Need help with brass disk and stock markings on LEC Mk.I

S

Sasquatch807

Regular
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
501   0   0
Location
North-Central Quebec
Hi again, Got this 1898 LEC Mk.I on the weekend and need help with the markings.

I assume the M&D means Militia and Defense. Do the arrows pointing at each other mean something?

What do the disk markings stand for?

Why is there a number 1 under the roman numeral I. ?

Thanks for any help.



IMG_0982.jpg
 
Nice score! The two arrows facing each other indicate "Sold out of service".
The QOCH presumably refers to the Queen's Own Canadian Hussars of Military District 6 (Quebec)
as this weapon is way to old to be Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders who only got that name in the 1920s...
The "1" under the "I*" beats me!

Cheers, Joe
 
The top number "I" indicates the mark of the rifle. MkI, MkII etc

The lower "1" indicates that the class of the rifle. 1st class would be a current fighting arm, while 2nd class would indicate an older arm or one that due to age or condition is no longer considered a 'front line' weapon.

Check out the website - martinihenry.com

Nice rifle by the way, what is its overall condition?
 
Thanks, Joe. That makes a lot of sense about the QOCH, as this rifle belonged to the grandfather of the gentleman I got it from. In 1912, the man in question was in command of Quebec's 5th Military District, and was later named Brigadier-General during the Great War.

Joe D said:
Nice score! The two arrows facing each other indicate "Sold out of service".
The QOCH presumably refers to the Queen's Own Canadian Hussars of Military District 6 (Quebec)
as this weapon is way to old to be Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders who only got that name in the 1920s...
The "1" under the "I*" beats me!

Cheers, Joe
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the info 37patt,

The rifle is in all original condition, all matching numbers. It is only missing the firing pin screw. Bore can be described as good. Headspace is excellent as bolt doesn't even come close to closing on the no-go gauge. There is a bit of outside surface rust, mostly on chamber area of barrel (from neglectful storage) and the leather sight protector is slightly dried up and cracking a bit. It came with another LEC, tastefully sportered, with the original owner's name inscribed on the brass disc. Both rifles had been passed down in the same family since being sold out of service.

IMG_0986.jpg


37patt said:
The top number "I" indicates the mark of the rifle. MkI, MkII etc

The lower "1" indicates that the class of the rifle. 1st class would be a current fighting arm, while 2nd class would indicate an older arm or one that due to age or condition is no longer considered a 'front line' weapon.

Check out the website - martinihenry.com

Nice rifle by the way, what is its overall condition?
Click to expand...
 
Very nice rifle Sasquatch807. I picked one up last summer and apart from someone taking an angle grinder to the front sight ears, it's in very nice shape.

No leather sight cover but the screws are there, and the butt has all its original markings in very good condition. Enjoy yours, they are a lot of fun to shoot.
 
I do reload, but for .303 I just use whatever I have on hand. The vast majority has been surplus military Mk VII and Mk VIII from Canada. I also have to feed my Enfields and a Ross.
 
What a find! You'd better see what other parts of his patrimony he wants to flog for some quick cash.

Medals, uniforms? Letters home?

:rolleyes: ;)
 
Hi RRCo., There was no shortage of pictures, medals, awards, etc. He kept those, it really wasn't a question of quick cash. This elderly gentleman only had a PAL in order to keep his ancestors rifles and it was up for renewal. He didn't want to go through the hassle of renewing it and didn't want to deal with Quebec's upcoming long-gun registry. He let me have them because he knew I was going to restore them and put them in my collection. He had pictures of his grandfather accompanying the prince of Wales (Edward VIII) on a 1919 visit of Québec and the same with Maréchal Foch in 1921.


RRCo. said:
What a find! You'd better see what other parts of his patrimony he wants to flog for some quick cash.

Medals, uniforms? Letters home?

:rolleyes: ;)
Click to expand...
 
Sasquatch807 said:
Hi RRCo., There was no shortage of pictures, medals, awards, etc. He kept those, it really wasn't a question of quick cash. This elderly gentleman only had a PAL in order to keep his ancestors rifles and it was up for renewal. He didn't want to go through the hassle of renewing it and didn't want to deal with Quebec's upcoming long-gun registry. He let me have them because he knew I was going to restore them and put them in my collection. He had pictures of his grandfather accompanying the prince of Wales (Edward VIII) on a 1919 visit of Québec and the same with Maréchal Foch in 1921.
Click to expand...

Excuse my cynicism. Seen it too many times!

Now what's this about "restoring them"!!?? ;)
 
Are you asking about the "restoring" or "them?
"Them" is because there was three other sporting guns with the LEC.
"Restoring" is because they were neglectfully stored at some point in their history and are covered with some surface rust. Two of the others have serious corrosion on the barrels.


RRCo. said:
Excuse my cynicism. Seen it too many times!

Now what's this about "restoring them"!!?? ;)
Click to expand...
 
Sasquatch807 said:
Are you asking about the "restoring" or "them?
"Them" is because there was three other sporting guns with the LEC.
"Restoring" is because they were neglectfully stored at some point in their history and are covered with some surface rust. Two of the others have serious corrosion on the barrels.
Click to expand...

Got it. ;)

Last name begin with a W or a T by any chance?
 
Your carbine appears to be one of the batch of 2500 carbines purchased by the Canadian Govt in fiscal year 98/99. (Edgecombe. Defending the Dominium, p160)

2200 carbines were purchased and supplied directly from the Enfield factory, the rest of the order was filled with another 300 that were taken from inventory in British Army Stores (Weedon?) and were marked with the opposing broad arrows to denote 'sold out of stores' which were no doubt applied to the arm at the UK end. There will be similar markings on the receiver ring left side and the barrel reinforce. This carbine likely did its tour of service wearing the double broad arrows. So in this case not strictly a 'sold out of service' marking.

My 1898 LEC is similarly marked. Serial 160A.

The double broad arrow is a topic for great discussion, its use and significance has undoubtedly changed over the years.

You have a very nice carbine and it has great provenance. Clean it gently, it is quite valuable.
 
Thanks Englishman, and yes, it does have the "similar markings on the receiver ring left side and the barrel reinforce".


englishman_ca said:
Your carbine appears to be one of the batch of 2500 carbines purchased by the Canadian Govt in fiscal year 98/99. (Edgecombe. Defending the Dominium, p160)

2200 carbines were purchased and supplied directly from the Enfield factory, the rest of the order was filled with another 300 that were taken from inventory in British Army Stores (Weedon?) and were marked with the opposing broad arrows to denote 'sold out of stores' which were no doubt applied to the arm at the UK end. There will be similar markings on the receiver ring left side and the barrel reinforce. This carbine likely did its tour of service wearing the double broad arrows. So in this case not strictly a 'sold out of service' marking.

My 1898 LEC is similarly marked. Serial 160A.

The double broad arrow is a topic for great discussion, its use and significance has undoubtedly changed over the years.

You have a very nice carbine and it has great provenance. Clean it gently, it is quite valuable.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom