1940 BSA No1 Mk III cut off question |
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Marco1010
Senior Member Joined: February 04 2020 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 400 |
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Posted: September 11 2021 at 12:18am |
I have picked a nice 1940 dated BSA No1 Mk 111 (no Star) it has the magazine cut off slot machined in place , my question is would it have has cut-off fitted? or was this omitted as a war-time expediency?
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Homer
Senior Member Joined: January 01 2013 Location: Brisbane Status: Offline Points: 664 |
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had cut off
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SW28fan
Special Member Donating Member Joined: July 02 2007 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2951 |
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It most likely never had a cut off with that date, the slot lingered for awhile even after they stopped fitting cut offs
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Have a Nice Day
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bubba ho tep
Senior Member Joined: June 19 2017 Location: KY abode Status: Offline Points: 169 |
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Had a 1940 BSA No1 MkIII many years ago. Got it sporterized and restored it with wood and hardware. Bore was fair at best but it could shoot. Had matching bolt. Had the BSA logo on barrel knox form. It was cut for mag cutoff but obviously as a dispersal rifle it was a salvaged and redated receiver and never had one in it's second life. Gave it to a buddy and while he lived in West VA his "friends" sons stole it and a bunch of other guns from him.
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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the slot is one thing but is it drilled and tapped for the cutoff screw ? that would help determine if one was originally fitted or not , as is obvious from the responses it could have left the factory either way in that era , i tend toward not in this particular case because the war was in full swing and rifles were needed but i am by no means able to be certain ,
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Marco1010
Senior Member Joined: February 04 2020 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 400 |
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Thanks Gents for the comments.
Yes the cut off is drilled and threaded. I was pondering the date stamp on the wrist, as the 4 in the 1940 is a bit wonky like its been over-stamped. Perhaps the receiver had been manufactured at an earlier date and then assembled into a rifle sometime in 1940. unless its very late 1940 this would have predated the dispersal system. My suspicion is that if it was early 1940 there would have been a period of using existing parts stock to rapidly build up rifles after the Dunkirk retreat in any means possible. Hence the cut-off slot being there , but no cut-off installed. Does that sound plausible ?
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bubba ho tep
Senior Member Joined: June 19 2017 Location: KY abode Status: Offline Points: 169 |
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I had many years ago at different times No1 MkIII's that had the last two digits of date overstamped..one was 41 and the other a real crude 42. They both had a mix of replacement beech and old wood.A buddy still has the 42 dated dispersal. I would think your 1940 is late and fits the window of the dispersal system.
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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yes , i think that was being said by all the responses , the period of mfgr allows for both possibilities and the fact that it predates dispersal reinforces that , but the need was real at that time and yes , it may well have been made of available parts and could easily have not had one installed even tho the receiver was fully prepped for it , not at alll uncommon and very likely with this one - you have options here , do as you please and enjoy it ,
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SGonger
Senior Member Joined: February 20 2021 Location: Utah U.S.A Status: Offline Points: 418 |
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Howdy a photo of the open slot out of curiosity would be appreciated if possible,there might be a tell there of previous wear sign on the slot closure area.
Just curious. Cheer’s today.
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Anyone seen the Tardis Box anywhere? 🤨
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Homer
Senior Member Joined: January 01 2013 Location: Brisbane Status: Offline Points: 664 |
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if it’s a MkIII no star it had a cutoff. The cut off is the only feature that determines a MkIII from MkIII*. If it’s a MkIII it had a cut off.
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Marco1010
Senior Member Joined: February 04 2020 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 400 |
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The dispersal system sounds a bit like the ww2 set up lithgow had for farming out component production to a series of dispersed factories, and then later assembly. I will try and post some photos shortly.
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Shamu
Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 17603 |
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Its an Enfield.
Never say "Always", or "Never"! My 1914 dated BSA ShtLe No1 MkIII (no *) has no slot! Now
it was FTR'd somewhere but the wood is the High wall type.That may not
mean anything as I have no idea what the original wood (assuming its
been replaced) might have looked like. I have no idea why not. The receiver has the "hump" for the cutoff pivot, but no drilled hole, either! I've had people who are "experts" that have told me "its not possible", "It was welded up", or "mis-stamped (in 1914?)", but I have one, so at least one was made. |
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Marco1010
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Thanks Shamu
You are not wrong! just when you think you understand something about Lee Enfield's, you then find there is an exception to whatever the supposed rule was. You need to keep an open inquisitive mind that's for sure ! I fact I think of these rifles a bit like a modular rifle, there are so many combinations as to how they were assembled, maintained , refurbished and then sold out of service for another extended life in sporterised use etc its almost open ended.
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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the dispersal system was set up for BSA to keep the german bombing of england to stop production , in WWII so yes , it is like what austrailia did , the system spread parts productio0n all over - north / south / middle of the islands so all parts were numbered as a N-M-S + number for the factory , it makes this the more interesting collecting in my book , most of the things that make enfields difficult were always WHAT MADE ME MORE INTERESTED , the research is half the fun ,
now retaining everything you learned in the process has become my problem in old age , i still have a few reference books to refresh my memory , do enjoy the journey its been a fun one for me
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