Milsurp After Hours

Thanks Mick. But if most were stored in the UK, and the Eire government had them dumped because they didn't want to run the risk of being accused of aiding the Republican Army, who did the actual dumping? The British government or the Irish the rifles were contracted for?

Sorry Robert I didn't make it very clear, the Irish Government dumped a large quantity of SMLE No1 MkIII rifles that they had owned (or stolen!) from the British at the time of the civil war in the early 1920's.

Believed to be in this dumping are some No4's, although it is unclear whether any of them are MkII's (The Irish Contract) or they may have been No 4 Mk 1's obtained at an earlier date. Within this dumping are what I believe to be No4 MkII's which the Garda owned.

As I hope to publish this research at some stage within the UK gun historical establishment (God, that sounds posh!) naturaly enough I do not wish to release all my research to date.

The unsold lot of No4 MkII's with the Irish cotract number ended up stateside, whether at the behest of the Irish or British goverment I dare say I will find the truth and tell you all another day.

I look forward to the whole story. Thanks again.

A No.4 in mummy wrap is for sale here in NZ

serial PF332038

Still in wrap,label states

Rifle No.4 Mk11 CR 18 GA (normal butt) FAZ new

Estimated price $500-$800NZ normaly a used one would be under $400

So they have got around if one has arrived in NZ

Ray

i have a 1917 LITHGOW , it has markings 2.M.D stamped on it . 2nd military district( eastern command , new south wales) i also have another lithgow that has

2

D^D stamped on it whcih is ( australian downgrade arm , 2nd class reserve ), and also have 1908 enfeild with 2

D^D on it that was a 303 then made into a .22 trainer in 1939.

Do your rifles have 2.M.D on them or 2

D^D and are they australian .

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/w ... 1917MA.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/w ... 1920MA.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/w ... DD1915.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/w ... D1908E.jpg

the rifle with 2 M.D , 1917 lithgow i have is in new zealand , so i can not supply a picture has any one got one with the M.D marking that they can post.any feed back on the above markings??

You mean these sort of markings ? Also on a 1917 Lithgow, marked 1 over D^D on the butt.

YE , thats it . goes from 1st M.D to 7th M.D. does anybody know what the marking on the first picture on this thread means W17 ??

"W 17" is the serial number of the rifle.

A further note on the "downgrade" marks.

If they are truly "downgrade" marks and not just a later form of Military District mark which omits the "M.D."....

1.Why do I have rifles running "1 over 32117", "2 over 119225", "3 over 10553" and "5 over 17801"? Why would a "downgraded" rifle be numbered "1"...or "5", for that matter?

2.Why are there what appear to be inventory numbers accompanying the "1,2,3 and 5"?

Of the four rifles in question, three are British SMLEs, reworked circa 1919 and then sent to OZ. The "5" rifle is a 1920 Lithgow.

Two rifles (1 & 5) also carry the numbers on the buttstock, just as the earlier "M.D." rifles do.

"2" does not have stock marks and "3" is not wearing it's original wood.

-----krinko

could you post the pictures and i will ask brian labudda, on the 20th may at the next gun show he is the guy that helped ian skennerton right the lee enfeild book .if they are marked 2nd M.D to 7th M.D . they must be australian .? if they are marked D^D with 2 above or below they are downgraded . your ones that have 3,4,5 . i agree that they would not be down graded that low they would have been scraped or stamped DP. But the ones you have with numbers 2,4,5 and do not have M.D stamped after them how can they be military district ones??i am not here to make bad blood between us i am just intrested to find out what the story is ..i have never seen these marking like this before , and have not seen W17 before so am intrested in info on them