John: It is on the barrel/receiver/forend metal with no diamond. It gets better with these other fhoto's. Thomas

What ever it is, it's pretty.

oops

Thomas:
I'd say the 236 is an assembly number to keep the bits together in process at the factory. The number on the stock is a property number. Company? Government? The painted characters are Asian. I'm no expert on that. Chinese? The history of this gun could be VERY interesting.

educate me please- doesn't a gun manufactured in the UK require at minimum a provisional proof prior to assembly??

I was thinking they were Japanese.I will have to get checked out for its meaning. Thomas

One would think so, but apparently not. The key is where the gun was to be sold. If that location was outside of the UK or the Empire, proofs were not required. Many British-made guns sold in the US during the 19th century have no proofs.

This was probably a cost decision. Proof cost money. And if a maker wasn't required to submit for proof, save a few quid, and sell the finished gun where there was no proof anyway - like the USA - then why not?

If the gun was going anywhere in the Commonwealth, proof was required.

Agree on the potential for an interesting history lesson. Perhaps this gun made its way to the outskirts of the British Empire, one that was subsequently conquered by the Japanese?

John: What was that UK firm/agency (Ltd.??) that sold sporting arms to British military personnel stationed throughout the world?? I can see the letters: CSL??? Arrrrgh, I blew a fuse. :banghead:

The Army & Navy Co-operative Society Ltd

Or CSL

Attachment 43640

Thanks, Rick....knew I was somewhere near the ball park!