British 303

[Guest]

Just inherited a British 303 and was hoping someone could help me with the markings. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 28 November , 2019 by Guest

[303man]

British Proof Marks these prove the rifle has passed a pressure test (PROOF) No licenced firearms owner can sell a rifle in the UK that has not passed proof or is out of proof (Worn fails gauging standards) the markings look like London Proof https://www.gunmakers.org.uk/the-proof-house/ 

Edited 28 November , 2019 by 303man

[Mark69]

After any help understanding these marking thank you

[4thGordons]

The wrist for the rifle shows that it is a Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield MarkIII * (say mark three star) made by the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA Co) in 1917.

The crown  and GR is the royal cypher (George Rex )

 

The "D broad arrow D", and "D with an arrow inside it" show that this rifle later belonged to Australia. (they are Australian ownership marks)

The small marks which are a combination of numbers and letters (GR and crown etc) are inspection stamps.

G 17857 is the serial number of the rifle (which you should find in a number of other places also)

The XXXXXed out number may have been an Australian inventory number

Chris

 

This might be of interest

Edited 12 January , 2020 by 4thGordons

[Mark69]

Thanks

[Chasemuseum]

The D with an arrow inside and the DarrowD are each Australian government ownership marks but from different periods.  The XXXXXX mark is the cancellation of the original serial number. The rifle has been through "Factory Thorough Refurbishment" (FTR) and been rebuilt and reissued with a new serial number.

 

If you carefully remove the rear top wood, this is only held in place with a spring clip, you will see the marks on the barrel. It was most likely rebarrelled during the FTR. It is likely that the barrel will have marks from the Lithgow Small Arms Factory and if dated will be 1920s or WW2.

[Fromelles]

On 17/01/2020 at 06:03, Chasemuseum said:

The D with an arrow inside and the DarrowD are each Australian government ownership marks but from different periods. 

The use of the D arrow D  is often stated to have first been used in the interwar period, however its use was authorised pre WWI -

Ordnance Store Service of the Commonwealth Military Forces. - Department of Defence, 1910. 

The use of the Arrow within the D had a more specific use, and was not the earlier of the two mark

Standing Orders for Australian Army Ordnance Services, Part 1, 1934.

Dan