I am a collector of Lee-Enfield and other british rifles and pistols.  The
broad arrow has a long history as an OWNERSHIP mark of the british military
and NOT a proof mark.  The broad arrow mark has been used since AT LEAST
the early-mid 1700s to mark uncut timber belonging to the British Navy for
purposes of masts and spars.  It is also found on all Commonwealth military
accessories from brass oil bottles to web gear.  For example. the broard
arrow within a large C denotes Canadian Military.  If you see two broad
arrows immediately facing each other, it denotes the rifle being marked as
released for sale civilians or other governments (only seen on firearms).
The enfield factory and other british arms factories all had their own
proofmarks.  The british broad arrow was dropped on accessories shorty
after the Korean war.  I do not have any British firearms that postdate
that period.

Smoke.


Smoke (Michael A.) Pfeiffer, RPA
Ozark-St. Francis National Forests
605 West Main Street
Russellville, Arkansas 72801
(501) 968-2354  Ext. 233
e-mail:  [log in to unmask]

It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.




                    Charles Adkins
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                    Sent by:              Subject:     Re: Broad Arrow symbol
                    HISTORICAL
                    ARCHAEOLOGY
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                    07/10/01 11:45
                    AM
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                    ARCHAEOLOGY






For those of you who followed the thread on the Broad Arrow marks a few
months ago, I found the following passage of interest, and thought you
might too.  This appears to be the introducction point of the Broad Arrow
mark.
 ca

Excerpt from "The Standard Directory of Proof Marks, by Gerhard
Wirnsberger, Published by Jolex, Inc.  ISBN: 0-89149-006-X

Page 101

In 1868 a new proof law was enacted, this one known as the "gun proof Act
of 1868".  Although little new was added, this law further strengthened the
proof rules and their enforcement.  Actually, this was the last of the
British gun proof laws, and whatever additions have been made since then
have been by ministerial additions to keep the law up to date.

At that time the British government was selling huge stockpiles of old
military smoothbore flintlock and percussion rifles.  All of these arms
bore military acceptance stamps, both of the army and the East Indies
Company, but not the official British proof marks since, as military arms,
they were exempt from standard proof.  However, if these guns were to be
brought on the market and were in serviceable condition, many potential
buyers believed that the arms would not require proof or re-proof.  To
resolve this dilemma and indicate that arms were not only legally put into
trade but serviceable, the (broad arrow illustration) Broad Arrow mark was
introduced.  Since many of the barrels were in questionable condition as
well as being obsolete, two additional marks were introduced.

The capital letter S indicated that the barrel was serviceable, while the
letter O meant that the barrel was out of proof and required re-proof.
Either of these letters was applied above or directly on the Broad Arrow
mark.  If the barrel lacked either the "O" or the "S" stamp, it was to be
considered as un-proofed, and therefore had to be proofed.