So i just bought my first enfield no4 mk1 but its different then others.

[rgg_7]

I'd leave the front sight protector alone. Attempting to bend the ears back in place may cause more damage than it's worth.....I've seen this first hand.

Your Enfield has received a few parts over its lifetime. nothing wrong with leaving as is!

Is B18983 a correct 1941 Maltby serial number. When I look it up it shows 1942 Fazakerely. 1941 Maltby suffixes known are "A", "E", "F" and "G".

Ron

[Spaz86]

Looking for marking on enfield's my search got me to this.
No.4 and No.5 rifle serial numbers can readily identify manufacturers. British No.4 rifles have five numbers, usually after one or two letter prefixes. The same letter prefix(es) were used by Maltby, Fazakerley & BSA Shirley, A to Z then AA, AB to AZ, then BA to BZ, CA to CZ &c. Maltby rifle serial numbers commence with a number '1', Fazakerley with a '2' and Shirley with a '3', e.g. 1xxxx for Maltby, 2xxxx for Fazakerley and for Shirley, 3xxxx, after the letter prefix. Late Shirley numbers then supposedly ran A4000 to A7999 and with PS prefixes at the very end of production. Post-war Fazakerley No.4 rifles had PF letter prefixes. The only exception to the 5-number sequence for No.4 rifles was the initial BSA Shirley production which ran from 0001 to 9999 then went with A to Z prefixes (A0001 to A9999 to the Z prefix) and some early dual letter prefixes (e.g. AT 0303), but then went over to A30001, &c. So early M47C No.4 rifle numbers could be confused with the Jungle carbine in having four rather than five numbers.

Long Branch (Canada) serial numbers incorporate an 'L' in the serial number while US Savage numbers include an 'C' in a similar relative position amongst the numbers. Both of these No.4 rifle series commenced with 0L1 and 0C1 respectively.

Source: http://www.enfieldcollector.com/serials.html

[Spaz86]

I am starting to see a pattern from the serial number if that source is correct. It seems the letter before the serial number refers to the batch production then followed by the serial number and the first number indicates what factory it was made at 1xxxx for maltby, 2xxxx for fazakerley, 3xxxx for shirley and who know's what the last 4 number's stand for it could have meant what number of rifle it was in the production line so in theory this could have been rifle 8,983 in the run to keep track of how many was produced per batch I don't know it's just a guess. I know they had to have some way to keep track from what factory with the letter and number combinations and what they meant. Now this is just my opinion on what it seems like is this correct I dont know i just figured i would take a stab at it.

[jrhead75]

Pretty close. The Letter prefixes are just part of the normal sequential progression in order to keep the serial numbers 5 digits long. 10000-19999, A10000-A19999, B10000-B19999...etc. Followed by Z10000-Z19999, AA10000-AA19999, AB10000...and so on. Maltby got up to BZ prefixed numbers by 1945, I believe.

[Surpmil]

Well there you are: Singer Manufacturing. The mark is also seen on Mk.I backsights and Mk.I "button" cocking pieces. IIRC they changed to another less obvious mark later.

In view of what I said before about value, that remark referred to an RSAF Enfield made example.

And considering how thin the tongue on that butt plate looks and the protrusion of the screw heads, someone has held it against the belt sander too long...which no doubt explains the missing nub as well.

Not trying to make a habit out of disagreeing with you rgg_7 , but to me that looks like the original Beech set with the rear handguard swapped out for another later. I would assume that these early forends originally had grooved rear handguards as that was the first pattern was it not? The fluting was rather prone to damage and perhaps swapped out for that reason after getting beaten up during a few years of war service?

If this was a UK FTR would it not be marked as such?

The two groove barrel and two position backsight would not be likely refits in UK service would they? Therefore would they not be original - or else fitted in some other country.

Do I see a hole in the bolt knob Spaz86?

[Spaz86]

Do I see a hole in the bolt knob Spaz86?

Sorry for the last reply to this life gets crazy half of the time lol. no its just flatten at the bottom off the bolt knob like 3/4 full moon style. But i did take it to get appraised about a week ago and by a gun dealer who collects and studies them now its worth around 1500-1800 if he was to sell it in his shop its an early style one of the first batches maltby made and the rifle is all number correct exect for the buttplate and rear hand guard. so really i got the better of the deal and thank you to all of you who bared with me and helping with very nice information.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Is that a two-groove barrel?

[Spaz86]

Yes it is a 2 groove barrel and has the same serial number as the receiver

[Spaz86]

now if i did my research correctly 2 groove barrels was being tested in 1941 as a way to speed up production time and costs

[CowboyBillWatts]

let me see if i understand... your FIRST enfield purchase was a 1941 no4? dang the luck... i've only EVER seen one (1) 1941 no4. it was long branch 0L4991. it was sporterized, chopped to pieces and in terrible condition -- i passed. still looking for my 1941 no4. congrats on yours!!!!!!!