SMLE brass disc marking

[cco23i]

O.K all,
I have my rifle and I need to get a repro brass ID disc for it and I want to mark it for RMLI and was wondering what the proper way of doing this was. I have stamps just need to know what to put and where.

Scott

[richlibicer]

Hello Scott.

I am pretty new to this, but have had to do some research (whether I liked it or not) for my own SHTLE disc for the 42nd RHC. So, for what they're worth, here are my recommendations:

The general pattern of disc stamping seems to be the following: The alphabetical abbreviation for the unit (in your case RMLI, though I can't seem to find it anywhere on an existing disc), followed by the rack number for the storage of the rifle before it was issued, and then an abbreviated issue date.

I have seen some discs with periods between the alphabetic unit abbreviation, and some with just the capital letters.

The rack numbers seem to be generally meaningless unless there are very good ordnance records for where the weapon was storehoused prior to issue. Some are good, some not so much. It will take a little bit of research on your part to find one that will work.

The issue date was either a 3 digit number for the month and year (for example '216' for February, 1916) or a simple abbreviate date with a period or a backslash (for example 2/16 or 2.16 for February, 1916).

Of course, there are tons of variations in the manner of stamping, but this seems to be the general overall intent! I guess it often just depended on the mood of the armory personnel doing the stamping.

So, I guess yours could be something like this:

RMLI and your chosen rack number around the "top" of the disc.
The abbreviated issue date at the bottom.

Hope this helps a bit.

Cheers.
Rich