what does the 'u' mean before the ser # on my 1910 smle?

[goo]

i usta know but i forgot.

thx for the help, gents.

goo

[Alan De Enfield]

Its the letter prefix.

Example :- Production would start at A0001 thru to A9999 then B0001 thru B9999 etc until they got to Uxxxx and your rifle was born.

Goo - can you re-post picture of the guy on the motorbike with the traffic cone, I've been trying to find it for ages and could use it.
Tnx

[goo]

i don't think that's correct. most smles don't have a letter prefix

the same ser no. on the bolt and nose piece don't got no 'u'

https://www.flickr.com/photos/292514...14354/sizes/o/

[Alan De Enfield]

Whilst not a huge number - every SMLE I have seen has had a prefix letter.

Are you thinking about the U that it is on the No4 rifles signifying South African ownership ?

Thanks for the photo link.

[SMOKEY]

Goo, your alive.

[Darreld Walton]

I understood that the letter prefix was part of a "code" denoting the place of manufacture. I am by NO means an Enfield authority, just something I read......

[JB White]

I understood that the letter prefix was part of a "code" denoting the place of manufacture. I am by NO means an Enfield authority, just something I read......

That system didn't come into use until the 1950's. The WW2 system used an assigned number block (where the first digit of the assigned 5 digit block) indicating the manufacturing facility. That was British production only.

North American production was different though. C was the indicator for Savage who used a numeric prefix. For example 0C12345 then 1C12345 etc. Long Branch (Canada) used the letter L for their indicator.

Lithgow stayed with letter prefixes to show a rollover throughout as did Ishapore.

[5Batt]

BSA started MkIII production in 1907 continuing on where they left off with the Mk1 with the letter prefix T with the prefix U appearing also in 1907, U seems to have been used up until about 1912 when they moved on to V then on though the rest of the alphabet before starting back at the beginning.

My 1907 BSA U2007



My 1911 BSA U76498



1917 BSA with a G prefix





1918 BSA with a K prefix

[Alan De Enfield]

Thanks 5BATT - I was beginning to doubt my own rifles when Goo said that SMLEs dont have prefix letters.