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I have no idea why the two types of "S" marking, except that stamps were changed from time to time due to wear, breakage, etc. and often new ones would be made at that time. Changes to the stamp might or might not have any significance.
The British small arms nomenclature system is a study in itself. At the time in question, they were using a system of two names, the first being the name of the inventor (or manufacturer) of the weapon, the second the name of the inventor of the rifling system. So a rifle designated "Lee-Metford" would have a Lee action with Metford rifling*, and a "Lee-Enfield" would be the same action, but with the barrel having rifling developed at Enfield Lock.
Major changes were indicated by a change in "Mark" (model); minor changes as one or more "stars" following. Sometimes, to clarify, it is useful to read the nomenclature "backward", so SMLE stands for Lee-Enfield, magazine type, shortened. (As noted above, the "short" applies to the rifle, not to the magazine.)
HTH
Jim
*The Metford rifling system has what might be called "rounded" rifling, in contrast to the sharp-cornered Enfield rifling. Metford believed his rifling would be less susceptible to erosion; in fact, the opposite was the case. It was about that time that the British exerted a great amount of influence on the Japanese military; one result was that the rifles developed by Col. Arisaka were made with Metford rifling, often called "that funny Jap rifling" by Americans who encountered it during and after WWII.
JK
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