A "Big Nut" ([sic] - it is actually a bolt or a plug) master cylinder is a standard master cylinder. The are a cast iron master cylinder whose design incorporated the nut at the front so as to enable re-kitting. The common one that is seen nowadays is the replacement PBR (aluminium) type whose design does not require access to the front to re-kit (if you could or even wanted to it would be more cost effective to replace the whole master cylinder with a new one, they are now that cheap).
There are different numbers and different types of big nut master cylinders, HK-HG ones were a large, more oval shape to the resovoir, HQ-Z was a smaller, squared-off resovoir. My memory is fading (meaning don't take this as gospel) but remember seeing "DISC" on the odd nut here and there (A9X rings a bell....).
Hope that helps,
Dave.
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