303 enfield strange marking PICS ADDED

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gerard488

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I picked up an enfield today with markings that seem strange, .303" 2.22 18 1/2 tons is stamped on the barrel right side in front of the bayonet lug. englan (missing the d) is stamped on receiver behind barrel on top right, No4 Mk1 on left side of receiver.
Lightly stamped 1942 S0 888 on butt socket, lightly stamped F or B or 8 or R on flat spot on top of barrel above chamber. S0 888 stamped on bolt handle. Pics may be hard to get but I will try tomorrow. wondering if anyone can shed some light on those marks.
Thanks in advance for any info.
 
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the barrel end is commercial proof marks from the uk when it got sold out of service, the rest sound pretty common, s0 888 is the serial, bolt is numbered to the gun
 
For the British commercial proofs, .303 is the calibre, 2.22 is the case length in inches and 18 1/2 Tons is the proof pressure.

Regards
TonyE
 
No, no u.s. stamp. The s prefix in serial no is confusing. There is a straight mark stamped on the flat spot on top of barrel above the chamber, looks like an ! without the dot that is thicker at one end, some of the marks are too small to really see. I`ll try to get some pics up later today looks like the serial # was S0888 with the 8`s really faint but was later stamped
S0
888
 
now I'm curious what you have there, pictures and smellie's participation should help get this straightened out....
 
"...a straight mark..." Don't worry about odd marks. The Brits and a lot of Third World users of Lee-Enfields had all kinds of daft marks. Sometimes what appears to be an official stamp is just a nick in the steel. Ditto for light stamps. The workies in the assorted plants were union plugs in the UK and just a guy who knew somebody elsewhere.
 
Yes, I would think a very early Shirley.

Date would be about right: it takes time to set up a new factory and get it into operation..... and the panic (with ensuant BSA participation) did not set in until after May, 1940. That was when the Gummint finally understood that they had wasted 7 years while Hitler had been arming..... and BSA (and the 'crackpots' such as Winston) had been warning them.
 
303 enfield strange marking

There is also an H stamped on the bottom of the barrel. hidden by the forend.
 
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looks like an early shirley, savage made trigger guard/mag well plate, installed anytime from during the until now, if the rifle needed repair, the parts came from where ever was most convenient, be it another damaged rifle, or a factory parts bin.

early button style cocking piece, wartime expedient friction fit front sight base, but the better back cut front sight post. seems odd that the No4 Mk1 is electropenciled, and there is a strange weld seam at the front of the reciever that is unusual to me
 
I just had a look and what looks like a weld seam at the front of the receiver is actually spilled varnish or whatever someone used to refinish the stock.
 
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