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

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Nailcreek
.300 member


Reged: 13/08/08
Posts: 150
Loc: Saukville, WI, USA
Lee Speed Barrel Choices ...
      #260927 - 22/02/15 06:49 AM

I've a couple actions laying around and I'm kicking around what barrel to fit. The first is a Lee Speed action and the second is a 1896 BSA LE.

While I would really like to find a couple clean, early Metford barrels for both of them, I'm not holding out for that. I do have a couple new South African made SMLE barrels, as well as a new Heavy Lithgow SMLE barrel (which cost me about as much as a new rifle). I also know that Criterion is working on a new SMLE barrel - and perhaps a heavy contour barrel as well. Both could be a couple years out however (I'll have to check).

Any thoughts for something period correct?

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2152hq
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Reged: 20/05/12
Posts: 118
Loc: USA
Re: Lee Speed Barrel Choices ... [Re: Nailcreek]
      #261078 - 24/02/15 07:06 AM

I'd use one of the SA made SMLE bbls personally.
The profile was used. I have 2 Lee sporters with that profile on them now and had another that I sold.

If a better bbl (heavier) comes along later like the early Metford you're wanting, you can always replace the lighter profile SMLE with the Metford with some stock work.

The Lithgow bbl would make a nice bbl for the project, but collectors and restoration folks would cry most likely.
Sell it to them for the big money and buy a custom bbl perhaps for the project(?)

It's been my experience that SMLE bbls fit just fine in the Long Lee actions,,the threads time the same. The only thing I ever did was to make the extractor cut into the radius cut of the Long Lee type bbl from the flat style cut of the SMLE.
Maybe that wasn't even needed, but it doesn't take much to do.

I have one of the Ishapore 410 SMLE bbls screwed onto one of the sporters currently. Works fine for a 2 shot repeater w/ 2 1/2" shells.
That one I had to lightly lap the threads into the action as they were a tad tight, but they indexed fine as usual.

Just some thoughts


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