| henry_r |
| (.224 member) |
| 03/01/18 07:28 AM |
No1 on usedguns in australia
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Did anyone here pick up the "charles lancaster lee speed" no1 that came up for sale yesterday?
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 03/01/18 07:43 AM |
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Certainly went very quickly. Looks like it might have been a bargain.
Waidmannsheil.
| 264 |
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| 03/01/18 08:13 AM |
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I was lucky enough to be first caller. So payment done PTA to be sorted. Bore is in poor shape. Cheers Mick
| Claydog |
| (.375 member) |
| 03/01/18 09:31 AM |
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Bargain! Nice one Mick
| henry_r |
| (.224 member) |
| 03/01/18 09:33 AM |
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Congrats. Even with a poor bore you have to be happy with the price.
Looking forward to pics once you get it.
As an aside did lee speeds generally use a long lee barrel profile, a SMLE or something lee speed specific?
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 03/01/18 11:19 AM |
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.375 2 1/2", or maybe .458 2.1" or .458 2.4" - all good choices. Too, a .358 or .375 on a necked up .303 would also be fun.
Jacketed or cast, 250's through 275gr. RN's or FN's, pigs and/or Sambar - sounds like a good choice.
| Waidmannsheil |
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| 03/01/18 11:42 AM |
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Well done Mick, looking forward to some pics.
Waidmannsheil.
| 264 |
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| 03/01/18 06:49 PM |
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Once I get it here Ill make up my mind which way ill go with it. A rebore to 375 nitro would be nice. Id like to keep the ribbed barrel.
The owner said its a nice looking rifle.Pretty stoked at getting this one even with a poor bore the price was very good. Cheers Mick
| Bidgee |
| (.375 member) |
| 04/01/18 03:38 AM |
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Well done, Nice pick up. No prizes for coming second. Bugger being at work, it gets in the way of good gun deals....
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 04/01/18 07:27 AM |
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Quote:
Well done Mick, looking forward to some pics.
Waidmannsheil.
Good on you mate - went to a good home!
Lucky bugger!!!!!
| Rule303 |
| (.416 member) |
| 04/01/18 08:44 AM |
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A good pick up there Mick.
| Roy |
| (.300 member) |
| 05/01/18 02:23 AM |
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Yes, well done Mike,
Looking forward to the pics.
Cheerio,
Roy
| Old_rifle_nut |
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| 05/01/18 09:34 AM |
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Not to give hope where perhaps none is due, BUT, by any chance do you think that Lancaster has one of their famous oval-bore barrels or a Metford and not a shot-out Enfield bore?
If it is, you'll probably have to cast for it (see Accurate Moulds; sorry for the plug, [admins. please remove if inappropriate], no relation, just a many-time satisfied client), as I had to do with all of my old #1 Pattern H.L.S.R.s.(largest 0.318)
NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 12/01/18 08:32 PM |
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Re: No1 on usedguns in australia
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Calibre/Item: 303
Make: BSA
Model: Charles Lancaster Lee Speed
Action: Bolt repeater
Scope/Sights: Open sights
Condition: Fair
Price: $800
Advertised: 2/01/2018
Comment: Old Charles Lancaster Lee Speed sporting rifle. Fair condition. ...
State: TAS
add to watchlist
SOLD in minutes
| Rockdoc |
| (.400 member) |
| 13/01/18 08:15 AM |
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Great purchase.
I am sure it will be fun shooting and hunting.
Cheers, Chris
| 264 |
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| 19/01/18 10:32 PM |
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Its arrived and cleaned up ok. Bores gone and it keyholes at 40m with .312 215 gr woodleighs.
it handles and points well. Has some interesting markings. HON R B COLE on receiver strap.
A bit of research shows the rifle may have had a interesting history.
Heres some info of R B Cole.....
Frank Holderness Gale - 1908 - ‎Snippet view - ‎More editions
Q9 THE HON. R. B. COLE. A younger son of Lord Enniskillen and a brother of Lady Delamere, Mr. Cole came to British East Africa in 1904 from India, where he had been serving in the 9th Lancers. Previous to arriving in the country he had taken up 5,000 acres of land at Likipia. The present farm is at Njoro, and runs to 10,000 acres. It was acquired in 1905, and later the homestead land of 1,000 acres was bought. Mr. Cole has also 15,000 acres of land on the slopes of Mount Kenia, ...
Military Operations East Africa: August 1914-September 1916. Volume 1
1941 - ‎Snippet view - ‎More editions
In February 1915 a mutiny occurred in a small unit of Somali mounted infantry (K.A.R.) commanded by Captain the Hon. R. B. Cole, which had previously done good work; whether this was from religious causes, or from dissatisfaction among men of a race by nature unruly, is uncertain. The unit was disbanded, a new M.I. unit being formed under Captain Cole with personnel from the 2/L. North Lancs., into which the loyal remnant of Somalis was absorbed, the whole being then …
Heres some pics of the rifle cheers Mick
| 264 |
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| 19/01/18 10:35 PM |
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sorry about the quality of pics, cheers Mick
| Levallois |
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| 20/01/18 02:19 AM |
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Wow, wow and wow! Beautiful rifle at a great price and with a history! I can't tell you how envious I am even with a bad bore. Congratulations!
John
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 20/01/18 04:15 AM |
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To maintain a bit more weight in the barrel, I'd think an 8mm, or if pitting present and is too deep, perhaps a .338 or .35 might be a better idea than .375, on the .303 case or perhaps an 8x57R case or necked .444 Marlin case.
