National Rifle Factory.
So I've got this 1918 NRF No1Mk3*...
- Thread starter louthepou
- Start date
National Rifle Factory.
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
Formerly Standard Small Arms
Standard Small Arms started making parts in 1915, sent their Bodies to Enfield to be finished. Then they started making Bolts. One part after another as they managed to get the equipment, train the workers, get into production.
There was a great deal of kerfuffle and not a huge amount of results: supplies of machine tools were locked-up pretty tight and EVERYTHING was Top Priority.
They finally started producing just-about-complete rifles late in 1917, which was just about the time the Government said "enough is enough!".... and nationalised the plant, changed its name to National Rifle Factory Number 1 (for the metalwork), National Rifle Factory Number 2 (for the woodwork).
NRF made about 2% (1 rifle in 50) of ENGLISH WW1 production of the SMLE, SSA about the same.
They were never common and today, 95 years later, they are a LOT scarcer.
Lou deserves a piece of Raisin Pie for restoring this one.
There was a great deal of kerfuffle and not a huge amount of results: supplies of machine tools were locked-up pretty tight and EVERYTHING was Top Priority.
They finally started producing just-about-complete rifles late in 1917, which was just about the time the Government said "enough is enough!".... and nationalised the plant, changed its name to National Rifle Factory Number 1 (for the metalwork), National Rifle Factory Number 2 (for the woodwork).
NRF made about 2% (1 rifle in 50) of ENGLISH WW1 production of the SMLE, SSA about the same.
They were never common and today, 95 years later, they are a LOT scarcer.
Lou deserves a piece of Raisin Pie for restoring this one.
I have a1908 shtle with ssa stamped in front of the mag beside the loop for the chain to the mag i think thats what its for is this just a part put on after with the ssa stamp on it or?? Bolt reciver barrel match so not sure thx for any info p.s nice rifle!
Yep, just a part thats been swapped out.
From a post on Gunboards by someone with the handle Mk VII
"I wrote this piece some years ago for another forum, based on the account in the History of the Ministry of Munitions, Vol.XI (and saw it pirated without attribution)
Standard Small Arms was formed by Mr Samuel J Waring (later Lord Waring, 1860-1940) of the Waring & Gillow concern, together with a Mr Peterson, who was a man of standing in the Birmingham gun trade. They believed that the skills of the Birmingham gun trade were being neglected and could be more fully utilised in the war effort than they were. They planned to make all of the action and the nosecap, less magazines, screws and pins, and organise eight small firms and a number of individuals in the trade (probably outworkers, of whom a great many worked in the trade at that time). The barrels were to be subcontracted to Westley Richards and the wood to be cut by Waring & Gillow and Rudders & Payne (both these firms eventually dropped out). They contracted to supply rifles at 75/- each, which was the same price that BSA was paid. After a year or so it became apparent that the factory would never produce complete arms and it was instructed to produce four items; body with charger guide, bolt, bolt head and trigger guard. The company was to produce 1500 sets of components a week, rising to 4,000 when new machinery was installed. Other firms were contracted to produce less specialist items, the sets of components being delivered to Enfield for assembly in the bayonet shop, production of which was shifted to Wilkinsons and Sanderson Brothers & Newbold.
The downside of this scheme was that it only allowed for the exact number of components needed. Thus assembly of rifles was held up for want of quite minor items which inexperienced firms were struggling to produce. The scheme was revised in 1916 and became known as the Rifle Components Pool, taking every component which the 'Big Three' could make in excess of their complete rifle production as well as all that Standard Small Arms could turn out, and those produced by the 'peddled scheme' firms. Ordnance could also draw on the pool for repair parts. A considerable stock of components was built up so that any of the Big Three could draw on it if short of some item, and this was done continuously by LSA, and occasionally by BSA, and by Enfield (the pool being on the spot). Standard Small Arms did not attain an output of 2,000 bodies a week until April 1917 and two years after the start of work only 5-6,000 had been produced. By this time SSA were in financial difficulties and a government loan had to be made to keep them going. On June 1st 1918 the factory became National Rifle Factory No.1 with Mr Peterson as superintendent and instructed to prepare for manufacture of components of the Farquhar-Hill automatic rifle, although NRF-marked SMLE bodies were made after this. SSA seem to have turned out 2,000-4,000 bodies a week, depending on the Ministry of Munitions' requirements at the time."
Standard Small Arms was formed by Mr Samuel J Waring (later Lord Waring, 1860-1940) of the Waring & Gillow concern, together with a Mr Peterson, who was a man of standing in the Birmingham gun trade. They believed that the skills of the Birmingham gun trade were being neglected and could be more fully utilised in the war effort than they were. They planned to make all of the action and the nosecap, less magazines, screws and pins, and organise eight small firms and a number of individuals in the trade (probably outworkers, of whom a great many worked in the trade at that time). The barrels were to be subcontracted to Westley Richards and the wood to be cut by Waring & Gillow and Rudders & Payne (both these firms eventually dropped out). They contracted to supply rifles at 75/- each, which was the same price that BSA was paid. After a year or so it became apparent that the factory would never produce complete arms and it was instructed to produce four items; body with charger guide, bolt, bolt head and trigger guard. The company was to produce 1500 sets of components a week, rising to 4,000 when new machinery was installed. Other firms were contracted to produce less specialist items, the sets of components being delivered to Enfield for assembly in the bayonet shop, production of which was shifted to Wilkinsons and Sanderson Brothers & Newbold.
The downside of this scheme was that it only allowed for the exact number of components needed. Thus assembly of rifles was held up for want of quite minor items which inexperienced firms were struggling to produce. The scheme was revised in 1916 and became known as the Rifle Components Pool, taking every component which the 'Big Three' could make in excess of their complete rifle production as well as all that Standard Small Arms could turn out, and those produced by the 'peddled scheme' firms. Ordnance could also draw on the pool for repair parts. A considerable stock of components was built up so that any of the Big Three could draw on it if short of some item, and this was done continuously by LSA, and occasionally by BSA, and by Enfield (the pool being on the spot). Standard Small Arms did not attain an output of 2,000 bodies a week until April 1917 and two years after the start of work only 5-6,000 had been produced. By this time SSA were in financial difficulties and a government loan had to be made to keep them going. On June 1st 1918 the factory became National Rifle Factory No.1 with Mr Peterson as superintendent and instructed to prepare for manufacture of components of the Farquhar-Hill automatic rifle, although NRF-marked SMLE bodies were made after this. SSA seem to have turned out 2,000-4,000 bodies a week, depending on the Ministry of Munitions' requirements at the time."
