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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Lee Speed Forum & Archive
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3AXBAT
.224 member


Reged: 29/08/07
Posts: 5
Loc: Central Texas
Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio
      #214071 - 05/08/12 08:49 AM

I just saw a Lee Speed for sale in the San Antonio Gun Show. It is owned by Dale Wise Guns, 210 734-9999. I have no connection with him or interest in the rifle.

First off, it's rough and incomplete. And no, I couldn't take pictures. I did take notes, tho.

The Knox form is marked Lee Speed, BSA and Co, NO 59. He tells me it is 303. Tang safety, and the bolt head has a patent date on it. No extra holes in the action, looks like it was the original bolt, I wasn't able to open it and check the number. It does have the old style cocking piece. Missing the magazine cut off, you can see the hole where it was and should be. No dust cover. Interesting magazine. The magazine floorplate is flush with the bottom of the receiver (!) and marked "Harris Magazine" and has a patent date and Number 120.

Original wood fore end with horn? tip, original butt with horn grip cap, initial plate (un-engraved), sling eye and steel butt plate. Lots of wear and dry looking, but tight and no obvious cracks. The engraving on the butt plate matches engraving on the receiver. There is a lever on the left side of the fore end he says lowers the magazine follower so you can reload quickly. The checkering was all there, but old and tired. There are two dates carved (!) into the right side of the butt stock, 30/10/05 and 13/2/06. The carving is large, rough, deep and old.

The barrel looks like it was cut some. I couldn't measure it, but the original sling eye is too close to the muzzle. The fore end fits tight to the barrel, there are no gaps. Front sight is on a band. The barrel has no markings visible, proofs, caliber, nada. Looks like they were removed somehow. Rear sight is some recent-ish folded metal w/ elevator, held down with two screws, about like a Red Ryder. Couple holes on the top side of the barrel, maybe were to hold a rib? No idea about the bore.

To me, it looks like something to stay away from. But there's lots of folks who want to resurrect Lee Speeds or build one out of milsurp, so maybe someone here is interested.

Good Luck

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darwinmauser
.300 member


Reged: 07/05/07
Posts: 217
Loc: Darwin NT
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: 3AXBAT]
      #214073 - 05/08/12 10:00 AM



The Harris magazine is quite rare and if it's mostly there it sounds like a good restoration project.

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Huvius
.416 member


Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3525
Loc: Colorado
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: darwinmauser]
      #214075 - 05/08/12 11:34 AM

Hey, 3AXBAT, welcome to NitroExpress!

That Speed could be less monkeyed with than it appears.
IIRC, some were short barreled so that may be correct.

The Harris charger is a very cool feature if for no other reason than my own Lee Speed has one too!





--------------------
He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

Edited by Huvius (05/08/12 11:37 AM)

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tinker
.416 member


Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: Huvius]
      #214100 - 06/08/12 03:50 AM

Marrakai of the NT has a Lee Speed with this magazine feature too.
Neat patent, it would be nice to fiddle with one.






Cheers
Tinker

--------------------
--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--



"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...

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Matt_Graham
Sponsor


Reged: 26/02/04
Posts: 602
Loc: Australia
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: tinker]
      #214125 - 06/08/12 11:49 PM

what price did it have on it?

--------------------
www.huntaust.com.au

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Bluer60
.224 member


Reged: 14/08/12
Posts: 3
Loc: Texas, USA
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: Matt_Graham]
      #215589 - 27/08/12 02:51 AM

Well, after two months of looking at it, I couldn't stay away and bought it. What they were asking at $850 scared me away, but when it got to $500 OTD,I couldn't leave it. The rifle, outside of the barrel and missing dust cover, is really not in bad shape. No blue to speak of but little pitting. the stock is really pretty good and as stated has some history carved in it! There was a story that explained the dates but that stuff is not worth much. The downside is, of course, the barrel which has a poor bore, is missing it's sights, ramp, and may have been shortened. The numbers under the wood match, so it must at least be the original. At this time my idea is to get the barrel rebored and some proper sights installed. At that point it will useful again. I can try to post pictures if anyone is interested. 3AXBAT's description was spot on!

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darwinmauser
.300 member


Reged: 07/05/07
Posts: 217
Loc: Darwin NT
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: Bluer60]
      #215664 - 27/08/12 08:34 PM


Pictures are always welcome and welcome to the forum.

cheers
Pete

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Bluer60
.224 member


Reged: 14/08/12
Posts: 3
Loc: Texas, USA
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: darwinmauser]
      #216177 - 05/09/12 10:35 PM

Have been having a trouble loading photos, here's one more try:

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Rowdy
.275 member


Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 53
Loc: Victoria. Australia
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: Bluer60]
      #216313 - 08/09/12 10:25 AM

The barrel looks to have an SMLE profile knox form so it may not be original.
Therefore you could replace it without reducing originality - any proof marks on it?

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Bluer60
.224 member


Reged: 14/08/12
Posts: 3
Loc: Texas, USA
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: Rowdy]
      #216479 - 10/09/12 11:00 AM


Here's a photo of the bottom of the barrel. The barrel is really close to a SMLE but when I put one next to it just not exactly the same. At this point I'm leaning to a rebore and a set of NECG Express sights. Hard to know how far to go with this thing. It's been really neglected but has good bones. I feel like the least I can do is get it back into functional condition. Then maybe do some pig hunting!

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Story
.333 member


Reged: 15/10/08
Posts: 262
Loc: SE PA, USA
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: Bluer60]
      #216630 - 12/09/12 12:31 PM

Blue,
That's excellent.
What did it have for sights?

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Old_Glass
.300 member


Reged: 17/03/10
Posts: 113
Loc: BC, Canada
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: Story]
      #220042 - 23/11/12 06:20 AM

A neat old rifle, and would have been an expensive one when new.

What was the story on the dates and could we see a photo of the carving? Off hand I'd guess it was the birth dates of the owner's children, but for such a rifle to be defaced in such a way when still so new is a bit surprising.

Someone has tried to remove the barrel as you can see by the vice scars. Fortunately they gave up. Looks like the guard screw lug suffered a bit of damage in that attempt as well

The serial number on the magazine suggests this was made by the original patent holder or licensee and very early on too, with a serial number like 120.

Anything in the butt trap?

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Ardent
.275 member


Reged: 19/11/12
Posts: 52
Loc: Northern British Columbia, Can...
Re: Lee Speed for sale in San Antonio [Re: Old_Glass]
      #220493 - 29/11/12 06:10 AM

I'd be most inclined to think the dates are kills, likely of game of some importance to the owner, but you never know in rifles this age. Could be darker, or more benign, it adds to the intrigue and this is why we love old guns. She's a beauty, I'd look at .375-303 for your rebore hunting rifle.

--------------------
www.morrisonarms.com

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