Inglis and Small Arms Ltd Inspection and Serial Numbering

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Originally Posted by WpgBinocular

Does anybody have information about the inspection process and serial numbering protocol for small arms made by Inglis (Hi-Powers and Brens) and Small Arms Ltd., Long Branch (Lee Enfields and Stens) during WW II? Specifically which agencies inspected the final products and were serial numbers marked on the firearms after one of the inspections?

I read your question and thought that you are 50 years too late to hope for a simple answer. The people who worked on those lines and would have known are all gone now. A careful read of the Collector Grade publications or Service Publications titles relating to Canadian production should help answer your wonderings.

It is my understanding that parts would have been gauged along the way before going into the bins for final assembly. Quality Assurance is related to Quality Control. The idea of standardized parts is to eliminate any handfitting requirements. So, use good materials, make a good jig, keep the tooling adjusted and sharp, and pull an appropriate percentage of the production aside for testing and gauging. If a lot is within the engineer's mathematical range of tolerances, away those hundreds or thousands of parts go. Some things need fewer inspections, like grip panels, pins and screws. Other parts can't be properly judged until final assembly.

To answer your question, I would expect the barrel, slide and frame of a 9mm very likely got a serial number only after proof firing and after stamps by the acceptance inspector. Peter Laidler's books on the No.4(T) rifle describe rack grade rifles which exceeded accuracy standards being set aside for further examination and conversion. Along the way, each inspector would remove unsuited rifles, hence there is a progression of stamps.