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 20/01/18 05:14 PM |
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Certainly a very travelled piece there Mick!
If only she could talk what tales would be told!
I wounder though would it be feasible to re-line back to .303 so as to keep it as best back to original?
| 264 |
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| 20/01/18 05:55 PM |
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Id prefer to keep it as a .303. Who does reline/ barrel work in Aus. Other option would be to rebarrell to the same contour and re fit rib.
It handles like a hunting rifle should.
I would like to have seen it in new condition. The wood grain in the stock is very nice.
Or ill just keep it as it is................
Gunsmith options in the NT are fairly limited. Any recommendations for the work would be appreciated. Thanks Mick
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 20/01/18 05:57 PM |
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Re: No1 on usedguns in australia
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Interesting rifle with an interesting history. No doubt many an antelope has fallen to its bore. Perhaps some Indian blackbuck and other buck as well. And whatever it was used for in Australia since here.
Hopefully the existing barrel can be returned to use in some sort of classic suitable bore and chambering. A .375/303 if the barrel is thick enough would be great. Maybe a .360/.303. Or a.350/303. Maybe even a .330/303. Of course the .303 itself would be the best if it was possible.
(Mick's post popped in same time as mine.)
| darwinmauser |
| (.300 member) |
| 26/02/18 09:40 PM |
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I also have a Lee Speed who's barrel has seen better days, I doubt that you will find a barrel liner,they're just not made for higher pressure cartridges, about the only way to get one would be to turn down a normal barrel and good luck with that. So you're left with finding a good used barrel or buying a new one, TSE could no doubt make one for you but it will not be cheap. I was looking at the Mosin Nagant take off barrels on ebay, the Russian ones are chrome lined which makes rechambering difficult but I'm left wondering if the Finnish ones were chrome lined as well, if not then that may be worth a look if you can get one sent to Australia. Reboring is also not an option as far as I know, if you find someone let us know so i can get mine rebored
| englishman_ca |
| (.224 member) |
| 27/02/18 05:37 AM |
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Another option that works well would be to take it to a machine shop and get it into the hands of a turner.
The current barrel can be cut off in front of the barrel reinforce and the stub bored out to accept the threaded end of a prepared barrel. Any Lee Enfield barrel could be used, or a blank with your choice of caliber.
When done, and if done well, the original serial number and markings will be preserved and the only mark to witness the modification would be a fine ring line in front of the reinforce where the two meet.
Just noticed that your rifle has a rib which complicates things. 'Engine turned', it isn't a separate piece, but is a solid part of the barrel, is it not?
So belay my last, this maybe not the easiest route.
| Old_rifle_nut |
| (.300 member) |
| 27/02/18 09:00 AM |
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englishman.ca
ALL No. 1 Pattern Lee Speeds I have come across had their ribs soft-soldered onto the barrels, just like the sporting Martinis. Some had a few pegs to keep things aligned which were also soldered on, but none I have ever seen had "ovate"-type barrels where the rib was formed as part of the barrel.
Engine turning refers to the wavy lines on the barrel rib.
| darwinmauser |
| (.300 member) |
| 27/02/18 11:32 AM |
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The option that you mention would be the one I would use if I could find a suitable barrel at a reasonable price. That's why i was looking at the Mosin barrels , 30 inches long and 311 - 312 bore, the problem is getting it to Australia.
www.ebay.com/itm/Finnish-M39-Mosin-Nagant-Surplus-Heavy-Barrel-With-Sights-7-62x54r-1942-SAKO-/372231104298
| englishman_ca |
| (.224 member) |
| 01/03/18 07:10 AM |
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Thank you oldriflenut, I just learnt something.
And a Mosin barrel is 30 inches long? I have a cunning plan......
Oh no! A Lee Mosin??
| darwinmauser |
| (.300 member) |
| 01/03/18 07:41 PM |
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http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinM91F.htm
A bit of reading for you, have been doing a bit of reading myself, it would appear that the Russian and Finnish barrels were not chrome lined after all.
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 02/03/18 06:45 PM |
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Quote:
Thank you oldriflenut, I just learnt something.
And a Mosin barrel is 30 inches long? I have a cunning plan......
Oh no! A Lee Mosin??
allready happen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5d9AUCemZE
| AlanD |
| (.275 member) |
| 04/03/18 11:34 AM |
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Interesting rifle. Some Lancaster records still exist, I had a look through some of the ledgers a number of years ago.
The guy who bought the company or name does not seem to have an internet presence but if you can track him down the number on the base of the trigger guard would make the rifle easy to look up in the ledgers, giving the date it was sold and perhaps the price, along with the purchaser of course.
Regards
AlanD
Sydney
| BigEyeBob |
| (.275 member) |
| 16/03/18 10:27 PM |
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I had my BSA 32-20 Martini barrel relined by Kieth Bridegman at Sprinter in Adelaide last year . It is a factory 32-20 chambered barrel I wanted to preserve the factory markings .Kieth did an excellent job , the liner is undetectable , and the rifle shoots very well . Barrel lining is not his normal work ,but when I asked him he said if the barrel was unique he would do it .He manufactured a rifled barrel blank and used it to make the liner.
Kev.
| bwanabobftw |
| (.375 member) |
| 20/03/18 01:08 AM |
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Great old gun with lots of history. As other's here have said, "If only she could talk...". Good luck with getting her a new barrel.
Robert