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

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..?
#273080 - 12/11/15 06:29 AM

Hi Chaps,

I would like to share the last of my (four) B.S.A. Lee-Speed rifles (see link below) for your enjoyment and opinions. This is a late pattern (post WWI) that most likely dates from the early 1920's. It is a No4 (a) in .303" and although this is a 'no frills' rifle it is in wonderful, near new original condition.

So a 'plain Jane' or 'natural beauty'..? I'm most certainly in the latter camp..!

Link: http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/BSA_Lee_Speed_No4_%28a%29.html

As always if any kind forum member would like to lift some images off my website to share on this thread then I would be most grateful.

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

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CHAPUISARMES
.416 member

Reged: 16/01/08
Posts: 2908
Loc: DUBBO, NSW, AUSTRALIA

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Roy]
#273083 - 12/11/15 08:12 AM

Very nice Roy, I will go with the latter 'Natural Beauty' a very nice rifle and practical.

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: CHAPUISARMES]
#273084 - 12/11/15 08:16 AM

Thanks for that mate, very kind of you to say so.

I must confess it's nice to have such a near flawless example that needs nothing at all to do to it.

Next stop - the range....!

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

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93x64mm
.416 member

Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4198
Loc: Nth QLD Australia

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Roy]
#273085 - 12/11/15 09:11 AM

'Show ponies' are mostly just that, & you're too frighten to even use them.
Those ones that actually do some hard yards, well they don't look so fancy after a bit of a work, even the so called plain janes' end up looking far better!
So Roy your 'Plain Jane' may be scoffed & laughed at by others by being old fashioned also, but when the Poo hits the fan, its Natural beauty will shine through & get you out of trouble.
Like a good woman mate - she's a keeper!
Cheers
93x64mm

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: 93x64mm]
#273093 - 12/11/15 12:46 PM

Thanks for that 93x64mm, much appreciated.

Yes the more I handle and look at this old girl the more I fall in love with the clean lines and no nonsense form and function.

I decided to grab this one as I thought of its type I would likely never find one as good and I must say when it arrived I was not disappointed. I will update with some more details as and when and certainly after a spin at the range.

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

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Bidgee
.375 member

Reged: 08/04/15
Posts: 711
Loc: Northern Rivers, NSW

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Roy]
#273103 - 12/11/15 04:38 PM

Hi Roy,

That's nice, very very nice. I would be happy with it in my safe!

And as for your question I would say it's a natural beauty as to me it looks like a no nonsense working rifle.

Cheers

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Docbill
.224 member

Reged: 05/03/15
Posts: 21
Loc: Texas

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Bidgee]
#273133 - 13/11/15 03:35 AM

Very nice. Where did you come by it and is there another there for me?

--------------------
Bill Boyd

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Docbill]
#273134 - 13/11/15 04:02 AM

Hi Gents,

Thanks so much for your kind comments. This one is certainly a keep as I very much doubt I will fine a more splendid example. I don't think these late patterns get enough credit and the splendid condition of this example certainly highlights it's qualities.

Bill this came from the private collection of a contact of mine. Sadly no more such examples and believe me I did indeed ask as I would have grabbed them too!

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

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Sarg
.400 member

Reged: 20/01/07
Posts: 1365
Loc: Nil

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Roy]
#273138 - 13/11/15 06:43 AM

That is in Fantastic condition, a beauty for sure, I have half a dozen of these & none are in this fine condition,

I did find one marked Rigby & foolishly pasted it up thinking more on the BSA/Lee Speed type rifles .

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Sarg]
#273153 - 13/11/15 01:07 PM

Hi Sarg,

Gosh half-a-dozen, that doesn't sound healthy...! I guess I did quite well then. Yes letting go of that Rigby was a shame but then again we all have done similar over the years.

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

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leeenfield
.275 member

Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 53
Loc: Canada

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Roy]
#273219 - 14/11/15 12:14 PM

Nice rifle,Roy. A BSA Lee Enfield factory sporter is the natural evolution of this rifle after Speed's patent ran out. For an example of this rifle's close cousin, check out my thread "BSA 4C Bush Pattern" sporter on this forum.some time back.

Best Regards
LeeEnfield

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: leeenfield]
#273318 - 16/11/15 02:56 AM

Hi LeeEnfield,

Thank you for that. I checked out your older thread and what a beauty that is, well done indeed. These may indeed be later incarnations but they are indeed special and unique in their own right. Lovely to see another cracking example.

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Roy]
#273403 - 17/11/15 02:54 AM

Okay Gents,

Well now it seems I have worked out how to include images in my posts there's no stoping me..!

So (assuming it works) here is a photo of this wonderful late pattern B.S.A. No4.

Cheers, Roy.

Edited by Roy (17/11/15 02:55 AM)

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Roy]
#273405 - 17/11/15 02:59 AM

That is lovely.

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

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

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: DarylS]
#273407 - 17/11/15 03:04 AM

Thank you Daryl,

A contact in the UK just got grabbed me a vintage commercial leather sling, so once I find a nice pair of correct sling-swivels it it will be a nice addition.

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

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Sarg
.400 member

Reged: 20/01/07
Posts: 1365
Loc: Nil

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Roy]
#273420 - 17/11/15 06:22 AM

Again very nice example, unusual in that it has the Carbine type mag, most of these have full mags (I had one with that mag) & no mag cut off, because I have had so many I have seen a lot of variation in the actions used, strangely early MLE type actions with no mag cut off & charger bridge, then SMLE type action with OUT charger bridge !

Have you looked at the internals on these to see what is what ?

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Roy
.300 member

Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico

Re: No4 - Plain Jane Or Natural Beauty..? [Re: Sarg]
#273421 - 17/11/15 06:34 AM

Hi Sarg,

Yes there does seem to be more variations on these late patter rifles than almost any other. I suspect due to cost it may have been a case of using what parts they happened to have.

I haven't had time to look at this particular rifle in detail yet but let me know specific questions regarding its details and I will sort out some replies and/or images?

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

Post Extras:

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