"A" Suffix on a No.4 Enfield Serial Number

.223Savage

.223Savage

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MY son recently acquired a No. 4 with the following matching serial number "X20---A". All the metal was present and in good shape but the wood had been sporterized by Bubba.

According to Stratton's book, the "X" prefix indicates the gun was made by BSA-Shirley in 1942 but I can't seem to find anything about the "A" suffix. I seem to recall something to the effect that the "A" suffix indicated that there were non-standard parts on the rifle. This possibility is seemingly supported by the fact that the barrel has very course machining marks on it and a standard bayonet will not fit on the muzzle as it is .007" oversize.It almost seems that the barrel needed a final pass on a lathe to be standard. Even the lady at the CFC said that their software did not accept a letter to end the serial number. I also recall that these "A" suffix rifles were supposed to be removed from service at the first opportunity for repair.

I have a couple of questions for the Enfield gurus out there:
- Is the above theory about the "A" suffix correct? Is there some source for further details?

- Does this add any value to this rifle? Would it be worth the expense of adding a good set of wood to?

Thanks.
 
"X" is correct for a 1942 BSA Shirley produced No4.

"A" means it was fitted with non interchangeable parts sometime in its service life. Generally this meant a bolt which was researialized with the same number. This may detract from the value of the rifle, especially to a collector.....certainly won't add value.

On restoration to full wood...post a picture...the rifle should have its original barrel and not be cut back. Length is 25.25" and must have the baynot lugs. Good set of wood will probably set you back $200.00 to 250.00....must be walnut and not beech to be correct for this rifle.
 
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Hope this helps ... :)

Regards,
Badger
 
The -A- Suffix was a gun made of usually pre-WW2 parts

The A suffix rifles you will notice of you examine them all- are usually made after I believe --Dunkirk.

The sheer volume of Enfields left on the shores on France left the English with less that 60,000 first rate front line new rifles.

So all pre war No4 rifles that were in the experimental batch and all parts that were still laying around from the production in the thirties--was all used to build as many rifles in as short a production time as possible.

Remember the NAZI forces were a tthis time seriously thinking of invading and England needed a many new rifles as possible.

Also during this time the requirements of production engineering tolerances were greatly relaxed to mquicken the production and hence assembly of all a Lee Enfield rifle.

ALL THESE RIFLES that receives either parts from the earlier prototype production rifles --what was that model the No1 MKVI no1 MK6?

Anyway these rifles had been torn down to parts and their parts used in new rifles these got the --A-- suffix.

Also production tolerances on, sears, boltheads, bolts, and receivers, was relaxed so as to speed both production and to speed the hand building of each and every rifle all these rifles got the --A-- suffix.

So look at this rifle as a rifle that was built at a time Britain was fighting for her life and at that time it was not known if she would survive the fight.

After a number of months, the production that was delivered into the hands of the British army had risen to such a level that no further rifles were assembled with parts from the pre-war prototype/production No1 MKVI rifles.

All manufacturing tolerances were again returned to normal the fit and finish returning to it's former glorry.

No one can tell you what exact part in yor rifle will be one of these parts. The -A- suffix was to alert unit armourers and rebuild facilities that that rifle was a non-standard rifle and you cannot just willy nilly replace parts and expect the same result at the end of the rebuild program as would be expected of the average Enfield.

So you have a true piece of history.
A rifle that helped turn the tide against the Nazi forces by even just being there in the hands of a soldier and yo ucan be assured that each and every --A-- suffix rifle was used in this WAR EMERGENCY.

There is the true --A-- suffix story.

Regards
Terry in Victoria
 
Yep, additionally, rifles that got non-standard ersatz parts, such as uncammed safeties, were often A suffixed. Shouldn't affect value IMHO.
 
This just in on the Jouster site by some fellow named Laidler, who claims to be familiar with the British Firearms. :)

If you have a rifle with an A suffix number, then this generally means '....which bear the suffix letter 'A' to the serial number, eg 444A, are fitted with components which are not generally interchangeable and care must be taken when changing such components. When a replacement is required and a spare component will not fit, the rifle will be exchanged'

This doesn't only apply to rifles, but many Stens and Brens and a couple of No8's too. Albion No2 revolvers were another! Take Brens for example............. If one slipped in the jig while being machined then instead of being scrapped, it would initially be side-tracked to a 'rectification' bay where it would be examined and corrected. In this case, if the butt slide was adjusted to fit, then the gun would have an A suffix. One seen recently was H.5542-A

Many No8 rifles were also 'A' suffixed due to being undersize at the muzzle, requiring a sleeve between the barrel and the foresight block band. Armourers used the 'A' suffix as a reminder that there could be difficulties ahead.

There, another useless bit of Enfield info for you........
Click to expand...
 
I would suggest that an A suffix is an interesting historical tidbit. Nothing earthshaking, but just a reminder of the conditions under which these rifles were being made. The substitute standard parts aren't seen in rifles all that often, they were culled out. A No. 4 made at the height of the emergency period, with many of the original cheap parts still present would not be a common rifle.
 
Somewhere in my parts bin, I have substitute standard safety lever I took out of a 1942 "a suffixed" fax No.4 a few years ago. It otherwise was a standard rifle. The safety looks like any other except the helix cam was not machined and there is nothing to stop the bolt from opening when the safety is applied.

Most of these were removed and replaced post-war, so any such A-suffixed rifle (usually early 1942 production) would likely long since have been made "standard". They never bothered cancelling out the A suffixes as far as I can tell.
 
Claven2 said:
Somewhere in my parts bin, I have substitute standard safety lever I took out of a 1942 "a suffixed" fax No.4 a few years ago. It otherwise was a standard rifle. The safety looks like any other except the helix cam was not machined and there is nothing to stop the bolt from opening when the safety is applied.

Most of these were removed and replaced post-war, so any such A-suffixed rifle (usually early 1942 production) would likely long since have been made "standard". They never bothered cancelling out the A suffixes as far as I can tell.
Click to expand...

I also have a few of the slab sided cocking pieces kicking around without the half #### endent.

I'm still looking for a rifle with the 3 land and groove barrel.
 
I've also had loose bolt bodies with flat-sided cocking pieces that were also not serrated. Weird lookign things, huh? They also bring good coin on the 'bay. ;)
 
LB standardized on the fabricated trigger guard, and used them through the early '50s. It is an attractive, servicable part, even though stamped, welded, etc. The British stamped guard isn't seen very often - the basic frame was formed from keystock, and the trigger guard would look better on a Sten.
 
Folks, thank you all for the excellent input, it confirms that the rifle was assembled in a time when the Brits needed every available weapon. It is a good shooter, under 1.5" at 100 yards off a bag. As you can see from the picture my son set it up as a tribute to the Enforcer model. Thanks again.
Enforcer03.jpg
 
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