Lee-Enfield No.5 Mk.1 question

Hi-Standard

Hi-Standard

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Just a quick note to pick your brains. I recently purchased a No. 5 Mk.1(Jungle Carbine). The serial number is AB 8###. There is an (F) which I assume is Royal Ordinance Factory Fazackerly. The date of manufacture is 8/47. There is also a number 32 in white paint on the buttstock. A rack number possibly? I have read that production of the No.5's stopped in May of '47,(mine is 8 or August '47). And that all the real No.5's only had a one letter prefex before the 4 digit serial number. While mine is AB 8###. This could be a real shame since the bolt, receiver, mag, and even the wood all match. Yes the wood is stamped AB 8### just behind the nose cap. Did I purchase a fake?
 
check under the upper handguard, if the knox form has machined lightening cuts it should be real.


edit: the rear sight should only go to 800 yards awell. if you have a number 4 to compare it too, the lighening cuts on the receiver will be really noticeable.
 
Mine is AA 67XX, made at ROF(F) Fazackerly in 05/47. IIRC production ended early '48, I also remember reading a post with a AB ###X serial number so it is likely legit.

There are those much more in the know than me so they can enlighten you more than I can.

The matching markings you mention are standard markings, they are on the bolt, front and rear wood, receiver, barrel and mag of mine as well...sounds like you have a nice example there.

Cheers
 
Yes the lightening cuts are on the knoxform, and the barrel is also marked AB 8###. The rear sight is also graduated to only 800 yards. And the rear site also has a "B" stamped on it. The bolt, which is matching has the handle and the locking lug hollowed out as well. I'm curious about that AB prefex though. And I could not find a (ROF) just an (F) stenciled on the left side of the receiver. Along with the date (8/47) and No.5 Mk.1.
 
No.4 ( top ) , No.5 ( bottom )
No5No4.jpg


Notice the flutes on the barrel and also below the rearsight where there is more of a space than the No.4
 
There is a metal nosecap on the forestock, so I know that the rifle is not a BSA Shirley. I believe that only the Fazakerlys had this. unfortunatly, I don't have a digital camera at this time so I cannot post any pics.
 
It sounds legitimate. My 4/47 Faz is also numbered beyond what Mr. Skennerton listed in his last edition. My ser no. is an "AA" with metal cap also. Lots are reported after what he knew at that time.

And there are lots that don't have "ROF", for example, mine is stamped

No. 5 MK I (F). F is Fazakerley as you say, they didn't bother with the ROF in all cases for some reason, or after a certain date perhaps.

Og
 
No5 nosecaps

The nose caps were not individual to just ROF Faz.

The difference is the rifles with the nosecaps and those that have no nosecaps is just early and late models from both BSa and ROF-F.

I have both early BSA abd ROF-F and late No5's from both ROF-F and BSA both groups have all the same basic parts the nose cap thing is just a early or late production item.

If your barrel has the lightening cuts and the receiver has the cutdown left rear receiver wall and the lower receiver wall on the right then it is a legitimate rifle.

Remember -- even Skennerton didn't get everything right.
In their thrifty ways it is very possible that the Brits decided to finish a few hundred rifles from parts stores as they did with many many other Lee Enfield models over the years.

I think (but from memory) the AB would be a BSa gun.
Look at the left butt socket wall for the BSA wartime production identifier stamp.

Regards
Terry
 
No5 nosecaps

The nose caps were not individual to just ROF Faz.

The difference is the rifles with the nosecaps and those that have no nosecaps is just early and late models from both BSa and ROF-F.

I have both early BSA abd ROF-F and late No5's from both ROF-F and BSA both groups have all the same basic parts the nose cap thing is just a early or late production item.

If your barrel has the lightening cuts and the receiver has the cutdown left rear receiver wall and the lower receiver wall on the right then it is a legitimate rifle.

Remember -- even Skennerton didn't get everything right.
In their thrifty ways it is very possible that the Brits decided to finish a few hundred rifles from parts stores as they did with many many other Lee Enfield models over the years.

I think (but from memory) the AB would be a BSa gun.
Look at the left butt socket wall for the BSA wartime production identifier stamp.

Regards
Terry
 
The difference is the rifles with the nosecaps and those that have no nosecaps is just early and late models from both BSa and ROF-F.
Click to expand...

There's food for thought, because I'd always assumed that a metal nosecap meant ROF. When you say the left butt socket wall, would I have to remove the buttstock to see that Terry? :?:
 
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