Well Guys,

A specific reference on Lee Speed sporters is pretty much totally lacking at present.
An American gentleman who posts here under jc5 was expecting to produce one this year sometime.

As a generalisation, both the carbine style bolt handle and Enfield rifling became standard about 1895/6 but could be special ordered if you were prepared to wait.

All British rifles for local sale and I think all BSA sporters regardless were proof tested and that would have been for the standard 215gn Mk.VI military load which was replicated by Eley with a soft nose projectile for hunting.

1896 was the year BSA had some rifles returned from South Africa suffering from excessive pressure and they determined but could not prove that it was the fault of Rifleite powder in the hot climate and from then on the rifles carried the "for cordite only" markings.

As I say we are waiting for the definitive text from jc5.