JCS.

Thank you.

As for your ?',s I will try to answer as best as I can.

Re: Is there a space in the receiver on the left-hand side for a rotating safety lever like you'd see on a MkIII SMLE? Or is the left side smooth like a cavalry carbine? If the former, your rifle was probably fitted with the charger bridge as an optional extra by customer request.

I believe this to be a Metford or Long Lee receiver, given the bolt mounted safety, and the 2 small holes that were filled, as compared to several of my later B.S.A. Lee sporters, which were built on the Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee Enfield Mk I, which had the roatating side safety. Also, the magazine has a moveable feed lip riveted to its right hand, as I have seen in several other Long Lee rifles. I believe the charger was fitted as an optional extra as I had mentioned in my descriptive post above, i.e. "and the Mk III SMLE charger bridge (an extra cost of 3/9)."

Re: Later commercial Lee Enfields from BSA were made on the SMLE pattern and had the rotating safety lever on the receiver just like their military MkIII counterparts.

The welded-up holes on the left action strap are just 2 small holes & are not like the larger safety holes / cut-outs as on the SMLE.

Re: The 21" barrel is unusual, though this could have been specified by the customer as well.

Possibly, but unknown. Upon further inspection, the front sight is made for ther Cole's front sight protector, which is, alas, no longer there.

Re: Does the knox resemble an SMLE or a Long Lee?

As I also mentioned in my original post, the barrel has a SMLE knox form, not a Metford, or Long Lee knox form.

I still believe it is a #2 pattern because of the swept-back bolt handle & the sporter style stock, with horn fore-end & pistol-grip cap, and the fact the butt-stock is not of a military or semi-military pattern, as was the case for #3 or #4, or #4b patterns, but rather is patterned after the #1 or #2 sporter patterns, however, I may be mistaken.

Jim