Calvary carbine with altered numbers

[Olddust]

Just thought I would put this out to other Canadian collectors. I came across an ad for a LEC1 in a Canadian gun posting website for sellers/buyers. I called the seller to get pics of bolt and action numbers to see if they matched, and if the gun was in the RCMP depot list. Bolt and action did not match but the kicker was the serial number on the action. Knowing that LEC 1 production was less than 14000 total it raised my eyebrows. Looking it over close it appears that the first and last number had been “added” to the original serial and yes the gun was listed in the rcmp depot list. But at some point “someone” decided it needed its numbers changed. I passed.
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[smle addict]

Smart move. Something like that raises many red-flags, which it did with you. I wouldn't go near that.

[Roger Payne]

It is possible that someone wanted to lose it from the system & ensure if a search was ever made the serial number would not give it away. It looks nice, but I immediately wonder if it has been stolen at some time.....?? (Not suggesting the current owner is necessarily in any way guilty of anything.....just that this could have happened at some point).

[Olddust]

I came to the conclusion it had to at some time been taken from its rightful owner. I agree one cannot cant say the current owner did this.However its now his problem and one I dont want as mne. My original thought was it was a made up Carbine. But the wrist stamp is far more complex and correct. Plus The bolt is not a carbine bolt.
I am willing to go to great lengths to restore a rifle back to original. I just cannot change a rifles serial. Even though this would be making the gun
“More correct” a person doing so would now face the possibility of the gun being on a record in some agency as STOLEN

[Warren]

Another possibility is that some police forces would not accept anything less than a 5 or 6 digit number for registration.
It could have been done during WW 2 when some items had to be registered to "aliens" in Canada
I have a few items so marked up...

[tatou]

The now abolished Canadian long gun registry required all firearms to be register.
I know Lee Enfield's with their original and sometimes redondant same serial numbers often cause the person assisting in the registration to be quite confused.
So like Warren said, it is possible a previous owner decided to have a couple more numbers added in a similar font to avoid defacing it further more.
I don't remember but i don't think a certain number of digits were required but there was a great deal of confusion and lack of knowledge at that time, by the persons doing the registration.
I was personally told that it was impossible that a Ross rifle serial number be on the wood butt stock... no amount of arguing made any difference.

[Olddust]

I did go through the process with the long gun registry. One of my 22 rifles had no serial at all. They issued a sticker with a Identity number to afffix to the piece. Sounds much simpler than modifying the serial with steel stamps. I cant see how an owner would choose to stamp the steel, before applying a sticker.

[Warren]

They did not have the stickers in WW 2
The past registry attempt did issue stickers but not then.

[Surpmil]

Judging by the fonts and overall appearance something that was done long, long ago IMHO.

[StratA]

The now abolished Canadian long gun registry required all firearms to be register.
I know Lee Enfield's with their original and sometimes redondant same serial numbers often cause the person assisting in the registration to be quite confused.
So like Warren said, it is possible a previous owner decided to have a couple more numbers added in a similar font to avoid defacing it further more.
I don't remember but i don't think a certain number of digits were required but there was a great deal of confusion and lack of knowledge at that time, by the persons doing the registration.
I was personally told that it was impossible that a Ross rifle serial number be on the wood butt stock... no amount of arguing made any difference.

Yah, that was an interesting experience. All of my various SMLE / Lee Enfield .22s ended up being listed in the registry as Lee Enfield,.303

Accuracy in description didn't seem to be the point.