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Thread: Sterling L2A3 New Zealand Contract Serial Numbers

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  1. #11
    Legacy Member lugerfan's Avatar
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    KR24800 NZicon 705 suncorite, clear markings well refinished but worn deact
    KR25078 NZ 691 refinished Suncorite
    KR25489 NZ 1710 parkerized Deact
    KR25511 NZ1402 some traces of original crackle but now worn Suncorite, UKicon Deact
    KR25644 NZ 83 crackle (worn) deact
    KR25648 NZ 1647 or 1047 suncorite deact
    KR25751 NZ 175 suncorite over crackle worn away in places deact
    KR26012 NZ 462 suncorite worn to parkerized Live ? in NZ
    KR26093 NZ 1604 suncorite deact
    KR26665 NZ Unclear suncorite deact

    Lowest NZ 83, Highest NZ 1710

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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  3. #12
    Contributing Member mrclark303's Avatar
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    While we are on the subject of the glorious L2A3, here's another one I restored and sold a few years back.

    Not an ex NZicon example (KR 53360), but who needs an excuse to post more Sterling pics ....

    Its rare that it was on the UKicon market and not an ex NZ to be honest...

    Attachment 83973Attachment 83972Attachment 83974Attachment 83975Attachment 83976Attachment 83977Attachment 83978

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  6. #13
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    Portugese Army? Was it phosphate or just paint? Looks phosphate in photo 1.

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    Contributing Member mrclark303's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Laidlericon View Post
    Portugese Army? Was it phosphate or just paint? Looks phosphate in photo 1.
    Afternoon Peter, it was in a very battered state when I bought it. Looked like it had been stored out in the open! I cosmetically restored her.

  9. #15
    Contributing Member Woodsy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brit plumber View Post
    One thing I noticed with the Bren is that they started as N^ZA xxxx and ended up with just N^Zxxxx.
    In 1939 when the first Brens arrived, N^ZA meant NZicon Army but as the war progressed distribution of new weapons was made to the Navy and Air Force, so the stamp was changed back to the old N^Z ownership mark.

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  11. #16
    Contributing Member mrclark303's Avatar
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    Any idea what the S stood for at the start of the Census number on my WW1 SMLE Woodsy?

    I assumed​ it stood for Service?

  12. #17
    Contributing Member Woodsy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mrclark303 View Post
    Any idea what the S stood for at the start of the Census number on my WW1 SMLE Woodsy?

    I assumed​ it stood for Service?
    New Zealand has used a variety of markings over the years and the country is divided into 3 military districts which are largely population based. N = Northern (the top half of the North Island, C = Central (the bottom half of the North Island, S = Southern (the whole of the South Island and Stewart Island). In WW2 the Home Guard rifles, which were largely impressed from the civilian poulation with back-up from obsolete Army stores (mainly MLE's), were stamped with a digit from 1 - 10, a bar, followed by a number. 1 = Auckland in the north, 12 = Invercargill in the south. Thus 10/2443 means rifle 2443 in the Christchurch district. After the war these rifles were first offered back to the owners, and the balance were sold at auction (I recently sold a .303 M95 Winchester with the Invercagill number). Whilst the military districts still exist there is no identifying marks placed on weapons these days. The initial 1988 batch of 5,000 Steyr AUG's were supplied from Austriaicon as Lithgowicon had not yet got into production, and the serial number on these rifles began with NZ0001 through to NZ5000. I handled NZ0001 after it was recovered from the field after a couple of months of issue, as it was on its way to the Army Museum where it was meant to go when new (another wee 'oops'!).

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  14. #18
    Contributing Member mrclark303's Avatar
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    Many thanks for the info Woodsy, its the first time I have heard this explained.

    I was wondering what variation of this system was used in WW1. My 1917 Enfield was NZicon marked and census numbered prior to issue to the troops in the UKicon before heading off to Franceicon... Or perhaps marked up and issued at a base workshop in France??

    As my rifle is a 1917 example, it would suggest interestingly that NZ kept largely seperate stores during the Great war.

    I believe it must have been handed back at the end of the war, as I understand NZ troops were issued with new replacement rifles before packing up for home.

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