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

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Sarg
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BSA Sporter ? ?
#141967 - 13/09/09 02:52 PM

Hi Guys , well just bought a BSA Sporter on a 1901 Lee Enfield action , has 21in barrel , horn butt plate , old sling eyes & such !

Would this be a factory BSA sporter or a old custom gunsmith job done in England ?
It came out to NZ from England with the father of the lady I'm getting it off !

I don't have it in hand yet , I have had a good look over it however , will post some more pics if there is any interest here ?

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500Nitro
.450 member

Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: Sarg]
#141968 - 13/09/09 03:06 PM

Good pick up.

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darwinmauser
.300 member

Reged: 07/05/07
Posts: 217
Loc: Darwin NT

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: 500Nitro]
#141978 - 13/09/09 06:08 PM

"Would this be a factory BSA sporter or a old custum gunsmith job done in England ?"

If it got the crown on the action under the bolt handle it's a military rifle, the crown is a property mark, called the royal cipher.

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tophet1
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Reged: 15/09/07
Posts: 1873
Loc: NSW, Australia

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: darwinmauser]
#141979 - 13/09/09 06:56 PM

Glad to hear your getting it off mate.

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ALAN_MCKENZIE
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Reged: 24/03/04
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Loc: Western Australia

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: tophet1]
#141983 - 13/09/09 11:16 PM

Pretty sure its a factory sporter.
I will go through some old catalogs and post some pics for you.
Al

--------------------
"Dogs always bark at their master"
Sir Seretse Khama.25th June 1949

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Sarg
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Posts: 1365
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Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: ALAN_MCKENZIE]
#142059 - 15/09/09 08:43 PM

Thank you for the info guys & that would be great if you find it in a catalog Al !

Did BSA not build sporters on Ex Mil actions too ?

Thanks !

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darwinmauser
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Loc: Darwin NT

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: Sarg]
#142099 - 16/09/09 10:15 AM

Quote:

Thank you for the info guys & that would be great if you find it in a catalog Al !

Did BSA not build sporters on Ex Mil actions too ?

Thanks !

I know Parker Hale did. BSA were manufacturers, so there wouldn't be a lot of sense in using a military action weather second hand or new ,when they could just grab an unmarked one off the production line.

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jc5
.300 member

Reged: 10/10/07
Posts: 162
Loc: West Coast, USA

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: darwinmauser]
#142166 - 17/09/09 02:49 PM

Looks a like a fun rifle to shoot---congrats!

It is not a factory sporter. As darwinmauser said above, the royal cipher indicates that this was a military rifle, converted privately by a gunsmith. It is possible that the conversion was done by Parker Hale, because they offered some conversions that look similar to yours, although the buttstock is quite different. (PH also sold BSA factory sporters, but this is not one of those).

What is the overall length?
The barrel length?
Are there any Parker Hale markings?

More photos and details on all the markings will tell us much.

As far as I know, BSA never performed conversions of military rifles or offered any for sale. You may sometimes encounter BSA factory sporters with military barrels, but those were fitted privately--not by BSA.

--------------------
Researching Lee Speeds and all commercial Lee Enfields. If you have data to share or questions, please send me a PM.

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Sarg
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Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: jc5]
#142185 - 17/09/09 07:32 PM

Bugger ! I will be getting it tomorrow & I will take some more photos then !

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jc5
.300 member

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Loc: West Coast, USA

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: Sarg]
#142213 - 18/09/09 01:39 AM

It looks like a well done conversion. Someone put some effort into that buttstock. It's hard to say without knowing the butt's measurements, but it doesn't look like it was converted from a military buttstock---maybe custom-made from a shotgun stock?

--------------------
Researching Lee Speeds and all commercial Lee Enfields. If you have data to share or questions, please send me a PM.

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Sarg
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Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: jc5]
#142261 - 18/09/09 02:12 PM

Picked her up today , I have had Lee Speeds in my hands , but this feels better , great handling , Butt stock looks made to the rifle , bolt does not match , but the Lee Speeds I have seen did not have matching bolts either , this rifle was requisioned for at least one War & the owner was lucky to get it back , but the bolt may have been lost , the bolt dust covers have the makers name on them most times , the army stamps are not on the bolt , just to show how bad they were , on the stock it is stamped - HC8 1512 & on the rifle it is stamped HG8 1512 , the G looks a little like a C on the action !

Has looping sight machining on the action , bugger !
Should I get a Lobbing sight & fit , to make it look less "Gap Toothed" ?

Here are pics of fore sight & front sling eye .

Barrels is 21in long .

Edited by Sarg (19/09/09 07:39 AM)

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darwinmauser
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Reged: 07/05/07
Posts: 217
Loc: Darwin NT

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: Sarg]
#142268 - 18/09/09 04:52 PM

Looking good Sarg , so far it's like a stripper showing a bit of leg

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jc5
.300 member

Reged: 10/10/07
Posts: 162
Loc: West Coast, USA

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: darwinmauser]
#142299 - 19/09/09 01:36 AM

Sarg,

Could you post some close-up pics of the markings?

Also, what is a "looping sight"?

Is the rear sight the original military sight?

--------------------
Researching Lee Speeds and all commercial Lee Enfields. If you have data to share or questions, please send me a PM.

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Sarg
.400 member

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

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: jc5]
#142328 - 19/09/09 07:58 AM

Yes , well , I'm deslexic & I can't spell !

"Lobbing" or Volley sight !

Lots of markings , can't see yet where the UK reproof from the gunsmithing should be & yes has military rear sight , Im told it would be a carbine barrel with front sight changed for the MK7 round ?

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kamilaroi
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Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: Sarg]
#142333 - 19/09/09 09:50 AM

As they say "Lysdexia lures K.O."?

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Newy
.224 member

Reged: 13/03/08
Posts: 10
Loc: Cooma NSW Australia

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: kamilaroi]
#151156 - 19/01/10 08:01 PM

congratulations that is a superb find WELL DONE!

--------------------
And so here we are! Today is another day closer to not being here!

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Story
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Reged: 15/10/08
Posts: 262
Loc: SE PA, USA

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: jc5]
#151627 - 24/01/10 06:06 AM

Kind of makes me wonder if BSA (or one of the stock-making subcontractors) didn't offer Lee sporter buttstock 'blanks', the way Brownell's or Boyd's does these days.

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

Re: BSA Sporter ? ? [Re: Story]
#152041 - 27/01/10 09:11 PM

Ok , I have been talking to a elderly gunsmith who worked at BSA in the old days (got BSA express sight & BSA sporter wreck off him too) & he said some of the low grades were made on Mil actions (he worked on them he said) they would build a sporter on a customers rifle too , he & I found in some of his old paper work a "Bush Patten" BSA Sporter with a 20in barrel like mine too !

I have some more info on shot out barrels also !

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