Lee Enfield No4 MK1 ID Help

[CeeJay]

Hello folks,

As the title states, I could use some help on identifying a No4 MK 1 Lee Enfield. I have done a lot of googling, but man there seems to be a lot of contradictions especially with the manufacturer stamps or inspection marks, or rebuild marks etc. Tragically the Manufacturer mark on the receiver is all but gone. It had been scrubbed off? (What it looks like anyway) at some point. I have tried to fill in the marks with white crayon to get them to pop more but most are too thin to hold te crayon. I will include as many pics as possible of the marks. Im not sure if its just a mix master or not, but it was sporterized at some point but the front sight protector was left on so that's nice.


Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!!
CeeJay

 

[CeeJay]

More pics

 

[CeeJay]

And more pics

 

[Claven2]

It’s either a fazakerly, maltby or BSA no.4mk1 Lee emfield.

Hard to say because the maker marking and original serial number were scrubbed and a new serial number added.

If the new serial number is the same as the original serial number, then it is a fazakerly, but near impossible to know for certain.

Do you have the stock? Amy markings on it?

 

[tiriaq]

The "Surrey" mark was applied to some commercially sported rifles.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

A thought about the removal of original markings. Serial numbers are an inventory control convention. We know that so many No.4 markings were shallow, misaligned and confusing. The left side of the butt socket was the only place where the rifle serial number was stamped. If it matched the number on the visible part of the bolt handle, great! But, there's no reason why the bolt and receiver were mismatched and fitted to pass inspection, then scrubbed and renumbered.

 

[CeeJay]

It’s either a fazakerly, maltby or BSA no.4mk1 Lee emfield.

Hard to say because the maker marking and original serial number were scrubbed and a new serial number added.

If the new serial number is the same as the original serial number, then it is a fazakerly, but near impossible to know for certain.

Do you have the stock? Amy markings on it?

Unfortunately being a sporter stock, the 2 upper handguards are gone. The stock has been cut and the buttstock has unfortunately has no marks left on it, could have been sanded off. The only mark I found with any relation to the stock was that "E" or "3" on the inside of the butttplate. But thank you very much for the info! It's too bad the marks were removed, but the rifling is very strong, and other than paint flaking the metal all seems in good shape. I'm looking forward to sprucing this up a bit, and getting a full stock and mag, and then out to the range!

 

[CeeJay]

A thought about the removal of original markings. Serial numbers are an inventory control convention. We know that so many No.4 markings were shallow, misaligned and confusing. The left side of the butt socket was the only place where the rifle serial number was stamped. If it matched the number on the visible part of the bolt handle, great! But, there's no reason why the bolt and receiver were mismatched and fitted to pass inspection, then scrubbed and renumbered.

I figured it could just be some mixmaster that somebody put together with spare parts one day and made into a sporter.

 

[CeeJay]

The "Surrey" mark was applied to some commercially sported rifles.

I had read that apparently that was done in Surrey BC. when a company out there was doing sporters and then also read it was done in Surrey England. I'm not sure whats true lol

 

[Claven2]

Surrey England is most likely.

 

[bearhunter]

The "Surrey" stamped rifles were sold by Eatons and Sears about five decades ago. Some of them were complete mixmasters, with restamped bolts to match the receiver, but they were all either new old stock rifles or FTRs which were "sportered" in the UK, before going onto the markets and sold into Canada and the US.

 

[Snider shooter]

Surrey. Lowest grade. Stocks cut sanded and varnished with no metal cut. The other two more was done to them. I have seen an Essex that had monticarlo stocks, barrel cut. Everything polished reblued.
Sussex
Essex

Are three grades of sporters that the company put out. Possibly by Parker Hale. I haven’t been able to confirm PH. I have been trying to track down more on them.

 

[Lee Enfield]

It’s either a fazakerly, maltby or BSA no.4mk1 Lee emfield.

Hard to say because the maker marking and original serial number were scrubbed and a new serial number added.

If the new serial number is the same as the original serial number, then it is a fazakerly, but near impossible to know for certain.

Do you have the stock? Amy markings on it?

The receiver is a Maltby from the Inspection Markings shown.

 

[CeeJay]

Thank you everyone for all the replies! And thank you for the help on identifying the rifle. Im happy with what I got here.

 

[can14]

Clean it all up
Then purchase replacement parts and wood