Here's 3 Australian .310 BSA Martini Cadets.
All 3 have identical BSA trademark stamping on the Left hand side of the body and identical lettering and placement of the BSA serial and "Commonwealth of Australia" on the right hand side.
BSA serial 22839 has a NSW rack no of 13.252, an issue date of 9/12 (Sep 1912?), and butt markings of NSW CMF 13.252:
BSA serial 48601 has a NSW rack number of 22.409, date of 10/11 (Oct 1911?), and butt markings of NSW CMF 22.409:
BSA serial 57879 has a Victorian rack number of 15599, date of 9/11 (Sep 1911?), and a roundel stamped in the butt with Commonwealth Military Forces, Victoria.
Owing to the issue dates not quite being in order of serial number, am I correct in my understanding that the date is in the usual imperial custom of Month/Year, or could it be Year/Month?
As the BSA and Commonwealth markings are identical on all 3, and the state markings differ in format and placement, is it likely that these were ordered and held in store for some period by the Federal Gov't before issue to the States, explaining the date/serial discontinuity?
All 3 have identical BSA trademark stamping on the Left hand side of the body and identical lettering and placement of the BSA serial and "Commonwealth of Australia" on the right hand side.
BSA serial 22839 has a NSW rack no of 13.252, an issue date of 9/12 (Sep 1912?), and butt markings of NSW CMF 13.252:
BSA serial 48601 has a NSW rack number of 22.409, date of 10/11 (Oct 1911?), and butt markings of NSW CMF 22.409:
BSA serial 57879 has a Victorian rack number of 15599, date of 9/11 (Sep 1911?), and a roundel stamped in the butt with Commonwealth Military Forces, Victoria.
Owing to the issue dates not quite being in order of serial number, am I correct in my understanding that the date is in the usual imperial custom of Month/Year, or could it be Year/Month?
As the BSA and Commonwealth markings are identical on all 3, and the state markings differ in format and placement, is it likely that these were ordered and held in store for some period by the Federal Gov't before issue to the States, explaining the date/serial discontinuity?
