BSA Joe,

Thanks for your backgrounding on BSA Lee Speed Sporters.

I would be interested to know whether you have come across early English retailed Lee Speeds that weren't made by BSA?

My curiosity about this was raised by mention of a Rigby Lee Speed by Alan. In some private correspondance with Paul Roberts when he owned Rigby's he mentioned that there were some "re-worked" Lee Speeds appearing in their books in the early 1000-2000 Serial number range. I have always assumed that they were ex-Military rifles.

Obviously there are heaps of sporterised ex-Military Lee Enfields around, but I have never seen a Lee Speed signed by an English maker that wasn't made by BSA.

Strange, since the English gunmakers were into "sporterising" military rifles very early. For example, Dan'l Fraser, for one was completly re-working 1896 Mausers and 1985 Mannlicher Steyrs before 1898 when he started using '98 Mausers!

Perhaps, with BSA doing the job, they didn't have to?

Anybody care to comment?