| szihn |
| (.400 member) |
| 24/03/08 03:32 AM |
Lee Sporter magazine?
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Hello all.
I was given a Lee rifle by a good friend. It's not complete. He tells me it was made for the Irish Constabulary.
It’s not in great shape, but the action is sound. It’s missing the magazine and the Magazine cut-off.
Do any of you have a source for parts for such old rifles?
I would turn it into a very nice “speed” if I can find the parts.
I did find this picture on line of an action almost identical to it. It’s got the ring in front of the mag well for the little chain to go to the magazine.
It doesn’t have the action/bolt cover that the one in the picture has.
I am not an expert by any means on Lee sporters. But I would like to make it into a very nice rifle. I can do the metal work and the stocking as well as about anyone, if I can find parts.
Ideas?
Steve
| Carpetsahib |
| (.333 member) |
| 27/03/08 10:59 PM |
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Re: Lee Sporter magazine?
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I would try a SMLE magazine for fit. If it does, its a simple matter to shorten the magazine to about a 5-round capacity - along the lines of the one pictured in your post. One merely saws the magazine off parallel to the existing bottom line, dresses up the cut and solders a new piece of sheet metal on the bottom.
| ALAN_MCKENZIE |
| (.400 member) |
| 27/03/08 11:32 PM |
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Re: Lee Sporter magazine?
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Most of the SMLE mags fit.
Iff you dont have any luck with a mag cut off in the US let me know and I will procure one for you.
Al
| Marrakai |
| (.416 member) |
| 28/03/08 12:01 AM |
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Re: Lee Sporter magazine?
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I wouldn't lose any sleep over a missing mag cut-off. First order of business in making a sporter is to remove the damn thing and chuck it away!
They do look neat though, I must admit, but they work the wrong way: in order for the magazine to function at all, they have to stick out the side which gets in the way.
| szihn |
| (.400 member) |
| 28/03/08 01:27 AM |
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Re: Lee Sporter magazine?
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I owned an SMLE Lithgow a few years ago, which I sold. I got this rifle afterwards.
I may be wrong, but the mage well looks a bit slimmer. Is that possible, or am I just getting old?
I would be happy to cut down an SMLE mag and make it work, but I didn’t think it was the same shape.
I am not knowledgeable in the area of Lees. Hence my appeal to you folks.
Do any of you know of a sourse of short mags (5-7 round) and magazine cut-offs?
My old Lithgow had the cut-off and I agree with you. It seems to be in the way when you are using the rifle normally. But I want to get one because the old Lee had one when it left the factory, and it’s just something I’d like to have back on the rifle. Not for any practical reason.
Heck.....I hunt with flintlock rifles a lot of the time. I just LIKE them. I own an FN-FAL, and a super accurate 270 winchester I made on a Mauser, and they are way better rifles for hunting then a flintlock, but that’s not the point.
The reason I use a 1760 style flintlock is the same reason I want to put the magazine cut-off on this old gun and make a nice early style rifle out of it again.
Because I am weird!
| Neil |
| (.224 member) |
| 28/03/08 08:11 AM |
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Re: Lee Sporter magazine?
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Hi Szihn
Marstar in Canada has lee parts mag cutoff is about $23 dollars cnd.
http://www.marstar.ca/ac-Lee1mk3/index.shtm
Hope this helps
Neil
| szihn |
| (.400 member) |
| 28/03/08 12:03 PM |
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Re: Lee Sporter magazine?
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Thank You.
I will go look.
| ALAN_MCKENZIE |
| (.400 member) |
| 28/03/08 11:06 PM |
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Re: Lee Sporter magazine?
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"I may be wrong, but the mag well looks a bit slimmer. Is that possible, or am I just getting old?"
Interesting comment.
What you might have is a single stacker action inwhich case the mag will only hold 6 ????? 8 rounds.
This being the case ,the front of the magazine well will measure aprox 18 mm and the rear will measure 24 mm
Did you read my previous post on this subject?
Al
| szihn |
| (.400 member) |
| 29/03/08 12:07 AM |
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Re: Lee Sporter magazine?
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Alan, I did not read it. I don't know where it is.
My magazine well is about 19.5mm in front (.780") and 27mm in back (1.065")
It looks wide enough that I am sure it's not a single stack. It's just that it contours in towards the front faster than the old Lithgow #1 Mk 3 I used to have
(at least I think it does, but as I said before, I am trusting to memory here. I no longer have that rifle, so I can't be sure.
Steve