NZ marked ROFM 1941 No4T

[tonyd]

From memory that forend is savage marked and no serial numbers at all.

[jonh172]

When did the DE over crown stamp come into play again?
I don’t see it above the wrist left of the bolt race.

[smle addict]

If you are referring to the D6/E stamp, I believe it was applied sometime in 1943. I'm sure Roger can add much more than I can, but the 1943's are an interesting bunch. I have a a few 1943 T's, and they run the gamut from no "T", no D6/E, no S or S51 to having them all in the span of a years time. As others have said earlier, 1943 seems to be the year the markings were mostly standardized. I say "mostly" because I also have a 1941 maltby T, and the "T" and "TR" were both applied later on the butt socket.

Roy- that's a beauty of a rifle, by the way!

[Surpmil]

Yes, and the D6E stamp was supposed to go on at the end of the conversion, except I have an unconverted TR 1944 M47C action with the D6 and D7 stamps showing.

[Roger Payne]

Me too. I've also owned early H&H conversions (B 1941 & ROFM 1941 rifles) that DID have the D6E Harry Hardwick examiner's stamp, but not at the rear of the body in the usual place, rather stamped on the edge of the Knox of the barrel! I kid ye not.... IIRC I posted a photo in a previous thread a few years ago. However, I'm sure smle addict is quite correct about the general significance of 1943 becoming the year of standardisation of markings.

[mrclark303]

I find the census number very interesting, I am assuming the '20' under the NZ marking is the *Census number.

I've never seen a two digit number, so I wonder if the batch of 4T's provided was sequentially numbered?

* NZ individually numbered all service firearms, from the P53,(or perhaps Snider) through to the L1A1 and the Sterling.

Finally discontinuing the numbering system in 1959.

[Lee Enfield]

Yes, and the D6E stamp was supposed to go on at the end of the conversion, except I have unconverted TR 1944 M47C action with the D6 and D7 stamps showing.

I had a "post war" dated "commercial" BSA No4MkI which had the D6E inspectors stamp in the conventional No4T location.

Raises the question of whether the rifle was returned to BSA by H&H, or was D6E based at BSA?

I find the census number very interesting, I am assuming the '20' under the NZ marking is the *Census number.

I've never seen a two digit number, so I wonder if the batch of 4T's provided was sequentially numbered?
...snip....

My NZ property marked 1942 dated Savage No4MkI(T) has a low survey number IIRC.

[tonyd]

I find the census number very interesting, I am assuming the '20' under the NZ marking is the *Census number.

I've never seen a two digit number, so I wonder if the batch of 4T's provided was sequentially numbered?

* NZ individually numbered all service firearms, from the P53,(or perhaps Snider) through to the L1A1 and the Sterling.

Finally discontinuing the numbering system in 1959.

I also have been noting the rack numbers on the NZ marked Ts as I see them. 12,20,33,49,64,71 so far I'm sure there will be more I will come across one day.

[mrclark303]

I also have been noting the rack numbers on the NZ marked Ts as I see them. 12,20,33,49,64,71 so far I'm sure there will be more I will come across one day.

Very interesting Tony, so it appears the No4T's did receive their own (presumably sequencel) census number range?

[tonyd]

Well yes it certainly looks like the NZ purchased ones did, the story is we got a batch of 100 in the 50s. #33 has 33 0f 100 stamped into the wrist.