Need info on British Enfield

[BigMik1]

Hello,

My Museum has a British Enfield and would like some info on it. The first one has a British Crown on the receiver with the intials under it "BNP". It also have several markings all over the rifle "M47C", "1940", "No. 4 MK I", "M.B. 13", "S.126" and "303 2.222".







Thanks for your help,

BigMik1

 

[Jagermeister]

Here is what I have on the SMLE

JM

 

[BigMik1]

Thanks Jagermeister for the info, but I am not that gun savy, that's why I am coming to you pros, so is this gun British or Australian?

BigMik1

 

[BigMik1]

Still need help on this one?

BigMik1

 

[P95Carry]

http://www.303british.com/ has a link at bottom of page - to a load of other sites dealing with Enfields - go browse a bit, it should provide some more data for you.

I am darned if I can remember the ''BNP'' significance - but should. I think here tho is a Brit issue and not Aussie.

 

[BigMik1]

Thanks P59Carry, you are right it's a many places to go. I will look around and ask some questions.

Thanks for the help.

BigMik1

 

[swampsniper]

Bnp

BNP is the nitro proof mark

 

[P95Carry]

BNP is the nitro proof mark

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Thx Swamp!!

Sheesh - I knew it but!! In fact I was trying to think of London and Birmingham proof houses bit still couldn't get there!

 

[SDC]

Your rifle is a No 4 Mk 1, built by Birmingham Small Arms in 1940; "M47C' was the manufacturer's code assigned to BSA. HTH.

 

[Jim K]

Ok, here goes. The rifle was made in England, not the U.S. or a commonwealth country.

"No. 4 Mk I" is the rifle nomenclature. The No. 4 rifle is a WWII rifle, a modified and improved version of the earlier Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield (SMLE), Mk III which was used in both WWI and WWII.

"M47C" is the manufacturer's code for British Small Arms Co., Shirley factory (near Birmingham). Under the British code system, an "M" meant a Midlands location, an "N" a northern facility, and an "S" a southern factory.

The "1940" is the date of manufacture.

The "S126" probably appears on a band; it is the code for C.E. Welstead, Andrews Works, Tanfield Road, Croydon. They mostly made bands.

The "M.B. 13", I don't know.

The Crown and the letters "BNP" indicate that the Nitro Proof test was carried out at the Birmingham proof house. This was a commercial proof applied when the rifle was sold out of military stores in the UK, probably in the 1950's to an arms exporter for sale in the U.S. The ."303 2.222" is the caliber and cartridge length, part of the proof marking.

HTH

Jim

 

[BigMik1]

Thanks Jim, that's some great info!!! But, what is a proof house? I am dumb yes!!! Sorry.

BigMik1

 

[gamachinist]

Short answer:

A proof house is where they take the guns to test them with an over load,or as some people might say,to try to destroy them

In this country,we don't have proof laws,relying on the manufacturer to test and put out a safe product themsleves.
Underwriters Labratory could be considered a proof house for things other than guns.
Most European countries have what are called proof laws.These laws require all guns to be submited for prooving their safety before they are sold.
The proof pressure is set in the laws most of the time,usually 50%-100% overload.
The "P" on most US Military guns is a proof acceptance marking.
Same thing with the "P" on Winchester barrels.
There is view proof meaning it looks okay and the parts are correct,several
layers of firing proof,one for unfinished barrels (used on shotguns and maybe others) sometimes a final proof of the just the barrels,and a final proof of the whole gun.
Guns that are sold in another country will sometimes have to be reproved in that countries prooving house also.I had a FN made Browning 25 that had Czechoslovakian
proof marks on it as well as the Belgian ones.

I'm sure I left something important out,but that is an overview.

 

[BigMik1]

Thanks gamachinist, that helped!!

BigMik1

 

[Sunray]

"...is this gun British or Australian?..." You won't find an Australian made No. 4. They didn't see any need to switch.