes, much remains the same.
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