Help with Butt disk ID

[Gyles]

Hello!

I've just bought a 1885 (1896 converted) Martini Enfield .303 carbine. The brass butt disk is marked:

11.1898
2.E.RID.A
181

Can anyone tell me which unit is was issued to?

It's also marked on the receiver HRB.Co 1896 ACI I presume It's the company who converted it from .45 to .303 and the date it was done. Anyone know who HRB.co is and what ACI stands for?

[woodsy]

Hi Gyles

I can't help with the unit marking s but the HRB stands for the Henry Rifle Barrel Company who did the conversion, and the ACI stands for Artillery Carbine Mark I. Hope this helps.

[Kev]

Info from 'The Broad Arrow' by Skennerton.-

Mark - A.C.I.
Indication - Artillery Carbine MKI
Marked on .303 Martini conversions,left side of receiver.

E.RID - Is listed under'Codes for County and Area titles' as East Riding ,Yorkshire.

HRB - Henry Rifle Barrel Co , Hoxton , London. Blenheim Engineering Co took over HRB Co in 1900 and only produced a few thousand M-E until it closed in 1902.

Hope this helps

[Kev]

Your obviously a quicker typer Woodsy ;D

[Gyles]

Thanks for the replies! ;D