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

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Sarg
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Reged: 20/01/07
Posts: 1365
Loc: Nil
Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ??
      #239793 - 27/12/13 09:07 AM

Hi guys, I could do with some input on this please.

I'm checking to see what the consensus would be on barrel length when re barreling a BSA Lee Speed back to original commercial barrel contour with markings & proofs

I have about 6 Lee Speeds & 6 BSA sportiers, that have the wrong or buggered & wrong barrels on them, over the last few years I have found barrels for most of them or had some rebored to 375 (not in my hand yet) & I'm starting to fix a few up (some need wood work to) .

But I'm unsure what length I should make the barrels, most factory Lees were 24.5in long, very few 22in more 21in as they had the Carbine barrel fitted, I have one of the 21ins & it feels great to use, I also made one of my others with a 22in, it also handles well !

The 24.5's are heavy & ungainly, the full rib is even worse !

I'm not going to keep all these in the long run, just a 303 - 375 & maybe a 411JDJ/400 Saber, so will it effect the value/desirability greatly if the barrels are not cut to original length ?


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Claydog
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Reged: 17/08/12
Posts: 934
Loc: Katherine, Northern Territory ...
Re: Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ?? [Re: Sarg]
      #239796 - 27/12/13 11:50 AM

Sarg
I like the longer barrels on the light sporters. The forward weight feels good to me. Never been lucky enough to get one with a full rib though.


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simonsaorsa
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Reged: 11/05/06
Posts: 172
Loc: UK
Re: Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ?? [Re: Claydog]
      #239808 - 28/12/13 05:35 AM

My sources unanimous- 25 inches nominal

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TH44
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Reged: 21/02/09
Posts: 731
Loc: West UK
Re: Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ?? [Re: simonsaorsa]
      #239817 - 28/12/13 10:29 AM

My Westley Richards marked LeeSpeed is 26 1/8" with rib - which is the Long Lee Enfield barrel length? which I thought most of them were based on

[sear/trigger is different than the SMLE] mine a possible later model with tang safety [here somewhere!]

TH44


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Nailcreek
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Reged: 13/08/08
Posts: 150
Loc: Saukville, WI, USA
Re: Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ?? [Re: TH44]
      #239838 - 29/12/13 04:27 AM

I recall that BSA offered different barrel lengths as a custom option, up to 30" in 303.

From what I've gleaned off of a number of forum boards, the No.4 Enfield barrel contour is very similar to that of the older Lee Metford/Lee Speed barrel (the No.1 barrel being thinner). However, the thread pitch of the No.4 shank is different than that of the No.1 by a few degrees (don't recall the details right now). My plan is to re-barrel one of my Lee Speeds with a Criterion No.4 barrel which hasn't been finally machined with the threads cut or the bayonet lug put in. I gave them a call (easy to do, as they're only about 10-ish miles down the road) and they thought it would be a pretty easy thing to offer.

--------------------
Veni, Vedici, Veggie ... I came, I saw, I had a salad.

Edited by Nailcreek (29/12/13 04:30 AM)


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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26414
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ?? [Re: Nailcreek]
      #239840 - 29/12/13 04:35 AM

I like the longer barrels, as in 24" to 26" - but a man should do what HE wants, not what someone else thinks he should do.

It's your game, Sarg, your rules.

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


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


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Sarg
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Reged: 20/01/07
Posts: 1365
Loc: Nil
Re: Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ?? [Re: DarylS]
      #239850 - 29/12/13 11:51 AM

Thank you for the comments guys, looks like most people like the longer barrels !

By the way I was not asking what barrel lengths Lee Speeds have, as I know that very well.

Standard Lee Speed type rifles had heavy (MLE MLE porfile & knox form) 24.5in barrels, with the opinion of lengths up to 30 1/4in (maybe more on special order) which was the barrel length on MLM, MLE, Long Lee or Long Tom as we call them here .

Later BSA type sportier's had 25in SMLE profile barrels, with a 20.5in Bush Model, there are many different versions & barrels lengths on these also, as by the looks of it a person could order what they like up to a certain degree .

As you say Daryl, I could do as I like & I will on the ones I keep, I think, but I will sell some of these (need more money in the gun kitty) and it's better to have them as the people want them.

Also after finding & fixing up these orphans which have been abused by there owners or "Gunsmiths" and wishing they had not (wishing I had their names & address to) I don't want the next generation of owners to wish I had left the barrels long or some such thing .

Thank you all again for the input & opinions


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Deutsche_Vortrekker
.333 member


Reged: 27/04/08
Posts: 449
Loc: From the Kalahari to the USA
Re: Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ?? [Re: Sarg]
      #245871 - 16/04/14 01:08 PM

My factory Lee Speed barrel is 25" and balances quite nicely.

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horsedoc49
.224 member


Reged: 30/12/03
Posts: 10
Loc: Alaska
Re: Lee Speed Barrel lenght, Cut to what ?? [Re: Sarg]
      #245909 - 17/04/14 03:24 AM

Hello to all, only my 2nd post I believe. I thought that I would start contributing here. I recently bought a Lee Speed at auction
and it is in quite nice condition. The barrel length (by Dan Fraser) is 30.5 inches. It's major fault at this time, however, is that the tang safety is missing from the nicely inletted stock:( at the risk of being laughed off of here, anyone have a spare?;)))
Or far more likely, has anyone had one fabricated? Don't want to hijack this post, please let me know if I'd best repost as a new subject.
Thanks,
Ron


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