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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Lee Speed Forum & Archive
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Ruger_450
Banned


Reged: 10/03/13
Posts: 163
Loc: WY & FL
Need Help with a SMLE
      #245650 - 14/04/14 03:36 AM

I've been around the net looking for some help with this SMLE. While this site does not have a "military rifle" section, I'm hoping that, as so many of you are from the Commonwealth, I might get lucky.

I own Skennerton's latest edition and have been able to puzzle out a few things, but some features of the rifle and many of the marks remain a mystery.

I believe it is a III action as it is set up to accept a cutoff. The stock is very nice Walnut, whereas the front end wood is rather crude beech that does show correct inletting with Prussian blue. The marking indicate a 1954 rebuild.

The seller has given me disassembly inspection privileges. The package incudes a 1918 Lithgow blackened bayonet and scabbard with new wooden handle.

What is it ? Is it worth $550 dollars ?

I have put together a public photo bucket album of all the markings I can find.

Here is a link to it:

http://s1186.photobucket.com/user/rocketcity1/library/smle?sort=3&page=1

Just double click on the small image and it will enlarge for you. On the large image there will be left and right arrows to look at the other images.

thanks very much.

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controlled_feed
.300 member


Reged: 23/05/08
Posts: 227
Loc: NSW, Australia
Re: Need Help with a SMLE [Re: Ruger_450]
      #245694 - 14/04/14 09:54 PM

The rifle has been about.

The action is a 1913? Enfield

The barrel is BSA made, can't make out the year of manufacture. If it wasn't cared for well, the corrosive military ammunition may not have been kind to the bore.

The action started life as ShtLeIII, but the black paint makes it hard to see if there are any other marks. I would have thought the designation would have been changed when it was FTR'd, are there any markings on the left side if the butt scoket?

Does it have the volley sight or remnants of it?

Rear handgaurd has been repaired, possibly at FTR but hard to tell.

The rifle was commercially proofed and imported into the US pre 1968 I think. There should be an importers mark on the rilfe somehwere.

Something is amiss with the magazine but I can't put my finger in it. The back of the magazine doesn't look right.

The black paint screams India, but can't see any Indian markings in the pics. Is there a screw through the forestock just in front of the butt socket? The nose cap isn't Indian though, I don't think.

Does the bayonet have any stamps on the ricasso that gel with the date on the grips?

The mismatched stock timber is common on FTR'd rifles.

I haven't seen the FTR notation marked like that, looks like a lectric pencil.

EDIT: It appears as though BSA embarked on a large FTR program of No1's in 1953, there is conjecture as to why, popular thought is they where destined for far flung parts of the Commonwealth, but for reasons unknown it never happened. They where never used in the UK in a military role of any sort, not even for cadets apparanlty.

For me, the bore would have to be like a mirror to pay that much for it.

--------------------
I was born 100 years too late

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26499
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Need Help with a SMLE [Re: controlled_feed]
      #245705 - 15/04/14 12:34 AM

I don't know anything about Florida #3 pricing - here, where we aren't as sophisticated as other places, that gun would bring maybe $50.00 - up to $150.00 - but only if you cleaned off the rust made it look good and it had a decent bore - and someone wanted a gun to throw in the pickup box during hunting season. in my opinion, of course. #4's bring a higher price - $75.00 to $175.00 depending on condition. You see, you can get a good Husky 9.3x57(6.5x55 or 8x57) for #225.00 mail order from back East.

When the long gun registration laws were enacted here, my buddy was 'given' over 300 #3's, #4's and #5's by people who didn't want to 'bother' with registering them. He did bother and kept a few of the better ones (#4's & P14's) and sold the rest at gun shows - usually $50.00 to $150.0 depending on condition.

Around here, an Enfield .303 is a hunting rifle, period - those that don't shoot well, get sold - cheaply. I sold a #3 in better shape than yours at last year's show - for $50.00 - with a brand new $45.00 magazine. The guy wanted a throw-about gun for the pickup truck box. Since the rifle was given to me (bad land in the bore), I was up $5.00 on the magazine I purchased for it at the same gun show. When I got it, it had a 5 shot modified magazine that I wanted to keep for my #4 - works perfectly!

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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szihn
.400 member


Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2109
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming
Re: Need Help with a SMLE [Re: DarylS]
      #245771 - 15/04/14 03:18 PM

PM me.
I have a friend that is selling one in near perfect condition for $450

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Ruger_450
Banned


Reged: 10/03/13
Posts: 163
Loc: WY & FL
Re: Need Help with a SMLE [Re: szihn]
      #245803 - 16/04/14 02:33 AM

agree, it's on its way back. SMLE's in top condition are not cheap in the USA.

Found a flat new Fazakerly Mk 4 #2 w/bayonet, Irish contract all matching for $1300. Certainly not cheap, but as new military rifles never are.

But first I have to get that m41 1900 Mauser Swede put together.

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