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Hello all,

Well, I finally received a response from a fellow on a different forum. He sent me this reference link.

https://www.rifleman.org.uk/War_Office_Pattern_Miniature_Rifle.html#Experimental_rifles

"A notable continuation of the the B.S.A. company's work on the War Office Miniature type rifle involved experimentation with a larger calibre capable action."

The last rifle shown at the bottom of that link looks like a "later" experimental version of my rifle. It has a 1908 barrel date and it has a patent number. Mine has an earlier 1907 barrel date and has a "P.Patent" marking. (pending patent)

That rifle has many similar features to my rifle.

Similar features include; center fire single shot action, similar barrel mounted 1905 rear site (with patent reference to my site), similar folding hood front site, same open exposed forward locking lugs, similar bolt handle mounted sliding safety, similar single-loading sprung 'raceway' slightly below the bore-line, and a similar action body designed to afford the mounting of an aperture sight at the rear of the receiver.

research for additional information will continue.

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Buckstix
That article actually refers to 'your' rifle
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We have been made aware of another similar B.S.A. made rifle, apparently in .310" Cadet calibre, that carries the serial number "X01" on both the action and the left side of the butt-stock beside the BSA piled rifles cartouche.

This is an earlier example, with patent pending,
and with the barrel being dated 1907.

The rifle has possibly been later 'sporterised', as the fore-end finishes where the middle barrel-band would probably have been, and a bedding screw with a sling-swivel has been fitted about an inch-and-a-half back from that point.

The fore-sight is identical apart from the spring-loaded hood locking button not being present.

This earlier rifle also has a gas vent on the left-hand-side just behind the receiver ring. This vent is not present on the NFC's rifle.


The arrangement of the safety varies between the two rifles, in that this earlier model has the slide catch at the rear of the bolt-handle rather than on top. The patent for this 'in handle' system is approximated in patent no. 13,170 catalogued for 1908, although the application shows as being on 13th, November 1907.
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