No1 MkIII from Iraq

[Phosphorus32]

I found this No1 MkIII at an online auction in Oregon, where fortunately for me it suffered from a poor description and similarly poor photography, so it came home for the price of a No1 MkIII*, ca 2014. I was excited when I drove down to pick it up and found that not only was it a 1928 BSA but, as hinted at by the stock disc, it was indeed Iraqi property marked on the knox form, action and buttstock wood.

A very scarce year and an equally scarce Iraqi property marked SMLE. Assuming it was delivered close to the year of production indicated on the socket and the barrel, it was used in the era of the Kingdom of Iraq Under British Administration, and thereafter. It has no import marks, so it did not come into the US, like so many other Iraqi stamped SMLEs, via the Federal Ordnance imports of Israeli captured weapons (like my Iraqi marked K98k). https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=1894.msg21925#msg21925

It's odd that the proof marks and view marks are all from RSAF Enfield with no script Bs indicative of proof at BSA. The first L block marked BSAs appeared in 1928, at least I haven't found an earlier year yet, and the last in this block of 100,000 was completed early in WWII, 1941. Hence, there was very little production in the 1920s and 1930s.

Thanks for looking!

[Greasemonkey]

As he sits there with a big SMLE on his grill, huffin old grease and....enabling 

Yup it's an Enfield, thats all I know.. my Enfieldese is weak....anyway....can I have it..

You knowed I was gonna ask  Maybe them mail people will quit getting lost at the naked lady place in Who knows Where Montana..

[running-man]

That's a real beauty Jon!  Don't listen to that GM guy, he's just bitter that he hasn't brought anything new home in the past three days. 

[carls sks]

looking good, thanks for sharing.

[Phosphorus32]

As he sits there with a big SMLE on his grill, huffin old grease and....enabling 

Yup it's an Enfield, thats all I know.. my Enfieldese is weak....anyway....can I have it..

You knowed I was gonna ask  Maybe them mail people will quit getting lost at the naked lady place in Who knows Where Montana..

yeah, I have a sneaking suspicion this one isn't going to make it out to Appalachia either

[Phosphorus32]

That's a real beauty Jon! 

Thanks Joe!

Don't listen to that GM guy, he's just bitter that he hasn't brought anything new home in the past three days. 

True story 

[Phosphorus32]

looking good, thanks for sharing.

Thanks Carl!

[Phosphorus32]

Proof and View Marks



The proof mark is the royal cypher, crossed flags, and "P". These are found on the barrel and action body (receiver). The royal cypher is the crown over GR (Georgius Rex), aka King George V

The view marks (inspection marks) are a crown over a letter for the factory, typically with a number for the "viewer" (inspector) but in this case a PL.
E for Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield
A cursive capital letter B for BSA Co. (Birmingham Small Arms)
X for LSA Co. (London Small Arms)
B for Sparkbrook

Even though this rifle is a BSA, it was apparently proofed and inspected at Enfield.

[Greasemonkey]

Don't listen to that GM guy, he's just bitter that he hasn't brought anything new home in the past three days. 

It's been 5 days....slight withdrawal symptoms have already started. Great....now I get addict abuse from RM. 

[martin08]

Jeems like a pretty good one.

You know you've made me extremely jealous when I have to resort to cheap puns.

[Phosphorus32]

Jeems like a pretty good one.

I like cheap puns...

You know you've made me extremely jealous when I have to resort to cheap puns.

...and I’ll take that as a compliment, thanks!