I have read a lot about the Whitworth Express rifles and the transitions from made-in-England to made-who-knows-where. I have seen and handled many and can attest to the many different ways they were marked. But I have come across a very interesting Whitworth, different from any I have seen before, and I am wondering if anyone can provide information about it.


Top of barrel is marked, "Whitworth Rifle Company, Manchester, England".

Left side of barrel has a Birmingham definitive nitro proof mark and says, "Caliber .375 H&H".

Left side of front action ring has a Birmingham definitive nitro proof mark and the serial number.

SEE PICTURE BELOW Right side of barrel has a London provisional proof (?), a London view mark, and a mark that looks like a wide T with an 8 under the left arm and an 8 under the right arm.

Right side of the front action ring has the same three marks as above and reads, "Interarms, Alexandria, VA".

Here is the interesting part. The left action rail, between the front and rear action rings says, "Whitworth Express Rifle". There is no round Interarms emblem and no CZ emblem and no other text in this area.

Top of barrel does NOT have a castle emblem. Top of action does NOT have a Whitworth banner. Top of action has NO markings whatsoever.

It sounds like you found one of the early makes from England which was proofed in Birmingham.
I have three with the "Whitworth Rifle Company" inscriptions on the rifles but one also has "Manchester, England" on the top of the barrel between the express sights and front sight. My front sight is soldered only with no screws. I have the similar BP on the right of the action. Caliber strike is fully spelled and not simple "cal", serial 220xxx. One with castle, one without. My only rifle with all identifiers and the castle is a Mark X. The castle is on the barrel which may mean one of the leftover Whitworth barrels was put onto a Mark X action after the assembly was transferred from England to Virginia.
All mine have the Alexandria markings on the left action and not the right side.
Does your rifle have the tonn markings under the barrel?

Just pulled the action out of the stock -

Under the barrel is: 375 MAGNUM 2.850"
and below that: 19 TONS per []"
followed by the crossed swords (look more like crosses) with a Z on the left (1974?) and a B on the right (Birmingham) and a P (the inspector)

Wow! - I found a 3yr old post on Nitro express from a guy in Hawaii who has the same rifle. His rifle serial number is within ten of my rifle. He posted some great pictures and they show more detail than my eye could pick up from my rifle.

So... Strike this from my description: Right side of barrel has a London provisional proof (?), a London view mark, and a mark that looks like a wide T with an 8 under the left arm and an 8 under the right arm.

What I was looking at was this. Now the question is, "What are those marks?"

Same marks are found on a Zastava Model 70 pistol:

http://parallaxscurioandrelicf...c/26447#.TnZIdo4t0XE

Serbian proof marks from the Zastava factory that made the barreled actions.

Thanks, guys. From the link you provided:
"Barrel with BTB proof mark (Tormentacija Bezdimnim Barutom - Smokeless Powder Proof) and antlers (Zastava's commercial stamp)"

I am pretty sure the book is called "The Bolt Action Rifle".
I can't find my book on proofs but will look some more.

Also go here http://forums.accuratereloadin...1043/m/591107764/p/1
Frank