Enfield 303 british identification help

R

ryans01z28

New member
I'm trying to figure out what year my dads 303 British is can anyone help? On the right side of the gun just above and behind the trigger it looks like it says enfield 191? (Can't read the last number cuz it's about wore off) below that it looks like SH with three III below it and F.T.R. Below that.

There is a U stamped on the front side of the bolt.

At the breech it's stamped V 8941

Under the rear sight it's stamped in three different spots 2930. V8941. P3467

Left side of breech stamped BNP X4

The safety is stamped III and says England just below the safety mech.

The trigger guard is stamped k3x

Thanks for the help
 

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well it's a enfield number 1 MKIII, I'm thinking the 191? is the date but I could be wrong. I'm no expert on enfield markings. the BNP is the proof mark saying it's cleared for exportation.
 
Ryan I got such a chuckle at the quote at the bottom of your posts. I believe I need to pass that info on to my brother or somebody.
 
Did your Dad cut it down/sporterize it, or was it already done when he got it ?

They DO make pretty nice deer rifles - My best friend's first deer gun looked pretty much like yours (45 years ago).



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I'm not sure he's been gone for about 17yrs now. The barrel appears to have been cut down an inch or more I guess. There's a ring that goes around the barrel and attaches to the stock and you can see where it's been moved back because the paint is gone on the barrel about an inch. I wanted to make a case and display the gun in memory of him with the gun info. I know it was used as a deer rifle at one point but that's all I know about the gun since I've had it
 
I might be wrong but the barrel I think is this the correct length as the front sight post looks correct for that model. I can see the ring where you describe but there was originally a wooden handguard between the band and the barrel so it shouldn't have touched at all. in addition it sat about an inch or so forward of that mark so I doubt that was cause by a stock band. it looks like the ban was the reference point where the stock was cut down and rounded off to look more natural.
 
The No1 Mark III was made up until 1916, but the "FTR" on your rifle shows it went through a "Factory Thorough Refit", meaning it was rebuilt either during or after WW1. These rifles were manufactured by 5 different manufacturers, and the only way to know who originally made this one is to see if there are any marks left of the original socket stamp (usually initials over the original model stamp).
 
It should be on the same side as the other markings (where it has "III") above the date and below a crown and "GR"; it sounds like most of them have been buffed out, but you might be able to see enough to figure out who made your rifle. Rifles made by Birmingham Small Arms have "B.S.A. Co." in this spot, those made by London Small Arms have ""L.S.A. Co.", those made by Ishapore have "Ishapore", those made by Enfield have "Enfield", and those made Lithgow have "Lithgow". In this case, the first 2 are your most likely possibilities, since they're usually easier to deface over time.
 
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