Sterling Contract info

[mrclark303]

Afternoon guys,

I know its difficult to know regarding Sterling SMG contracts, but any idea of the year and end user of S21977

Its been procured by a New Zealand based collector, I offered to enquire on his behalf.

Cheers, John.

Information

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[Lee Enfield]

So far as i'm aware, due to the missing sales records, all you can prove is some time after 1972.

However, looking at the commercial sales numbers in the last years of known serial numbers, estimate an average of 1500-2000 guns per year, putting it sometime between 1980-86, probably closer to '85-'86.

what year codes are the plastic pistol grip, barrel & bolt marked with?

[mrclark303]

So far as i'm aware, due to the missing sales records, all you can prove is some time after 1972.

However, looking at the commercial sales numbers in the last years of known serial numbers, estimate an average of 1500-2000 guns per year, putting it sometime between 1980-86, probably closer to '85-'86.

what year codes are the plastic pistol grip, barrel & bolt marked with?

Thanks for that info, very helpful, I will enquire and see what comes back, cheers, John.

[Vincent]

Pictures, Mate! We need to see pictures.

BTW, The highest “S” prefix I have seen is S22432.

[Lee Enfield]

Pictures, Mate! We need to see pictures.

BTW, The highest “S” prefix I have seen is S22432.

here's one on the 24000 range, and Brian Dick claimed in another thread that he had a dealer sample somewhere over S30,000

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=43776 post # 25

[mrclark303]

Pictures, Mate! We need to see pictures.

BTW, The highest “S” prefix I have seen is S22432.

I will enquire if its ok to share the images and post if I can mate ....

I would have loved that cutaway Sterling, that one got past me!

[Vincent]

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/674938660

That one rates in the top ten of nasty. On the bright side, it’s a peach compared to the rental at our local indoor range. It’s a testament to the design that they actually run.

Speaking of rentals, there’s one that has been averaging about 2,500 rounds a week (double on a holiday weekend) for over ten years now. They keep it on the wall behind a glass counter that contains the carcasses of worn out MP5’s. The old Sterling outlasted all them and still runs like a top.

[Lee Enfield]

That one rates in the top ten of nasty. On the bright side, it’s a peach compared to the rental at our local indoor range. It’s a testament to the design that they actually run.

Speaking of rentals, there’s one that has been averaging about 2,500 rounds a week (double on a holiday weekend) for over ten years now. They keep it on the wall behind a glass counter that contains the carcasses of worn out MP5’s. The old Sterling outlasted all them and still runs like a top.

One of my buddy's used to call the MP5 "a policeman's gun" only works when it's kept clean, and rather too delicate for real world military operations.

He direct ordered & imported a Police Carbine from Sterling c.1969-70.

over his time he owned more uncommon MGs, Owen Gun, Star Z.45, all the Thompsons, all the Stens, Sterling L2A3's & Police Carbines. I thought the Hotchkiss Universal just too weird, and the MAS-38 just underpowered.

His last remaining MGs were a Lines Brothers Sten Mk3 (the last MG he bought), Long Branch Sten Mk2, M.21A Thompson & a MAT49.


When we cleaned out his gun room, I pulled a mini Uzi & 6 stick mags out of a "go bag".... it was the mags that gave away that it was a (really good copy) Full Auto co2 BB gun.

[Gil Boyd]

I was going through the Parker Hale files on L81A2 Cadets and there are loads on file recorded, and just happened on several KR 40272 - KR42128 Sterlings recorded for FYI.
Didn't realise there were so many GPMG's went through them either!

[Vincent]

here's one on the 24000 range, and Brian Dick claimed in another thread that he had a dealer sample somewhere over S30,000

I am still not sure about the 24000 ones. It looks like a reversed “S” to me. A “2” is flat on the bottom.

Brian Dick’s S33783 is the highest I have heard of.