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Gentlemen sorry to inform you but if that Bimingham private View mark is correct, and as it's stamped on the barrel there is no real reason to doubt it, then the rifle was not proofed in that condition until after 1950 when Birmingham first used the leters either side of the crossed lances. The private View came into use first in 1921 and it had a single letter at the top between the crossed lances.

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Brithunter,
I also think you are mistaken, and I think you are confusing the "private view mark" with the "Inspection mark".
These are entirely different proof marks.
The Inspection mark was not used after 1904, and the private view mark was introduced in 1921.

From what I can make of the photos showing the marks on the barrel of this particular Lee Speed rifle, I feel that the crossed sword mark is an inspection mark, not a private view mark.

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Taht's OK I don't mind being wrong. I did ask for better photos of the mark.

One other point is that it seems serial number don't mean much on these civilian models as BSA did not seem to have a logical sequence of numbers. Or that's what I was told when I asked about mine BSA sporting rifle however I must thank you all as due to this I looked through my photos and found this:-


It's the bolt knob of my BSA and it would seem it's an example of the first years Private View Mark unless I am mistaken.


If so then this Wm Powell retailed example was proofed in 1921-22.

Or is that again just an Inspection mark? The barrel will tell us nothing as it was replaced just prior to my acquiring the rifle and is a 39 dated milsurp barrel so the proof marks are 1980's ones on the barrel.

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Don't let the bastards grind you down!

Edited by CptCurl (22/12/10 12:14 AM)

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