There are codes on the rifles that should identify them. BSA made rifles are coded M47. For Midlands Factory number 47.
Singer, from memory, the firm Singer that made bayonets was N67 for Northern Factory 67. From very poor memory the code might be an M in front of the date of manufacture? Thus ROF(M) 1944 for Royal Ordnance Factory Maltby. The Lee Enfield Rifle Association is a good source of information perhaps? The last No4 that I owned was a 1947 Fazackerly made No4 Mk I with a PF and then three digits serial number.
Quite rare, sort of, as most post-war Fazackerly were made as Mk 2. Herb Woodend who saw it thought it may have been ex-Guards as it was stocked in a very dark and uniform chocolate brown walnut with the matching long butt. 'Parkerised' Long branch nO 4The 2 groove barrelled were manufactured to speed up the process.They 'slimmed' down the manufacturing process. The basis was ' its needs to kill, not bothered about what it looks like 'I have a couple of 5 groove no 4's ( both Long branch / Canadian Arsenal ) one of which I brought back personally from Italy 5 years ago - still in a wooden case,wrapped in grease proof paper and cosmoline.A real find!! I had several 'two thoughts' whether or not to use it - but the royal armouries have plenty in cases that people just look at and in the end rifles are meant to be used.The other I got from Henry Kranks in Leeds.
Lee Enfield Serial Number List
I went to Kerala a couple of years back.Had a visit to the local Cop shop.nothing sinister.just popped in as we were staying with a friend of ours family.They had Indian manufactured SMLE's in a glass case in the Supts office.I was shown a couple.They were immaculate!! Looked brand new and was told they were about 10 years old!!!!!! The Indian Govt still makes proper rifles and parts!!! The Officer said he regularly drills his men on shooting practice in the neighbouring fields.sadly I didnt get chance.But if that's what an ' over the water copy ' looks like.I would take one. No, not really. I own, and have owned a ridiculous number of No4 variants.
To be honest, it's down to condition more than point of origin. The two grooves shoot really well.
In fact, and I'm sure some on here won't believe it, some will shoot.308 caliber bullets quite well. One of my favourite Moose loads for my two groove 303 Brits ( Long Branch and a Savage ) uses a.308 cal Nosler Partition.Funny enough, one of the most accurate Lee Enfield variants I've owned was a Ishapore No1 Mrk3, go figure.AB. 'Parkerised' Long branch nO 4The 2 groove barrelled were manufactured to speed up the process.They 'slimmed' down the manufacturing process. The basis was ' its needs to kill, not bothered about what it looks like 'I have a couple of 5 groove no 4's ( both Long branch / Canadian Arsenal ) one of which I brought back personally from Italy 5 years ago - still in a wooden case,wrapped in grease proof paper and cosmoline.A real find!!
I had several 'two thoughts' whether or not to use it - but the royal armouries have plenty in cases that people just look at and in the end rifles are meant to be used.The other I got from Henry Kranks in Leeds.