Serial numbers don't match... what this mean?

D

dauph197

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Hi Guys,

Need your help on these questions.

I'm looking to all the Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk. III we have here at the Museum and I am realizing that lots of serial numbers engraved on the same rifle are not matching with the others. For exemple, this particular Lee Enfields. The serial number are all different;

Sight: H 5842 1
Receiver: N 2743
Buttstock: K 1283
Nose band: B 1158

If these numbers are not matching, does this mean the rifle has been reconstituted? Is that normal?

What do you think?

Martin











Also, does somebody know the meaning of these letters on the brass patch?





Thanks for your time and knowledge!

Martin
 
When the rifle left the factory all the numbers would have been matching. This rifle was rebuilt at some point either by a military arsenal or a collector/restorer. Going from memory I think D.A.Q. stands for Dominion Arsenal Québec, I will have to check on this. Rifle could have been issued to guard the factory at some point.
 
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Without thinking from a money point of view... I mean historicaly and from a collector's point-of-view, having a rifle with some missmatch numbers like that, is the value is less or still interesting? My question is because I would like to create a scale that place the rifles in priority of historical value... (Don't know if I'm clear enough here?!) Do you know what I mean?

Martin
 
For a collector, non matching numbers always means a lesser value and interest. If the rifle is indeed a pre-WW2 rebuilt it has historical value, hard to say with only photos and without handling it. The rifle has clear canadian issue property marks on the buttstock, it should also have them on the receiver and barrel, if that is the case it does have its place in the collection. If not, it still has use as a display piece, but no great historical value.
 
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There is nothing on the receiver and the barrel. Just the Broad Arrow. For me, it looks like an English rifle refurbished to make it operational. Maybe they were sent for training the troops.

Martin
 
If it was a British, Australian or Indian rebuilt it would have a FTR or FR stamped on the receiver. If it was a canadian rebuilt the receiver, barrel and buttstock would have the C-Broad Arrow marking. I am afraid, the rifle it just a collector/ hobbyist rebuilt with no historical value.
 
Weapons techs from any era did not care who made what part. For example, if a rifle needs a nose cap, for whatever reason, one was taken out of a bin and installed. However, like JP says, a CF owned rifle would have the C and arrow stamp on more than the stock disk.
The bolt handle should have the receiver S/N on it too. It not being there means the bolt was changed at some point. It also means the likelihood of the headspace being bad is significantly increased. Obviously, that's not a big deal to a museum though.
 
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